Righteousness That Comes From God

July 1, 2020

By Jenny Sung, Executive Coordinator

One of the most impactful books I’ve read on leadership has been The Leadership Ellipse: Shaping How We Lead by Who We Are by Robert A. Fryling. It taught me a lot about leadership and character as a follower of Christ.

Fryling notes, “The spiritual life is a journey with many detours and difficulties. Our spiritual strength is not dependent on our success and willfulness to do what is right, but on our willingness to receive God’s righteousness in the midst of all the hardships we experience along the way. In fact, many of the metaphors of Scripture for the spiritual life are not of ever-increasing passionate from pain or limitations. Rather, they are pictures of sacrifice, of cutting back, of letting go.”

These words reminded me of the apostle Paul, someone who gave up all he had, suffered tremendous trials, and stood only on the righteousness that came by faith in Jesus Christ. This was the person who had status and power. From the human perspective, he actually had every right to be righteous––of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee;  as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. (Philippians 3:5-6 NIV)

But Paul released what he knew, calling it garbage because he knew what truly mattered. Paul wrote this to the church in Philippi: “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.” (Philippians 3:7-12, NIV)

During this difficult season of struggle, turmoil, and unrest, we stand together as followers of Jesus. Our spiritual strength in life is not because of our own righteousness, but because of His righteousness. All else is loss.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, open our hearts to receive You. May we know You in a deeper way, standing on Your righteousness that comes through faith. Amen.

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