Philippians 3:4-7; The Loss of Religious Righteousness

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04/14 Philippians 3:4-7; The Loss of Religious Righteousness; Audio available at: http://www.ephraimbible.org/Sermons/20240414_philippians-3_4-7.mp3

Paul has just warned the church of the dogs, the evil-workers, the mutilators, those who push Torah observance on Gentile believers in Jesus. He affirms that we, Jew and Gentile together as believers in Jesus, justified by faith in the finished work of Christ and not by works of the Law, we are the circumcision; the genuine circumcision which is of the heart by the Spirit of God, not by human hands. Those whose hearts have been changed by the Holy Spirit are characterized as those who worship by the Spirit of God, who boast in Christ Jesus, who put no confidence in the flesh.

What does it look like for a believer to put no confidence in the flesh? This is what Paul takes up next, in Philippians 3:4-9.

Self-Confidence

Self-confidence is praised as a virtue by our society. We might even be tempted to argue; ‘What is wrong with self confidence? I don’t need less self-confidence, I need more! You’ve probably seen books or seminars advertised on how to boost your confidence. A quick internet search reveals ‘How to Be More Confident: 9 Tips That Work’, ‘What is Self-Confidence (+9 Proven Ways to Increase It)’, ‘6 Proven Ways to Build Confidence’; and a definition ‘Confidence comes from a latin word fidere’ which means “to trust”; therefore, having a self-confidence is having trust in one’s self.’ Another search result: ‘Building Strong Self-Belief: 16 Tips and Activities; Learn what self-confidence and self-belief are, how they are related to self-esteem and self-efficacy, and how to develop them.’

Here’s what Paul said: believers in Jesus are those who ‘put no confidence in the flesh’. Believers are those who are undergoing a circumcision of the heart, whose fleshly confidence is being cut away by the Spirit of the living God.

It seems so second nature for us to slide into a self-confident mindset. It is second nature, because we all have a sin nature that we inherited from Adam, and we are at war. Peter said ‘The passions of the flesh wage war against your soul’ (1Pet.2:11). Jesus:

Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

‘Bearing one’s cross’ was no cliché of nobly facing undeserved hardship. Condemned criminals were the only ones who took up a cross. It was only enemies of the state, the treasonous worst of the worst, who were condemned to be crucified. It was a public display of guilt on the way to execution, the condemned one’s embrace of what they deserve. To deny self is to deny any good in me, any merit that would exempt me from execution. To take up my cross is to own my sin before a just and holy God, to be willing to publicly acknowledge what I deserve. Followers of Jesus are those who put no confidence in the flesh. Paul wrote in Romans 7:

Romans 7:18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. …

I More

But Paul’s negativity toward self-confidence is not because he himself lacked any grounds for it. Some might accuse that Paul is down on self confidence because he knew he didn’t measure up. Since he couldn’t live the law, he took the easier route and threw himself on God’s grace as his only hope. To prove that this is far from the truth, Paul boasts a little; ‘And indeed I myself have confidence even in the flesh; if anyone else presumes to have confidence in the flesh, I more.’ Paul is not abandoning self-confidence because he lacks it; no, he claims to have more of it than anyone else.

Paul’s Resume

To demonstrate what he means, he gives us his resume.

Philippians 3:4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.

Paul claims to have plenty to boast of, more than anyone else. He gives seven bullet points of his credentials; the first four who he was by birth and lineage; the last three as to his own pursuit of law-righteousness.

Eighth Day Circumcision

He starts with circumcision, because that seems to be the issue at hand; Judaizers were pushing circumcision on non-Jewish believers as a means of pleasing God. His language is terse and to the point; Circumcision? Eighth day. Under the Old Covenant, according to Genesis 17, all male descendants of Abraham through Isaac were to be circumcised as the sign of the covenant God made with Abraham to give them the land of Canaan and to be their God. Slaves, and other brought in to be included in the covenant were to be circumcised, but children born of Abraham and his descendants were to be circumcised on the eighth day. Paul was not a convert to Judaism like some of those who were pushing law on Gentile believers; he was an eighth-day’er. He was born to faithful believing parents who kept the covenant. If anyone wanted to boast about letter of the law issues, he had it.

Of The People of Israel

Next he goes to lineage; he is of the family line of Israel. From Abraham through Isaac not Ishmael, through Jacob not Esau; Jacob renamed Israel because he prevailed with God (Gen.32:28). Israel, the father of the nation of Israel. Paul is a true Israelite by descent.

Tribe of Benjamin

Paul was of the tribe of Benjamin. Benjamin was the youngest son of Jacob’s favorite wife Rachel. He received honor from his brother Joseph. Moses blessed Benjamin as ‘The beloved of the LORD’ (Deut.33:12). The tribe of Benjamin was a small but militarily powerful tribe that played a prominent part in many of Israel’s battles (Ps.68:27). They were closely connected with Judah, and Jerusalem was within the boundaries of the territory allotted to Benjamin. Benjamin and Judah remained faithful to God when the northern tribes of Israel strayed into idolatry (1Ki.12:21-24). Mordecai, Esther’s uncle, who saved the Jews, was of the tribe of Benjamin (Est.2:5). When the captives returned to Jerusalem, the tribe of Benjamin was among the first to return and rebuild the temple (Ezr.1:5).

Paul was a true Jew, descended from Israel, of the noble tribe of Benjamin.

Hebrew of Hebrews

Paul calls himself a Hebrew of Hebrews. This could have to do with language, saying that he was raised in the mother tongue of God’s people, not a Greek speaking Hellenist, who blended the traditions of his people with those of the pagan nations around. In spite of being born in Tarsus, he was pure blooded and thoroughly brought up in the way of the Hebrew people.

In relation to his lineage, birth, upbringing and customs, all circumstances beyond his own control, he was given every advantage.

According to Law, Pharisee

Now he moves on to list that which he did have an active role in choosing which path he followed.

He begins with his relation to the Law. He was no Sadducee, who denied the supernatural, angels and the resurrection. Pharisees were ‘the strictest, most precise, most exact party of Jewish ceremonial observance’ (Ac.26:5). They observed the law most rigorously, and sought to follow every jot and tittle of it. Paul was brought up in Jerusalem, “educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers” (Ac.22:3). If anyone wants to question his relation to the law, he was the most conservative of the conservatives, the strictest of the strict.

According to Zeal, Persecuting the Church

But his was no cold formal quiet religiosity. Nor was it something he inherited from his parents, but didn’t own himself. He was passionate about what he believed and willing to risk all to advance it. He believed it with his whole heart. According to zeal, persecuting the church. He acted on the truth he believed. When Stephen was accused of blasphemy, Paul was on the side of those who took justice into their own hands and demanded the death penalty. When people were being led astray by what he believed to be a false messiah, he took action to eradicate it from the earth, pursuing believers in Jesus from city to city, binding, imprisoning, seeking the death penalty for both women and men (Ac.22:4).

Paul persecuted the church; he holds this up as an indicator of his surpassing zeal for Judaism; but this implies that the logical outcome of strict adherence to Judaism was persecution of Christianity; Law and grace are incompatible; you simply can’t have both. One must fully reject the other.

It is interesting that here, writing to the church in Philippi, Paul recognizes that in his zeal for Judaism and the law, what he was persecuting was the church, the true assembly of saints called out by God, the church Jesus promised to build, against which the gates of hell would not prevail (Mt.16:18). But Paul was acting out his convictions as a Pharisee, and this meant persecuting the church. If anyone claimed to be zealous for the law, he was more.

According to Righteousness which is in the Law, Blameless

According to righteousness in the law, he was found blameless. Standing before the Jewish council in Acts 23, he could say:

Acts 23:1 And looking intently at the council, Paul said, “Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day.”

He had a clear conscience before God as to fulfilling the requirements of the law. He left no requirement undone, he violated no command. He considered himself blameless, and other Pharisees examining his life would have agreed. He was scrupulous in observance of the law, and held himself to the highest standard. If anyone had reason to boast in their righteousness in the law, he had more.

Paul was not claiming to be sinless. He came to understand the teachings of Jesus that pointed beyond outward moral observance to what is in the heart, and Paul affirmed ‘none is righteous, no not one (Rom.3:10). Paul confesses in Romans 7 that the more inward command against covetousness showed him the sinfulness of his own heart.

But like the rich young ruler who came to Jesus, Paul could say with a clear conscience ‘all these I have kept from my youth’ (Mk.10:20).

If righteousness was to be found in the law, he had found it. He was considered blameless.

Paul’s circumcision, his pedigree, his upbringing, his exacting relation to the law, his zeal for the law, his righteousness in the law, all blameless. If anyone had confidence in the flesh, he had more.

Some might have thrown the accusation in Paul’s face that the religious life was just too hard; he just couldn’t handle it, so he defected and chose an easier path. Some in pride make similar accusations today. Paul wants to be clear, it was not because of any inadequacy or shortcoming on his part; he simply found that all his self-righteousness that he had accumulated was less than worthless; he found something of far greater value.

Religious Gains Became Loss

What did Paul do with his confidence in the flesh? He had lived by it for years. He tallied up every ground for fleshly self confidence that he had accumulated over a lifetime of strict religious adherence, and entered it in the balance sheet as gains, but when he met the Christ, the Messiah, all his gains became a loss; all his assets became one big liability.

Philippians 3:7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.

When he met Jesus, his whole method of accounting was turned on its head. He had to learn to count differently. Paul learned:

Romans 9:31 but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. 32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone,

Paul learned that all his confidence in self actually counted against him, not for him. His confidence in himself, in his own credentials, in his own performance, pushed him farther away from acknowledging his need and in dependence putting his trust in the work of another who worked on his behalf.

Paul says:

Galatians 2:19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. …21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.

Paul began to understand that confidence in the law as a means of righteousness is opposed to grace and actually makes void the gift. To have confidence in self is to say that Jesus didn’t need to die. I don’t need him. I can do it on my own.

True believers are those who count differently, who worship by the Spirit, who glory in Christ Jesus, who put no confidence in the flesh.

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Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org