The Fruit of Righteousness

And it is my prayer . . . filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9a, 11 ESV)

We are approaching the end of Paul's opening prayer for the Philippians and we notice something curious that maybe you've never thought of before. He is praying for them that they will be "filled with the fruit of righteousness". He wants them, like good fruit trees, to bear righteous fruit. He wants their lives to be distinguished by righteous living.

All of that seems pretty elementary so far. After all, aren't we, as Christians, supposed to live like Christ? If we claim to be righteous, shouldn't that be evidenced through actual, practical righteous living? There's nothing extraordinary in this, is there?

But it's not the request that is curious, it is the nature of the request, or perhaps better expressed this way . . . it is the manner in which he expects his prayer to be answered that maybe you've never thought of before. Paul asks for them, in his prayer, that they might be filled with the fruit of righteousness "that comes through Jesus Christ."

He is not praying that God will give them the strength to be righteous in and of themselves, nor is he praying that their own, inherent, righteousness will somehow come shining forth. No, he is praying that an alien righteousness might somehow manifest itself in their lives. He is not praying that they might live righteously, but that Christ might live righteously through them.

We are saved by a righteousness that is not our own. We live by a faith that is not our own. We manifest daily the fruit of a righteousness that is not our own. We are, from beginning to end, a product of the grace of God.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20 ESV)(emphasis mine)

So, instead of lacing up your boot straps each and every day and praying, "Lord, let this be the day that I live for you to the very best of my abilities. Use me today." Try this. Try confessing your inability and your need for Christ. "Lord, I am incapable of living for you today. I cannot possibly be filled with the fruit of righteousness--I am too sinful. By your grace may Christ live through me. And the life that I live today, may I live it by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me."

That's a prayer that is pleasing to God. That's a prayer that he will answer. It's not a magic formula. No, it's a daily dying to self and living to God. It is the gospel in action in our lives. We do not just live because of the gospel, we live each day in the gospel and of the gospel.

Any righteousness of our own is nothing more than a filthy rag. Discard it. Come to Christ with your need, not your ability. Ask him to live through you today. Be filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ.