To have a proper understanding of 3:9 we should consider it according to the context of the whole book of Philippians. In 1:19 Paul speaks of the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. This bountiful supply does not merely belong to the Spirit; it is actually the Spirit Himself. In the same principle the expression “the Spirit of Jesus Christ” does not mean that the Spirit simply belongs to Christ; it means that the Spirit is Christ. Just as the Son of God is God Himself, so the Spirit of Christ is Christ Himself. Christ is the Spirit, and the Spirit is the bountiful supply.
In 2:16 Paul goes on to speak of the word of life. Once again we see that the word here does not simply belong to life, but actually is life. In New Testament usage, the word of life is life itself. First John 1:1 mentions the Word of life, and in John 6:63 the Lord Jesus says that the words He speaks are life. In the book of Philippians, on the one hand, we have the Spirit of Jesus Christ as the supply and, on the other hand, the word of life as the means.
We need to consider Philippians 1 through 3 as a whole and put together the supply of the Spirit, the word of life, and the righteousness which is of God based on faith. When in our experience we have the Spirit, the word, and faith, we are infused with God Himself. Then the very God who has been infused into us becomes our daily living, the living which Paul describes as the righteousness of God.
When we have the supply of the Spirit, the word of life, and the righteousness of God through faith, we are infused with God. This infused God will then be lived out of us as our daily life. This kind of daily life can be called the righteousness of God. This is not merely the gaining of Christ; it is the experience and enjoyment of Christ in a very practical way. This is to be found in Christ under the condition of enjoying God’s infusion that we may live Him out through the supply of the Spirit, the word of life, and the righteousness of God through faith. I am fully persuaded and assured that this was Paul’s concept when he composed the book of Philippians.
Paul was very experienced in this matter. From the word of life and through the supply of the Spirit he obtained faith. This faith brought him God’s infusion. Spontaneously Paul lived God out as his daily living and could be found in Christ, having the righteousness of God. It was Paul’s expectation and also his aspiration that he would always be found in Christ in such a condition. Paul desired not only to gain Christ, but also to be found in Him in such a marvelous condition that people could recognize that he was a man living out God. As such a person, Paul was not a man in culture, religion, philosophy, ethics, or morality; he was absolutely a man in Christ who lived out God as his daily life.
© Living Stream Ministry All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.