The Heavenly Calling

Notes

1. The fact that Paul counted all his own righteousness as worthless that he might win Christ, is evidence that there was nothing in it that would in the least help him in the way of salvation. As he wrote to the Romans, there is no difference between Jew and Gentile; no one has anything that will commend him to the favor of God.

2. The righteousness which is by faith of Jesus Christ is that perfect righteousness which the law requires, but which it can not give to any man. This righteousness God gives freely to those who have true faith in the blood of Christ. See Rom. 3:21-25. When it is imputed, it not only cancels the sins of the past, so that they are no longer counted against the sinner, but it changes the man, making him righteous, so that, out of the good treasure of his heart, he may bring forth that which is good.

3. There is nothing that so much exalts the law of God as the plan of salvation through faith in Christ. The fact that righteousness must be received as the free gift of God, shows that the righteousness of the law is perfect; that it is far above human grasp. There can be no true morality without faith in Christ.

4. "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect." The thing to be attained is in the preceding verse said to be the resurrection of the dead. The Christian life is a continual but victorious struggle unto the end. No matter how exalted a man's position or how great his attainments in holiness, he is never in this life beyond the necessity of patient continuance in well-doing. There is always before him the possibility of still higher attainments.