I heard a testimony at church last night. I saw the following:
The emptying of self also removes the power of the law leaving authenticity.
I believe Paul is talking about this in Philippians. In my walk, I have “tried” to empty myself. Thinking about this out loud now. If I am a glass of water how do I empty myself? I can’t. A Hand has to empty first or clean me so I can be available for clean water later. In Philippians chapter 2 Paul talks about how Christ emptied of Himself unto obedience and death, even death on a cross! No self there. The catch and beauty of it is He did it wholeheartedly and willingly. He even said, “Father not My will, but Yours be done.” Wow. So now, by grace and revelation of the word (which is the Spirit) we receive Him, Christ Jesus, in us moment by moment according to the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ, 2 Peter 3:18.
Back to the original quote. I believe Paul specifically refers to this “emptying of self leaving authenticity” in Philippians 3:9 (KJV), “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: ” The King James version says, “…but that which is through the faith OF CHRIST.” It is HIS FAITH in me that I am allowed to partake of by grace and His blood.
A righteousness of my own kind simply puts a self-expectation upon myself, Rom. 7:11. Therefore, empowering the old nature along with its ego because of my supposed accomplishments or failures. The word says a righteousness now which is of God by faith, Rom. 3:21. Abraham believed God and righteousness was reckoned to his account prior to the Mosaic Covenant. Col. 3:1-3 says our lives are hid in Christ. Hid in Him, Our true authentic self is in Him. Self-righteousness though is deceptive and can have deep roots. Ask the Apostle Peter who didn’t want to sit with the Gentiles or eat pork chops.
I saw that when I give these self-expectations of any sort to the Father through Christ and fully trust Him with it then something is left. What is it that is left if there is no self-expectation? I am willfully losing1 (Phil. 3:7-8) by His grace these self-expectations. Even things that supposedly make me feel right, moral, good, bad, wrong, or evil. In myself, I cannot redeem myself to God no matter how hard I try lest Christ death be for nothing. So again, what is left and why am I compelled to do this? In the natural, this sounds insane. Why would anyone want to empty self? Paul also says, “…that I might KNOW HIM..” Phil. 3:8. So, something happens when I get to know Him. Romans 5:17 says through “One Man” we receive the ‘gift of righteousness’ and ‘abundance of grace’ to reign in this life and the life to come. I partake in His actual righteousness which has no bearing on me. My part is John 6:29, to believe in Him and everything He brings, has accomplished for me. So what’s left? I am not ‘trying’ to be me, but just am. God is. We are His offspring and dearly loved children and just ‘ARE’ in His Son predestined before everything before we were born into this creation. His desire is that all men come to a saving knowledge of the truth in Christ Jesus.
At my birth into Him, I am drowned, immersed and baptized into Him. This old man with his self-expectations is truly dead in the Father’s eyes now. Now, it is a matter of renewal and sanctification by the regenerative work of the Spirit of God, Titus 3:5.
So, my self-expectation is dead in Him. In the Garden (pre-Fall), I don’t think there was self to empty because no law was there to put on them. If law was there it would lead them to Christ. Now, the old self-expectation is truly dead, but we have a quickening Spirit, 1 Cor. 15:45. What is left is the true me. The true, real me is coming out moment by moment in Christ, glory to glory, faith to faith. I believe that is what Paul is talking about in Philippians 3 when he says, “…and be FOUND in Him…” I am very eager to know who is left afterwards. Paul also says, “…to become like Him in His death.” Death to what? Death to what once had dominion over us. The judgment and penalty of the law. He nailed both in His flesh to the cross for my sin transferring me into His kingdom. And He shed His blood to buy me back which means I was once with Him in eternity’s past. Adam’s Fall separated me in this creation, but now I have a Redeemer, Gen. 3:15.
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