And be found in him
This is another end the apostle had in view, in counting all
things loss and dung, and suffering the loss of all for Christ.
Calvin, different from other interpreters, reads the words
actively, "and may find in him"; and thinks the sense is, that
the apostle renounced all things for Christ, that he might
recover all in him: and true it is, that for the loss of carnal
privileges, he found in Christ spiritual blessings; and for the
loss of his own righteousness, another, and a better, even the
righteousness of God; and in lieu of external goods, or worldly
substance he was stripped of, true and lasting riches; and in the
room of outward credit, peace and plenty, true honour, real
peace, and spiritual pasture; and instead of the comforts of
life, and life itself, spiritual and eternal life; though it is
best to read the words passively, "and be found in him"; that is,
"be in him", as the Ethiopic version renders it; so the word
found is used in ( Galatians
2:17 ) ( Philippians
2:8 ) ; and he means not a nominal being in Christ, or a
being in him by profession, but a real one; and watch is either
secret or open: a secret being in Christ he had from everlasting,
being chosen in him, given to him, loved by him, betrothed unto
him, preserved in him, and represented by him; and an open one he
had at conversion, when he became a new creature, and was created
in Christ Jesus unto good works: and here he intends a more clear
and evident manifestation of his being in Christ; and his desire
is, that he might appear to be in him, in life and at death, and
at the day of judgment, and in the following manner:
not having mine own righteousness, which is of the
law;
by which he means his obedience to the moral, as well as the
ceremonial law; for the one was as much his own as the other, and
more properly his righteousness: this he calls his "own", because
performed by him, and wrought out in his own strength; and which
he had an high opinion of, as if it was perfect and blameless;
and which he had before put his trust and confidence in; as also
to distinguish it from another's righteousness, even that which
he had in Christ: he moreover calls it, "the righteousness which
is of the law"; which the law required, and he performed in
obedience to it, seeking for justification by it; this character
distinguishes it from the righteousness of God, which is revealed
in the Gospel, and is manifested without the law: and this his
own legal righteousness he did not desire to "have", and to be
found in; not but that he desired to live soberly and
righteously, to have, and do works of righteousness, but not
depend on them; he would not have, and account this his moral
righteousness, as a justifying one; he knew it was imperfect,
filthy, and unprofitable, and that by it he could not be
justified and saved, therefore he desired to have another.
But that which is through the faith of Christ;
not through that faith which Christ himself, as man, had and
exercised on God, as his God; but that which he is the author and
finisher of, and which has him and his righteousness for its
object; not through faith, as the cause of it; for the moving
cause of justification is the free grace of God, and the
efficient cause is God himself: and it appears from hence, that
faith is not the matter of our justification, or is not our
righteousness; for faith and righteousness are two distinct
things, otherwise righteousness could not be said to be "through"
faith. The righteousness of Christ is here meant, and which is
the sole matter of justification, and comes to us through faith
apprehending, receiving, and embracing it; and which shows, that
it must be before faith, or it could not be through it; as water
that runs through a bridge must be before and after that bridge
through which it runs. This righteousness is further described,
as
the righteousness which is of God by faith;
that righteousness which Christ, who is the true God, is the
author of, hence it is a pure and perfect one, infinite, and
serves for many; which God the Father approves of, and is well
pleased with, because his law is magnified, and made honourable
by it; and what he graciously gives, and freely imputes without
works, to his people: and this is "by faith", which beholds the
excellency of it, acknowledges its sufficiency, renounces its own
righteousness, and submits to, and lays hold on this, and
rejoices in it; and thus men are justified openly and manifestly
by faith, receiving the justifying righteousness of Christ: or
the words may be rendered "upon faith". This righteousness is as
a garment put upon faith, or put upon him by God, who has true
faith in Christ; see ( Romans 3:22 ) . This
last clause, "by faith", is omitted in the Syriac and Ethiopic
versions, and seems to be read by them as belonging to the
beginning of ( Philippians
3:10 ) . Now this righteousness the apostle desired to have,
and be found in; and this he says not, as supposing that a person
may be found in Christ, and yet not have his righteousness; nor
as if he himself had not this righteousness, and an interest in
it; but to show his value for it, and his desire to be
continually exercising faith on it, and the trust and confidence
he placed in it; well knowing that in this he was safe and secure
from all condemnation; this would answer for him in a time to
come; being found in this he should not be naked nor speechless,
and should have a right and an admission into the kingdom and
glory of Christ Jesus.