Sermon for MHBC (31 October 2021). You can listen on Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo, or our website. Live at 11:00am on Sundays. Also available as a podcast here or by searching “Monument Heights Baptist Church” in your favorite podcast app.
I have to say that this has long been one of my favorite passages of Scripture. I recall preaching it about ten years ago. It’s a passage that brings the heart of the gospel of grace into full view—we are found righteous not through our actions or our behavior; we are found righteous through Christ alone.
In this passage, Paul has a warning for the Philippians. He warns them to watch out for false teaching—teaching that would lead them to think they earn their righteousness through their behavior. This is something they know, but they need to be reminded of it. Look what he says in v. 1: Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
Notice he strikes the same theme of rejoicing that we’ve seen throughout the letter. You need to know that this rejoicing in the Lord has to do with Paul’s hope in Christ. Everything in Paul’s life has been changed by the knowledge of Christ. His union with Christ is the most important thing to him. And it’s on the basis of that union that he rejoices. And he does not want the Philippians to lose sight of Christ. That’s the reason for his concern in these verses.
Before we move on, I have to explain the central thrust of this passage. It can be found in v. 9 where Paul says he wants to be found in Christ and also in v. 10 where he says that he may know Christ and share in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death. For Paul, the idea of being in Christ, being united to Christ is critical.
I think this is a little difficult for us to grasp because the concept is abstract and mysterious and mystical. We can think in terms of analogies, but before we do that, remember all analogies are imperfect. Consider baking. You take a large bowl and what do you do? You mix in, or incorporate, ingredients. Incorporate is a helpful word because it’s made up of two parts. The first part is “in”—that’s self-explanatory. The second part refers to a body. You might remember our word corpse or even something like the Marine Corps. We use the word incorporate when someone or a group of people become part of an existing corporation. And finally, there’s our word unite or union—both of which are ultimately derived from the Latin word unus, meaning one. To unite is to make something one.
So this passage is all about being united to Christ. And that union or incorporation with Christ means we are brought into an inseparable relationship with Him. This is the means of our salvation. This is how we are justified by faith. His righteousness becomes our righteousness. His death becomes our death. And His resurrection becomes our resurrection.
Rankin Wilbourne has this helpful summary: “Union with Christ means that you are in Christ and Christ is in you.”[1] This is, of course, the basis for Christian unity that we saw in chapter two. We are incorporated into the body of Christ.
Gordan T. Smith has a more involved summary:
Christ himself, his very self, becomes our true home even as we ourselves, our embodied selves, are the home of Christ. Therefore we do not merely follow Jesus, though we certainly follow. We do not merely obey Jesus, though we certainly live as those who do his will. And we do not merely imitate Jesus, though, without doubt, we follow his example. Rather, we participate in the life of Jesus—literally, not metaphorically.[2]
This is mind-blowing isn’t it? Christ is in us and we are in Christ. When we suffer, He suffers. Because He was raised, we will be raised.[3] This is the amazing news Paul is communicating. We don’t experience this by relying on ourselves. We experience this union when we turn to Christ in faith, then through the Holy Spirit, we are united with Him.
But there’s always a danger. There’s the danger that we will rely on our own righteousness. There’s the danger that self-righteousness will blind us to Christ. Look at v. 2: Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. Now Paul’s words here are absolutely biting. He’s referring to those who would impose OT laws as a means of salvation. He’s especially concerned with the OT issue of circumcision, which was the defining mark of being part of Israel. One of the biggest issues in the early Church was those people who would insist upon circumcision in order to be incorporated into the body of Israel. But something new has happened. People are not brought into the people of God by circumcision. They are brought into the people of God by Christ through the Spirit.
Another way to think about this is (and this is important): Christ is true Israel. He fulfills all of the obligations of the covenant made with Israel. Israel failed. This is highlighted really well in the NT stories of Jesus’s temptation. Jesus in the wilderness like Israel was. He fasted for forty days like Israel was in the wilderness for forty years. And then He is tempted to reject God’s provision. But each time Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy—the very words of instruction that Israel failed to heed. By doing that, Jesus was fulfilling what Israel failed to do. Now the way we enter into the people of God is through union with Christ.
This is Paul’s point in v. 3: For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh. See what he’s saying. We are the true circumcision, and he’s not talking about physical circumcision. Those who are the people of God are not merely those who rely on external works of self-righteousness. They are those who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ and put no confidence in the flesh. It’s all about looking to Christ in repentance and faith. It’s all about being found in Christ.
And Paul knows this because his credentials are incredible. Look at vv. 4–6: though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
These are legitimate credentials. If we are doing a comparison of who has done the best job of committing to the OT mandates, Paul has done quite well. If anyone can appeal to their own righteousness, Paul can do so.
This is a real danger for all of us. Every human is prone to self-righteousness, and I think there’s something about our cultural moment that is highlighting it even more. For example, if you identify with one of the two political parties, your side is ethical and right and loving, and the other side is barbaric and evil. It’s even true with regard to COVID. Lots of people gloat about their self-righteousness over their choices. And we can step out of the cultural realm too. Religion has a tendency to produce self-righteousness. It’s easy to fall into the trap of looking outside at all the miserable sinners. It’s easy to think that our behavior is what makes us righteous. Here is what we must remember: Our righteousness is found in our union with Christ. It is His righteousness that becomes ours. Now that’s a thought that should humble us every day, but it also should cause us to rejoice in the Lord as Paul said in v. 1.
And it’s from that perspective that Paul looks at all his credentials and he says they are worthless. Look at v. 7: But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. All of Paul’s accolades pale in comparison to Christ.
Verse 8: Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ. Notice the contrast in vv. 7 and 8. Whatever gain he had became loss, then in v. 8: so that he might gain Christ. The gains of self-righteousness are incomparable to the gains of Christ. So Paul wants to be united with Christ.
Verses 9–11: and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Here it is. How do we become righteous? By being found in Christ, having union with Him, because that means we share in His righteousness. It is not a righteousness earned by our behavior.
As long as we look to our own righteousness our union with Christ will be in jeopardy. The gospel call is to abandon everything in order to be associated with Christ.
At the beginning of Mark’s Gospel we see this illustrated. He tells us that Jesus went out and saw two fishing brothers named Peter and Andrew. Jesus says to them, “Follow me.” And the text says, “Immediately they left their nets and followed him.” Then he sees to other brothers fishing within their father’s business. Jesus says to them, “Follow me.” And the text tells us that they left their father’s business to follow Christ.
They counted their businesses and opportunities as lost because they wanted to be associated with Christ. They left to share in relationship with Christ. Our identity hinges on our union with Christ.
There’s also incredible hope here. The world is a messed up place. There’s a lot to fear. But notice at the end of the passage, as Paul sits in prison, wondering about his possible death, that he speaks of sharing in suffering and being conformed to the death of Christ. That’s certainly on his mind. But look what else is a key focus: the power of His resurrection. Paul knows that being united to Christ now means He will be united to Christ from now on. His continued union with Christ means that He will be raised just like Christ because He will share in the resurrection of Christ.
Many of you are experiencing health concerns over these last few months. Our church has dealt with a lot. I don’t want to minimize those things. In fact, I empathize with you greatly. Those things are really scary. But the Christian hope lies in our union with Christ. If we are in Christ, we will live like Him. This is so powerful. It may seem far-fetched even, but remember that almost 2000 years ago, the world was forever changed by the report that Jesus’s tomb was empty. And a mere 300 years later, the emperor of Rome was prostrating Himself before the image of Christ.
Being united to Christ is our hope in this world. It is Paul’s hope in a Roman jail. I would encourage you to take this passage to heart and consider the ways you may press into to be found in Christ.
[1] Union with Christ, p. 43. This quote and the next were brought to my attention by an article by Ethan Harrison available at the following link: https://alwayswebeginagain23214918.wordpress.com/2018/06/11/a-brief-look-at-union-with-christ/
[2] Called to Be Saints, p. 41.
[3] See esp. 1 Cor 15:22–24.