The Fatal Flaw in Popular Christian Theology
Doctrinal accuracy is an illusion in most of our churches. We open our 2026 door to expose damage found in false teaching.
Not Having My Own Righteousness
Understanding Paul’s Words in Philippians 3:9–11
“Not having my own righteousness.” In the book of Philippians, Paul is speaking to the church in Philippi, encouraging them in the faith and exhorting them to be of one mind in all they do. He commends their obedience and pursuit of being children of God and tells them to hold fast to all they have learned, working out their own salvation with fear and trembling.
We have in this letter to the church in Philippi verses that have been used to promote a doctrine that teaches the law has been annulled. They are found in Philippians 3:8-11 where Paul says “and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”
We dispute the doctrine concerning the annulment of the law. We believe Paul is saying his righteousness that comes from his record of keeping the law is insufficient for salvation and he counts it as loss, but his faith in the power of the cross, the blood of Christ, will save him. We think he is saying keeping the law does not provide atonement.
The Misuse of Paul’s Message in Modern Doctrine
But we do have this popular doctrine that the law has been annulled. Consider the comment found in the GotQuestions.org article titled: What Is The Hebrew Roots Movement?
In the 5th paragraph of this article, we have the following quote: Scripture clearly indicates that these issues are a matter of personal choice. These verses and many others give clear evidence that the Mosaic Covenant laws and ordinances have ended. Continuing to teach that the Old Covenant is still in effect in spite of what the New Testament teaches, or twisting the New Testament to agree with the Hebrew Roots beliefs, is false teaching.
In the 8th paragraph of this article, we have the following quote: Christ, in keeping perfectly every ordinance of the Mosaic Law, completely fulfilled it. Just as making the final payment on a home fulfills that contract and ends one’s obligation to it, so also Christ has made the final payment and has fulfilled the law, bringing it to an end for us all.
The Importance of Sanctification in Salvation
Jesus told us we cannot enter the kingdom of God unless we are born again, John 3:3. Born again is to become sanctified, holy, purified, righteous. 1 John 3:1-10 tells us that born again people do not sin and wicked people continue to sin; that sin is lawlessness.
Jesus says people who practice lawlessness will not be in the kingdom, Matthew 7:23. We cannot have a discussion on the meaning of the words lawlessness, righteousness, godliness, or holiness, apart from the law because the law defines these words. How then can the law be annulled?
Peter’s Warning About Twisting Scripture
We believe Paul’s comments in Philippians are being misused. Consider what Peter says about Paul’s epistles in: 2 Peter 3:14-18:, where Peter says Paul’s epistles, along with the rest of the scriptures, were being twisted by ignorant and unreliable people, forming false doctrines to their own destruction.
And that is exactly what has happened to doctrines within Christianity. Before regeneration takes place, our fallen nature is always looking for a “salvation” that leaves us comfortable where we are at, still in the flesh. This cannot save us. We are told in Romans 8:8 that those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
The Call to Obedience and Righteous Living
Jesus told us in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:6, that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled. Can a person disavow their personal righteousness and at the same time hunger and thirst after it?
No! Righteousness is sanctification. To pursue righteousness is to pursue holiness, which is the pursuit of purity and godliness. Obeying God’s laws is obedience. If we follow the doctrine that the laws have been annulled, and they have not been, we will continue in lawlessness. If we are still in our flesh, we want the laws annulled. If we are born again of the Spirit, we love God’s laws because sanctification is to pursue the very nature of God, our heart’s desire.
The True Meaning of ‘Not Having My Own Righteousness’
VERY IMPORTANT:
Obedience to God’s laws is not forsaking the gift of life we receive through the death and resurrection of Christ on the cross. It is the fulfillment of what He has done for us. It is what He has done to “destroy the works of the devil”, which is to foment sin in us. When we are obedient to Jesus, we stop sinning, Luke 6:46. The evidence of success on the cross is our departure from evil and becoming righteous just as He is righteous 1 John 3:7. Does this look like what Paul said in Philippians 3:9 “not having my own righteousness”?
Please, this whole thought-process is important, not just here in this article, but in all our understanding of the Bible. We can’t say Paul is right and is declaring righteousness of the law to be a wrong thing when John in 1John 3 clearly speaks of the importance of personal righteousness. As we should all agree that the Bible is inerrant, both authors speak truth. So how is this resolved?
We use the Principle of Inclusive Continuity, covered in another article. We must look hard again at Paul’s words, consider what Peter said about twisting them, as it was already common knowledge in his day that Paul’s writings at times were hard to understand and were being twisted. Bottom line is that we do need a personal righteousness, just like the righteousness of Christ, and we obtain it by practicing righteousness.
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