The Perfect Work of God

Well, praise God, I'm really glad to be back I've been following some of the preaching and I was grateful to See that the the guest preacher from last week started Philippians. Just really grateful to be back here of course, it's a privilege and honor to open the Word of God before you and really grateful to the Lord in his provision for this pulpit and Demonstration of his faithfulness toward you all as believers to provide preachers so that you can hear the Word of God.

Prayer and Introduction to Philippians

So, yeah, let me start with the word of prayer we're gonna be in Philippians. So if you want to turn to your Bibles to Philippians That would be good. All right, let's pray Heavenly Father. Thank you God for this day.

Thank you for getting us here to this church building and calling us together as a body of believers as brothers and sisters in Christ to come before you to worship you to magnify the name of Jesus Christ to Sing songs of praise and worship in these hymns God to hear the preaching of your word and so I pray that you would bless the worship service this morning.

I pray that you would bring supernatural enablement through the Holy Spirit God help me to preach the word clearly With boldness, I just pray that you would enable your slave today help me to Glorify you with the sermon and I pray that you would do that in the name of our great God and our Redeemer the Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen. So the title for today's sermon is the perfect work of God and so we'll be in Philippians chapter 1 verses 6 through 11 and We are familiar with this letter, this is the letter of Paul to the Philippians.

It's often called the epistle of Christian joy because joy is brought up so many times. So there is that theme? But I want to kind of point you to something and in these verses we're gonna see that pretty clear.

But there's another theme that is really the underlying theme in which all of the others really makes sense. And that is that the return of Christ is a reality. Christ's return is a reality the letter of Paul to the Philippians underlying issue In the verses before us this morning.

We'll see that it's actually brought up twice in our passage about the day of Christ Jesus or the day of Christ and even at the end of chapter 1 Paul will say something he says for Me to live is Christ and to die is gain.

So there's always this sort of forward-looking Perspective that Paul has and Writing from prison to a congregation of believers in which he planted this church. He wants them to get this Christ's return is a reality.

He says for me to go with Christ. It's very much better I don't know what I'm gonna choose to stay here with you or go be with Christ because dying is A gain for me. I want to be with Christ. So he's looking at the at being with the Lord in the return of Christ.

Even in chapter 2 he'll use this same term again in verse 16. He'll say holding fast to the Word of Life so that in the day of Christ I'll have reason to boast because I did not run in vain or labor in vain referring to their salvation and their own earthly reward.

He'll bring this up again in chapter 3 a few times. He'll talk about attaining the resurrection from the dead and living his life to gain the eternal reward. Thinking about his own death thinking about being with Christ and wanting them to be ready for Christ's return.

He'll even talk about it in a way of pressing on Toward the prize or the upward call in Christ or in the gospel. He actually will conclude his letter again where he talks about them. Receiving the reward he says I don't seek the gift, but I seek the fruit which increases to your account.

So he's not only interested in what what they're doing with their lives. But what's gonna happen to them when they get to meet the Lord Jesus Christ face to face? The return of Christ is Mentioned or implied in every chapter of this letter all of Paul's arguments and all of the different Really practical issues and division that is going on in the church it all centers around this.

He starts the letter that way he talks about it through the whole letter he ends the letter that way. The underlying issue of the letter of Paul to the Philippians is Christ's return is a reality and We need to think about that that's going to help us as we look at the verses before us this morning.

Now for the sake of context, I think it would be wise to start back at chapter. Start back at verse 1 in chapter 1. So let's start there and we're gonna be looking specifically at verses 6 through 11 this morning so let's start this letter and read and try to put ourselves in the shoes of those that would be receiving this letter and.

So this is how it starts. Chapter 1 verse 1. Paul and Timothy slaves of Christ Jesus. To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi with the overseers and deacons. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I Think my God in all my remembrance of you. Always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all. Because of your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now. For verse 6 for I am confident of this very thing.

That he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. For it is only right for me to think this way about you all because I have you in my heart. Since both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.

You all are fellow partakers with me in this grace. For God is my witness how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus and this I pray That your love may abound still more and more in full knowledge and all discernment.

So that you may approve the things that are excellent in order to be sincere and without fault until the day of Christ. Having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.

Christ's Return as the Underlying Theme of Philippians

What a strong way to start a letter. Christ's return is a reality. There's a famous illustration called the fishing fleet that I think helps us to think about this a little bit. In a city near Edinburgh a large fishing fleet goes forth each year on a long expedition to the Newfoundland banks.

And when the fleet returns the whole town is notified and as the boats come over the horizon Everyone is at the dock waiting for their loved ones who have been away they've been very far away for two three months at a time.

And on one such return as the fleet approached the Shore the captain stood on the deck of one of the ships and with his field glasses. He was reporting to the sailors what he saw there on the on the pier the wharf.

Naturally, they were all wondering about their loved ones. He told each man of his family and wife as they waited he could spot the the spouse or the family waiting for them and you can imagine the men's joy as.

Each man saw his wife or family. They were overjoyed. Each was relieved to know that all was well. There had been no sickness. No death. One man came to the captain and asked do you see my wife there?

The captain turned and said I'm sorry. I I don't see her. She's not there. The man began to worry because his wife was not in the crowd on the wharf. When the ship docked the men greeted their loved ones, but this man moved through the crowd Looking everywhere for his wife.

He could not find her. He passed quickly through the village to his house. When when he hurried to the door he opened it with hurried Expectation and urgent worry and there was his wife. She said oh you're home.

My dear I've been waiting for you and He replied the wives of the other men were watching for them. So we have to think about this. How how do we live our lives. Are we merely waiting for the Lord to return or are we eagerly watching and preparing for his return?

Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ should not only be waiting but they should be watching. With expectation and I think the way that you answer really this this question of are you just waiting for the Lord to return?

Or are you eagerly watching in anticipation is how you're going to live your life now while we're wait while we're expecting the Lord to return and It's helpful to think about this. Because of how strong Paul puts it in the beginning part of his letter.

But it's also it's also helpful to think about what was going on in the church. What was the bigger situation? What was the purpose of Paul's writing? In other words, why did Paul write the letter? Well, he wrote to express his thanks for the Philippians gift to him during his two-year imprisonment.

He wrote to inform the Philippians why he sent back a paphroditis due to illness. He wrote to inform them of his circumstances in Rome. He wrote to exhort them to unity and obedience to the gospel. And he also wrote to warn them against false teachers and false teaching.

But he wanted to help them to be Watching and living their life based on the reality that Christ is coming back. We can see some themes throughout the letter. We've touched on one this morning joy. It's a very strong theme.

There's other things in there unity because of the division in the church. He calls out some some people by name Christ likeness. Of course christian joy because the greek word for joy is used 15 times in the letter.

So it's rightly it has a good title the the uh christian epistle of joy. But there were specific real world things going on and we can't detach that. We need to be in the letter and think about this as we're receiving it.

Philippians was written by the apostle paul to the believers in philippi to communicate his thanksgiving and rejoicing in their partnership of the gospel. To exhort them to walk in unity in christlikeness.

As well as to remain loyal to the gospel while defending it against opponents of the faith. Paul finished his letter with a final exhortation to the philippians to live in unity to be joyful In their circumstances and to continue in prayer in all things.

Paul the Slave of Christ and the Church's Calling

In verse 1 paul uses the greek word for slave. Paul is a slave of christ. The highest honor of the apostle paul was to be the slave of jesus christ. He didn't start the letter by saying it's me the apostle paul writing this.

He says i'm a slave of jesus christ. That's the highest honor he could have. He's not the master of a church. But the servant of christ. Also notice that paul is writing to everyone in the church. Another important observation is that paul mentions the church before the church leadership.

He says to all the saints this applies to every single person. It applies to every single person in this room right now. He mentions the church first because the leaders are for the church. Not the church for the leaders.

The word overseer is the same word for elder or pastor. Sometimes it's used as bishop. And the word is used interchangeably to describe an elder pastor overseer or bishop throughout the new testament.

The bishops or elders teach and oversee the body of believers. They are not only the slaves of christ, but the slaves of the church in the sense that they're servants. Christ has given the church servant leaders to prepare them for present living.

Watching for christ's return as a reality. The letter of paul to the philippians underlying issue the return of christ. And that's paul's point in the passage this morning. In the passage today the apostle paul gives you three incredibly important examples.

Of god's flawless work so that you are ready for christ's return. Three examples of god's flawless work. Number one perfect grace. We'll see in the first couple of verses here six through eight. Number two Practical love verse nine and number three praiseworthy living verses 10 and 11 three incredibly important examples of god's flawless work so that you are ready for christ's return.

Perfect Grace and Eternal Security

Number one perfect grace. And if we look again at this passage or this particular verse we can see that paul is confident. The root of this word is a verb meaning to persuade or to convince. The feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something.

Firm trust or the state of feeling certain about the truth of something. Paul is saying he is convinced. He is sure he is certain. It is the idea to be so convinced that one puts confidence in something.

Absolutely to depend on it to trust on it or trust in it rather. The apostle's confidence is strong because the confidence is in god. He is confident that god's work will see completion in his beloved.

Brothers and sisters in christ that are in philippi god's perfect work of grace in their lives. Will be fully seen in the day of christ at his return. Paul is confident god's perfect work means guaranteed Progress, but it doesn't always feel like that.

Does it? Sometimes we struggle with our remnant sinful nature and we just can't seem to get things going the way we would want them. Do you ever feel like that like you'll never make progress in your christian life or your spiritual walk?

Maybe there's a sin that keeps coming up again and again. You go good good for a while and then. You just write back where you started. It doesn't always feel like there's going to be guaranteed progress.

That's life that we live but be encouraged. This passage this morning is telling you that your progress is not up to you alone. God will complete your progress because his will is for your sanctification.

For your separation from the world for your increase in godliness. He started it and he's going to finish it. He who began a good work and you will bring it to perfection until the day of christ. When god starts a work He finishes it.

God will help you grow in grace. Until he has completed his work in your life. When you are discouraged. Remember that god will never Give up on you no matter what's going on with you. No matter the nature of the sin that you're involved in whatever the struggles of life are whatever the trial is God will never leave you and he will never forsake you.

He is for you. God promises to finish the work he has begun and it's worth noting that the verb translated who began Is only used twice in the new testament. It's used here in this verse and it's also in paul's letter to the galatians.

So we can look at our first supporting scripture. Oh foolish galatians who bewitched you before whose eyes Jesus christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. This is the only thing I want to learn from you.

Did you receive the spirit by works of the law? Or by hearing with faith. Are you so foolish? Having begun by the spirit. Are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things for nothing if indeed it was for nothing?

So then does he who provides you with the spirit and works miracles among you do it by the works of the law? Or by hearing with faith. He's saying you got saved the holy spirit did this. Are you now saying that you're going to take it the rest of the way.

You're the one that's going to make it right. You're you're going to work out your own salvation by works of the flesh. He says you got saved with the spirit and now the spirit of god is going to take you the rest of the way.

Have faith. Yeah, I mean. Pretty strong language here. I can just imagine from the pulpit talking to believers. Are you so foolish? We get this idea from the greek. It's sort of like watered down. He's saying are you so stupid that you don't see this?

This is strong language. He's using. That's just an example, so i'm not saying that to you guys. But let's think about it for a second. It's it's it's what we do. We forget that we were saved by god. And then we try to live this life of perfect holiness.

And we forget that we need the spirit's help to do that. We forget that god said he's gonna do it so instead of really partnering with the spirit cooperating with the spirit. You know having a responsibility on ourselves and using the word of god.

We just kind of do our own thing. Perfect grace. Yeah, this term who began is referring to salvation. God's perfect work is salvation. What god starts he finishes. The verb for will perfect comes from a word meaning to finish something begun to end to bring to an end to finish.

This is a perfect completed state. God started it with his free gift of grace and your salvation. But he has not done what god starts he finishes. God is not finished with you. When you feel incomplete.

Unfinished or distressed by life. Remember god's provision and promise for your life. Don't let your present condition whether that's sin a trial whatever's going on. Don't let your present condition of sin.

Still the joy of knowing jesus in your life. Don't let your present condition of sin. Cause you to doubt god God will finish what he starts. God's perfect work means your eternal security. And we'll look at the meaning of the day of christ Jesus in this verse as well as the day of christ in verse 10 in the concluding comments of the sermon.

We can move on to the next verse. Paul is referring to his imprisonment in philippi in this verse wherever paul was even in prison. He had joy. Wherever paul was even in prison. He faithfully preached the gospel.

Likewise, the philippians have shared with him in suffering. Paul has them in his heart. The heart is the seat of physical spiritual and mental life. It is the center and source of physical life. The center and source of the whole inner being.

The whole inner life thinking. Feeling volition. This is the will Paul is saying he has the philippians in the innermost part of his being. They are a part of him. They are partakers with him of grace.

And this is god's perfect work. The free gift of grace that leads to faith in christ. The free gift of grace that leads to salvation. The philippians shared in his suffering and they shared in grace. While paul was in prison the philippians sent him money.

As a way to help him and they sent a fellow worker in the gospel apaphroditus. They supported the apostle's ministry and him personally sharing in god's blessing of the apostle's ministry. Perfect grace.

Paul's pure motive and yearning for them is demonstrated by invoking the divine witness of god. As he just mentioned in verse 7. The courageous witness before men in a court of law and change confirms the gospel is true.

No, sane person. Would go through what paul was going through if they didn't believe 100. Paul knew his feeling of intense longing for the philippians was because of christ's yearning for his own people.

Have you ever learned like? Yearned or long to see a friend that you haven't seen in a long time. Have you ever longed to see a friend with whom you have fond memories? You know you get so excited because you haven't seen them in a long time.

You can't wait to see their face. You can't wait to hear the sound of their voice to look in their eyes. You want to tell them what's been going on with you? You can't wait to hear what's been going on with them.

There's a deep yearning and longing. It's like you're a kid before christmas day. You just can't wait the anticipation of seeing them again. This deep yearning and longing and paul had this kind of longing for the philippians.

His affection and love for them wasn't only based on past experiences. But on the unity that comes when believers draw on the love of jesus on christ's love. The term for affection paul uses here literally means the internal organs that react to emotion.

The greek writers of the time used it as a word to express strong compassion or love. The kind of love that involves the entire being or inner person. All christians are part of the family of god. Believers share equally in the transforming power of christ's love.

Do you feel a deep love for other believers friends and even strangers alike? Let the love of jesus motivate you to love other christians and to express that love by the way you treat them. And we can think about this idea of god's perfect work.

One more supporting scripture is helpful here. Now may the god of peace himself sanctify you entirely. And may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete without blame at the coming of our lord jesus christ.

Faithful is he who calls you? Who also Will do it. The work of salvation and the work of being separated out of the world. And an increase in holiness in your conduct over a period of you know over a lifetime.

That's what god is going to do. Jesus saved you and through his spirit. He will enable you to continue. And we can think about this idea of perfect grace. Perfect grace equals progress. But we can do some things we can think about this this first point in these these first few verses.

How do we live this out? Well, if you are stuck in sin, or if you're finding it difficult to break old habits, the answer is simple. Start a new habit. It's never too late to begin anew. Whatever you've been doing.

Stop doing it. Go to the word of god. Pray to god. Ask him for help. Understand that he is going to help you. He is the one that's going to get you from point a to point b. Change up your daily habits.

The cycle of sin does not have to continue. And maybe think about helping someone else grow in their own walk with the lord. God is for your progress. Have you ever thought about it like this? Are you for the progress of another brother or sister in christ?

So when we kind of stop thinking about ourselves. This is one way to get out of those old habits. When you switch your so your focus from yourself, you may find you are too busy to feed the old habits.

You know those old habits sometimes bog us down. Get the focus off of yourself and get it on the progress of someone else. What are you doing to help somebody else in their life of sanctification? God is doing it for you now do it for somebody else.

You know, are there people in your sphere of influence that you could help out or benefit? You may find that going out of your ways, uh to really like help others. Will also help your own spiritual life.

Reach out to someone you haven't seen or talked to in a while. You know if there's a brother or sister in christ that you haven't seen or talked to in a while. Give them a call. Check in on them. See how they're doing.

Be concerned about their life. Be concerned about their progress. It's never too late to reconnect to re-establish old relationships to reconcile. Reach out. Do that re-establish old relationships. Pick up the phone and call someone and check in on them.

God is for your progress because of his perfect grace. Maybe there's a thing that happened in the past and you're they haven't called me. I'm not calling them. Let it go. And pick up the phone and give them a call.

See how they're doing. See how you can help them. God's grace overlooked your sin. Stop focusing on yourself and start focusing on others. That's three examples of god's flawless work. We've looked at the first one perfect grace that guarantees the believers progress.

Practical Love and Discernment

And number two practical love we'll look at verse 9 practical love. Paul prayed that the philippians love might increase more and more. He's acknowledging it's there and he's saying may it may it increase.

This abounding is the idea of having in abundance. So it's the state or condition of having a copious quantity of something. Plentifulness of the good things of life love and prosperity. A very large quantity of love.

Not just the quantity but the quality of the love. The quality of the love is knowledge and discernment. And this knowledge is recognition limited to transcendent and moral matters. It has the implication of complete or advanced knowledge.

Christian love is different from the world. This love is anchored in the truth of the scripture. It provides stability or confidence in an otherwise uncertain situation. Christian love is controlled maintained and supervised.

By means of the rule and regulation of the truth of the bible. This is not human love. This is god love. Paul is saying that christians love should be discerning. It is the idea of the capability of being affected by perception and sensation reasoning in appreciation of moral issues.

A capacity to understand what is good or what is evil what is right? And what is wrong because those lines are blurring in our society today. They have been for two thousand years from the time that paul wrote this to where we are now.

There's really not that much difference in the secular world that we live in. Yeah, we need to think very carefully about the moral issues that face us today as a body of believers. This is a capacity to understand what is right and wrong.

This kind of love is a highly developed insight for each other's good based on biblical truth not emotion or feeling god love. Most times the best way to love someone is to pray for them. Paul prays that the believers in philippi would be united in their love.

The prayer for the philippians love was to result in a greater knowledge of jesus and a deeper insight of moral discernment. As christians grow in the love of jesus our hearts and minds must grow together.

Are your love and your insight growing? How affected by the world are you? Discernment and knowledge is love. That's the kind of love that paul is talking about here. I think as a supporting scripture.

This is helpful to think about. He says for this reason also since the day we heard we have not ceased to pray for you. And to ask that you may be filled with the full knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

So that you may walk in a manner worthy of the lord to please him in all respects. Bearing fruit in every good work and multiplying in the full knowledge of god. Being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience joyously giving thanks to the father who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light who rescued us from the authority of darkness and Transferred us to the kingdom of the son of his love in whom we have redemption the forgiveness of sins.

I think that's a really helpful way to think about it. And of course paul wrote these words as well. You know this this is really important that we get this. Love is not whimsical. It's based on the truth of scripture.

It's based on biblical principles. Um. Let's try to think about this passage a little bit. Practical love will never cause a person to sin. And one of the things that I don't necessarily like to bring up but it's something that is going on in our society.

And when something is going on in in this church. Then I think I have to bring it up. And so part of my visit last time I was made aware that last summer at the montana zoo. During pride month. They had a drag queen day.

I don't know how that applies to watching like animals in a zoo. Only the the lord knows the minds of the depraved. But as i'm thinking through this issue and how do I respond to that as a pastor? How do we respond to that?

As a body of believers, I couldn't help but think about this passage because while while witnessing and Doing evangelism out in the in the field or out in the streets. It's something that i've encountered so many times.

Guys, i'm from los angeles. I live in a city called downey. It's east la and I worship at a place in long beach. Those two cities are amongst the highest in the lgbtq community and dealing with Transgender issues.

If you go out into a public area to proclaim the gospel. You're going to interact with people that are in this lifestyle. And i've heard someone say about same-sex marriage this is love it can't be wrong.

But we need to be careful about making this sin homosexuality a hobby horse. Because i've also heard christians. So you'll meet folks they say yeah, i'm going to this church. You're talking to them. And as you get to know them I've also heard christians who are having sex out of marriage and they say the same thing.

This is love. It can't be wrong. We as christians must not compromise so calling out sin. While overlooking your own sin should not define you as a christian. A christian can have a secret thought life of fantasy about someone other than their spouse.

They can make it a habit of telling little white lies. We all have idols in our lives that we love in addition to god or more than god. But yet we're calling out those that are in bondage under this sin of homosexuality.

But we cannot compromise the truth. It is loving to tell someone the truth, but the manner of delivery matters. However, it's not time to sugarcoat things in our society that god calls an abomination.

I was talking to a brother. It's at the seminary and this issue had come up because he was an evangelist. And I said, you know when i'm dealing with folks that are living this way I just want to be sensitive to them and I don't want to tell the truth to them from the scriptures in a way that would.

You know, like not allow me to share the gospel any further or kind of like cut the conversation short. So I want to be sensitive to that. I don't want to be overly offensive. I want to and this is what I said to him.

I want to be loving. In the way, I I talk to that person who's living under this sin. And he said robert. And I knew he was serious because I go by rob. And so he calls me he says robert. If you're not telling them that this is an abomination.

And they're going to go to hell. Then you're not being as loving as god. And you think about what that says and what it says in the bible about this issue. We cannot compromise the truth. In order to avoid offending folks.

But it's important to remember god does not wish for one person to perish. But that all would come to repent and believe in the gospel looking down on sin. While overlooking the need for a person to be saved is not christ-like that's not christ-like love.

Do you have love for those that are stuck in sin and disbelief? Do you spend more time hating their sin than praying for their salvation? Having a heart motive of wanting a person to be saved. That's where you'll be able to speak the truth in love.

And whether you offend them or not won't even be an issue because the truth is always based in love. Practical love is based on biblical principles. Three examples of god's flawless work so that you are ready for christ's return.

Perfect grace. And number two practical love is based on biblical Principles. And number three praise worthy living. Praise worthy living. So we'll move on to the next few verses. Where one thing differs from another christians ought to be able to choose what is of superior quality.

Paul is saying that believers should have a united motive before god. Without being the cause of stumbling to others or to themselves. It is impossible to establish the right priorities. If you are unable to distinguish what is truly important from the unimportant.

The term paul uses here for excellent comes from a verb meaning to carry through or to differ. Paul is saying they need to differ one's advantage from someone or something to be worth more than something to be superior to.

The apostle prayed that the believers in philippi would have the ability to distinguish from good and evil. Excellent means extremely good outstanding. To be able to differ what is extremely good from what is not.

To differentiate what is vital versus what is trivial? Our decisions must be based on the bible. You know, how much of the world do you find yourself in agreement with? Do you agree with everything in the world?

Is there anything that you see that is not right? And to a varying degree we let our guard down and then we accept things that god hates as part of our daily routine. We must have the ability to see what is right.

What is important versus what is not eternal? Believers ought to pray for discernment so that we can maintain our christian morals and values. Are you able to recognize that many things today that the society calls good is actually evil?

The ever-changing tide. The ever-changing flow of society. What the culture calls good is viewed as evil by god. Is there a discernment there? The idea of purity is here. The idea of purity in the moral sense pertains to being sincere or true.

Like without hidden motives or pretense and notice paul groups purity with the concept of being blameless. This is more than mindset or knowledge. This is a way of life. This is action praiseworthy living.

To be blameless in this sense conveys being without fault because of not giving offense as in undamaged by sin. Paul is pointing out that good discernment leads to good decisions or living. Believers should be living their lives with integrity to glorify the creator and the savior.

The bible must be the one ruling guiding principle in all of life. So as not to cause us or others to fall into sin. You will not only be held accountable for your own sin. But also whether you caused others to stumble in their sin.

And it's important to important to note there when I say accountability. You know, this is not judgment and wrath. There is no condemnation in christ yet. There will be an accounting we need to give an account in a reward type of a.

You know We want to think about it like that not eternal wrath or judgment. There is no condemnation in christ yet. We will have to explain. How did you live your life? Were you just waiting? For the lord to return or were you watching and living your life a certain way based on that reality.

That's praiseworthy living. This righteousness that paul refers to in verse 11 bears the fruit, but also the righteousness is the fruit itself. Righteousness from god that depends on faith this god-given righteousness.

Is the only adequate means to produce morally correct behavior or thinking in conduct. We are made righteous by christ so that we might become the righteousness of god in christ. In jesus alone. Are we righteous the righteousness of jesus?

The life of believers is to serve that ultimate purpose of supreme importance. Which is the goal of christ himself the glory and praise of god the father. That is a beautiful way of life. That is the christian way of life.

I mean just ask yourself. What is the goal of your life? If it's just accruing more money or getting a bigger house or having a nicer car having fancy clothes. Or having all the friends that you wanted to have.