Philippians 3:8 “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 ¶ And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”
It is our human nature to seek promotion based upon demonstrated merit. But, it is not so before God; for, the requisite “righteousness” necessary to secure Eternal Life is far beyond our ability to attain. The required level of “righteousness” is so high; that, even at our best, our level of merit “righteousness” is so low that it doesn’t even move the scale. It is so low that we are plainly told, “we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). But, the Good News is that we joyfully call our Lord, “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Jeremiah 23:6; 33:16; 51:10)! Paul made it very plain: “For he [God the Father) hath made him [God the Son] to be sin for us, who [God the Son] knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him [God the Son].” (II Corinthians 5:21)! Therefore, the Psalmist declares, “I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.” (Psalms 7:17)!