Embracing Our Faith in Christ’s Power and Love

Two Kinds of “Goodness”

Philippians 3:9–11 shows us what it means to live as a real follower of Jesus. Paul talks about being found “in Him.” He says he does not want a “righteousness of my own” from the Law. He wants the righteousness that comes from God by faith.

Long ago, Paul tried to be good enough by keeping rules. He thought if he followed the Law, God would accept him. He tried very hard. But he still sinned. He still fell short.

God did not lower His standard. Instead, He sent Jesus. Jesus lived a perfect life. He never sinned. Then He died on the cross for our sins. When we trust Him, God gives us Jesus’ own goodness as a gift. We stand clean in His sight (2 Corinthians 5:21).

So embracing our faith means we stop trusting in our own “good works.” We trust Jesus alone. We rest in His work on the cross. Then we obey God from love, not from fear.

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Embracing Our Faith: Knowing Jesus as a Person

In Philippians 3:10, Paul says, “that I may know Him.” He does not just want to know facts about Jesus. He wants to know Jesus as a friend and Lord.

When we are embracing our faith, we do more than go to church. We talk with Jesus. We listen to His Word. We share our hearts with Him. We believe that He hears us. Psalm 25:4–5 shows King David praying like this: “Make me know Your ways, O Lord… Lead me… teach me.” David trusted that God would answer him.

You can know Jesus in this close way too. When you read the Bible, you can ask, “Lord, show me who You are.” When you are hurt or afraid, you can say, “Jesus, help me now.” When you sin, you can confess it, knowing He will forgive you (1 John 1:9).

Over time, you will see that Jesus is near. You will feel that you walk with Him, not just hear about Him once a week. This is part of embracing our faith with a full heart.

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Embracing Our Faith: Power and Pain

Paul also speaks of “the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings” (Philippians 3:10). These two go together. We cannot pick only the power and skip the pain.

Resurrection power is the power that raised Jesus from the dead (Ephesians 1:19–20). That same power helps us live for God. It helps us say no to sin. It gives us strength when we feel weak. It helps us share the gospel when we feel shy or scared.

But we also share in Jesus’ sufferings. People may laugh at us. They may not understand us. Some family or friends may pull away when we follow Christ. Jesus Himself said, “Blessed are you when people insult you… because of Me” (Matthew 5:11).

When this happens, we share a small part of what He faced. We know a little of His hurt. Yet we also know His comfort. In hard times, He comes close to us. He reminds us that our reward in heaven will be great.

So embracing our faith means we welcome both His power and His path of suffering. We trust that He stays with us in both joy and pain.

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Looking Ahead to Life Forever

In Philippians 3:11, Paul looks ahead to “the resurrection from the dead.” He knows this life is not the end. One day Jesus will come back. Our bodies will rise. We will live with Him forever (1 Corinthians 15:51–57).

This hope gives us strength. We can serve God even when it is hard. We can love hard people. We can forgive others. We can stand for truth. We know that nothing we do for Jesus is wasted (1 Corinthians 15:58).

So keep embracing our faith in full. Trust Jesus for your righteousness. Seek to know Him each day. Lean on His power when you feel weak. Stay near Him when you face pain for His name. One day you will see Him face to face, and every step of faith will be worth it.

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