Ph 3:7-9 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.  ⁸ Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 

So how do we know and differentiate God’ righteousness than of man’s? The righteousness of God comes from God’s heart. How do we know God’s heart? It is by the power of the Holy Spirit. One of the main works of the Holy Spirit is to convict the world of righteousness. He will convict us with God’s righteousness in our heart. If we believe in Lord Jesus Christ and received the Holy Spirit, then our righteousness comes from Him and not of our own self. Because our self is crucified along with our Lord on the cross. It is the faith that we have in our Lord that enables us to do God’s righteousness. If you believe in the True Son of God that is Jesus Christ, then you will receive the gift of salvation. This gift of salvation will power you to do God’s righteousness without any ‘self’ and make you approved before God and men. If anyone promotes himself rather God, then it is from self and not from God. For example, a member in a church committee wanted to do charitable things for the poor. This is a righteous deed in front of this world and also before God. Now if that member did this or initiated this to promote himself as more righteous or with an inner motive to be elected as a next secretary of that committee, then the righteousness is not from God but from the member’s ‘self’. When any righteous deed points to the WAY and brings glory to God, then it is God’s righteousness done by His righteous people in His righteous way. It is the faith that differentiates God’s righteousness and not deeds. It is the first commandment (See below verse) that approves the second one. Not the other way round.

Mark 12:28-33 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?” ²⁹ Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. ³⁰ And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.³¹ And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” ³² So the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. ³³ And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

2 Cor 11:12-15 But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast.  ¹³ For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. ¹⁵ Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

We can see in this world now, even the pagan worshipers or unbeliever who did not received the Holy Spirit, also does the act of compassion. So in which power they do these acts of compassion. Every man and woman created in the world knows good and evil to an extent of social living. There is in every man a ‘self’ or their own image to identify in this world for social purpose. There is a power of ‘self’ which we call it as ‘Will Power’ in every man to execute what he wanted to do. That is why some excel in certain areas and some don’t. This will power enables them to sustain hardships or pain or sufferings. So when they do the act of compassion according to their self with their will power then it becomes a righteous deed of their self according to the world. Some promote their ‘self’ with these deeds and some do not do this to promote themselves but to gratify their ‘self’. When we did not crucify our ‘self’ with Christ, then our self righteous deeds will not be the deeds that are coming from God. God’s righteousness, even though it looks similar, is not the same as man’s self righteousness. This is where the difference between the act of compassion from an unbeliever and a believer of Jesus Christ differs. Contd