Context No. 4218 of 4322 · Philippians
Context · Reflection
Philippians 3:1-6: in context
1Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not tiresome, but for you it is safe. 2Beware of the dogs; beware of the evil workers; beware of the false circumcision. 3For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh; 4though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If any other man thinks that he has confidence in the flesh, I yet more: 5circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6concerning zeal, persecuting the assembly; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.
Paul warns the Philippians against those who put their confidence in religious credentials and outward marks, and he insists that true believers put no confidence in the flesh. Then, to make the point, he lists his own impressive credentials: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews, a Pharisee, blameless under the law. If anyone had grounds for confidence in such things, Paul did.
Yet his whole point is that he places no confidence there. All these advantages of birth, religion, and achievement, impressive as they are, are not where Paul rests his standing before God. He rejoices in Christ Jesus and puts his confidence in him, not in his own pedigree or performance. The credentials are real, but Paul refuses to lean on them; his confidence is in Christ alone.
We all have things we might be tempted to lean on: our background, our religious observance, our achievements, our record. Paul had an impressive list of such things and deliberately refused to trust in any of them. True faith puts no confidence in the flesh, in what we are or have done, but rests wholly on Christ.
Where does my confidence before God actually rest: on my own credentials, background, and achievements, or, like Paul who refused to trust his impressive record, on Christ alone, putting no confidence in the flesh?
Sources
- Philippians 3:3: "For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh."
- Philippians 3:4: "Though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh."
- Philippians 3:7: "However, I consider those things that were gain to me as a loss for Christ."