Main Text: Philippians 3:4-11

 

I. Definitions

A. Rubbish: “excrement, that which is cast out from the body; that which is thrown away from the table”

B. Righteousness: “the character or quality of being right”.

This word is used in Scripture to refer to (1) the perfect righteousness of God, (2) the righteousness of God that becomes ours in Christ, or (3) man’s best attempts at righteousness.

 

II. Paul’s “righteous” works of rubbish (Philippians 3:4-6)

A. Qualifications of heredity:

• • Circumcised the eighth day (Gen. 17:12; Lev. 12:3)
  • Of the stock of Israel
  • Of the tribe of Benjamin
  • A Hebrew of the Hebrews

B. Qualifications of his personal works:

• • Law-abiding Pharisee (Acts 23:6; 26:5)
  • Zealously persecuted the church (Acts 9:1-2; 1 Cor. 15:9)
  • Blamelessly kept the Jewish law

 

 

III. Righteousness in Christ (Philippians 3:7-11)

A. Paul’s well-informed assessment

1. Paul’s former attempts at righteousness were “rubbish” (Isa. 64:6; Rom. 4:5; Titus 3:5)
2. Losing all for Christ is gain (Matt. 13:44-46; Mark 8:34-35)

 

B. The beautiful righteousness of Christ.

1. The excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus “my” Lord (Jer. 9:23-24; John 17:3)
2. The protection of being found “in Him” (Rom. 8:1; 2 Cor. 5:21; Col. 1:14)
3. The righteousness of Christ imputed to our account (Rom. 4:6; 2 Cor. 5:21)
4. The gracious gift of faith (Rom. 1:16-17; Eph. 2:8-9)
5. The power of His resurrection (Rom. 8:10-11; Eph. 1:19-20)
6. The fellowship of His sufferings (Rom. 8:16-17; 1 Pet. 4:12-14)
7. Conformity to His death (Rom. 6:5-11; Gal. 2:20)
8. Association with His resurrection (Rom. 6:5-11; 2 Cor. 4:13-14)