OUR FATHER WHO GAVE US HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS BY OUR FAITH IN CHRIST

The book of Ephesians Phillipians chapter 9 3 verse 4 - 5 says this;

though I myself have reasons for such confidence.

If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more:  circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 

In this passage, the Apostle Paul, informs the reader that if putting confidence in the flesh were worth anything, he would be the one to so because in that respect, he was completely in step with the requirements of the law from his childhood until the time attained the status of pharisee among the Hebrews.

Yet, as he described in verse 7 - 9, the Apostle Paul counted all this attainment as rubbish because it was absolutely valueless compared to the knowledge of Christ;

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.

 I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ  and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 

Any of our own actions that we think accrue to righteousness are indeed filthy rags for in Christ, the only righteousness we have is the righteousness that comes from God by the faith we have in Christ.

Amen.