Finding Life in Christ: Pt 2 False Confidence Forsaken- Phil 3:3-7

Last week we saw a contrast between true believers and false religion. From Philippians 3:2-3 we learned that while legalists are externally religious only, Christians are changed from the heart and live out of a new strength. Because of this Christians brag about different things than legalists (namely, Christ!) and their praise comes from God, not their peers.

The final characteristic in verse 3 we didn’t touch last week lies in the phrase “and put no confidence in the flesh.” The idea of the word confidence is “to have one’s trust bound up in.” Paul says “Christians don’t have their trust bound up in the flesh.” Or, to say it another way, “Christians don’t bank on their flesh.” Or, to put it positively, “Christians trust in something wholly outside themselves.”

What is this confidence referring to? What is it for? When Paul says we “put no confidence in the flesh,” he means we “put no confidence in the flesh for righteousness.” We don’t look to our flesh as bringing right standing before God. We know he has righteousness in mind because that’s where he’s going in the passage. Verse 9 says “… not having a righteousness,” and “… the righteousness from God.”

So we know what the confidence is about, but what about this term “the flesh”? Paul is using a literary device known as “synecdoche.” Basically though “flesh” is a term that literally applies to the body specifically, he’s using it to refer generally to all good deeds done out of who you are naturally. So putting it all together, Paul is saying “Christians don’t trust in their own performance of good deeds for righteousness.” Now maybe some of you are thinking, “Wow, that was blatantly obvious,” and I’m glad you understood, but it’s also helpful to define terms before moving on.

Paul however sees room for more clarifying. What he does from here in verse 4 to verse 14 is hold himself up as an example. Why does Paul spend all this time clarifying this last statement? There are at least three reasons:

1. “Putting confidence in the flesh” is the heart of legalistic error. By spending time at this root of falsehood he can effectively kill the self-righteousness and prevent it from growing like it did so well in the Galatian church.

2. Throughout church history, doctrine has been most clarified in the face of error. For example, the first clear writing of the doctrine of the Trinity in the church was in response to the Arian controversy, begun by a man that said Jesus was not God. In the same way, Paul uses the opportunity provided by this error to clarify and drive truth home about our true standing in Christ.

3. This initial response of his credentials is also a direct response to an unspoken challenge issued by the Judaizers. The challenge goes like this “Of course you Philippians would believe that you don’t have to do good things to be righteous before God, you don’t have the standing we have.” The false circumcision would challenge the Philippians that believing “justification is through faith alone in Christ alone” is only an error they are following because it’s easier for them. In other words “Philippians, you only think you don’t have to work for salvation because you’re lazy.” Paul is addressing that.

Paul holds himself up as the example of someone with all the credential, the one person who has reason to be confident more than anyone, and he gave it all up. So it has nothing to do with laziness, because Paul had all the credentials and he left them behind. In this passage we’ll see seven categories of things Paul references here that are taken by self-righteous people as being something to put confidence in. That is, seven false confidences to forsake.

I. Right Standing Under the Law

Paul points first to the utmost important thing for the Jewish legalist: circumcision. This was the initiation into God’s people. Many Jewish Rabbis thought that this was the most important commandment. Why? If you had circumcision, they taught, you were in. Whatever you did, as long as it wasn’t too horrible, when the judgment came, Abraham would advocate for them and say, “See, this one is circumcised. He is one of my children. He can gain entrance to heaven.”

We can put our confidence in much of the same thing. Maybe you think “Well, I was christened as a child, so I’m good.” Maybe you prayed “the sinner’s prayer,” or signed a card at a camp, or walked an isle during an altar call. Maybe you were baptized. Paul says the Christian puts no confidence in that.

Now here in the beginning, there is a problem to be addressed. Because being “circumcised on the eighth day” was commanded by God. So we should not make the error of thinking that because we put no confidence in a certain thing, it is bad and evil and should never be done. No, Jesus was circumcised on the eighth day too. Baptism is commanded in Scripture. These are good things and to jettison them would be to misunderstand the will of God as revealed in Scripture. But make no mistake, they are not to be items that we place our confidence in.

II. Association with the People of God

Paul next says he is “of the people of Israel.” That is he was really a Jew. Many of these people promoting circumcision were probably themselves Gentiles who had bought this error and had also become circumcised. Paul is saying, “I’m the real deal. I’m no half-Jew.” Jesus said, “Salvation is from the Jews.” When he said that, he was speaking to a Samaritan, and Samaritans were also considered to be half-Jews. Paul says, “I was really born of the people of God, the ones who understand salvation.”

We can also wrongly put on trust in association with the people of God when we look around and think, “I’m a Christian. I’ve grown up among Christians. I go to a Christian church. My great-grandmother was Christian! I’m sure to be saved.” It is important to understand that you can have Christian family, Christian friends and Christian ideas and still not be saved yourself.
III. Spiritual Lineage

Paul points out that he is “of the tribe of Benjamin.” Now honestly, some think that this is merely a more intense reference to being of the people of Israel. As if Paul was saying, “I know so well that I’m of the people of Israel that I know what tribe I’m from.” Certainly this reference contains that element, but I believe it also speaks of a certain elite spiritual lineage. Benjamin was the youngest son of Israel’s (that is, Jacob’s) beloved wife, Rachael. He was the only child born in the promise land. Israel’s first king, Saul, was of the tribe of Benjamin (In fact, it seems Paul was named after Saul). When the kingdom split, Benjamin was the only tribe to stay with Judah. Mordecai and Esther were both from Benjamin.

To put our trust in spiritual lineage would be like looking to our parents, if they were great men or women of faith. Also many people might think, “Well I was trained under Dr. so-and-so, certainly I must be right before God.” Our parents and teachers are not something we can rely on for righteousness.

IV. Rank Among God’s People

Paul sums up all of his previous statements with this final one: “a Hebrew of Hebrews.” It speaks directly of his birth. He was a Hebrew man with Hebrew parents and grandparents. But it also speaks to his position, as if saying, “of all the Hebrews, I am the Hebrew.” He asserts himself as being a model Hebrew here, and certainly in the larger context of verses 5 and 6.

This is a very dangerous false confidence. Many professing believers (and true believers) look around at the standing of others to determine their standing before God. Just because you are a leader in your church, or just because you’re the only one of your friends from high school who stayed true to God, or just because you’re someone people look up to doesn’t mean that you’re standing right before God. Who you are in the church doesn’t prove anything about who you are before God.

V. Orthodox Theology

Now the previous four pillars of confidence all had to do with status. And whatever our status is from our birth, has no relation to our status before God. However these last three things have to do with the good things we do. Paul is teaching that the spiritual things that we personally achieve cannot give us confidence apart from Christ that we are righteous before God.

Paul says “as to the law,” I was “a Pharisee.” You may need to redefine the word “Pharisee” in your brain to understand this phrase. Paul isn’t making a confession of hypocrisy with this. The Pharisees were actually the ones who handled the Bible (that is, the law) most seriously. Paul is saying that as opposed to being an average layman, or some liberal allegorizing Rabbi, he was part of the elite conservative core.

Now there was political implication in the word “Pharisee.” For the Jews, there was no divorcing politics from theology. But let’s focus specifically on the theology. Let the seriousness of Paul’s words land hard on your ears. You can be absolutely right and conservative and literal with the Bible, interpret it rightly, understand its teaching, and go straight to hell. We know that “even the demons believe – and shudder!” (James 2:19). Calvinists: Your Calvinism doesn’t save you. Yes you understand that Jesus died as a substitute for sinners. Yes you understand that man cannot get to God apart from His sovereign grace. Good work. Only know that if you rely on that understanding and not on Christ, you will not get to God, and you will be judged more harshly for rejecting more truth. Doctrine will not save you.

VI. Passion for Religious Tenants

Paul now touches on the emotional side of self-righteousness. He says he was “as to zeal, a persecutor of the church.” This is Paul’s first acknowledgment of these credentials being negative, aside from the general “put no confidence in the flesh” found in verse 3. Paul’s focus isn’t primarily on his regrettable former persecution of those he now ministers to as it is in other places (1 Cor 15:9, 1 Tim 1:12-15). He’s emphasizing his passion for the Jewish legalism of his day. He wasn’t just a Pharisee in name only who cared nothing about what he believed. On the contrary, he persecuted those who would say and teach otherwise.

So once again be careful that a passion for knowledge of God does not overtake your passion for God. Doctrine should only be your treasure if it them moves you to a closer relationship with God. But however passionate you are about God’s truth, it is not your confidence of salvation. Paul could have continued passionately opposing what was heterodox to his belief system and went to hell. Likewise one can passionately defend orthodoxy and miss the point of having a relationship with Jesus.

VII. Personal Holiness

Paul said lastly that he was “as to righteousness under the law, blameless.” He purposely is distinguishing between this righteousness, and the righteousness that comes through faith in Christ. Here he is talking about his personal performances, his adherence to rituals, his keeping of the Mosaic Law. As far as the law was concerned, Paul was blameless. He had never done something he could legally be condemned for by the law given in (what is now) the Old Testament.

Certain things are good things to do. Reading the Bible, being nice to other people, being hospitable, etc. These things are not the basis of our confidence for salvation, however. One can read his Bible every day for his adult life and go to hell. One can even enjoy studying God’s word and be without salvation. Our confidence is not in what we can do.

Now some may be thinking, “Wait. John says ‘we know we have come to know him if we keep his commandments.’” (1 Jn 2:3) That would be a good thought. John does teach that assured of his coming to know Christ if, out of a changed heart and growing relationship with Christ, he watches carefully to do what Jesus said. Notice the all-important connector between “I obey” and “I have salvation.” The logical connection between those two statements is “I have trusted in Jesus.” In other words, your obedience assures you that you are righteous by faith in Christ (Phil 3: 9-10) and therefore you are assured that you will be saved. That is the crucial connection. There are those who obey and never trust Christ. But there are none who have trusted Christ and never obey.


So where does our confidence rest? As the hymn writer put it: “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.” Or as Paul says it in verse 7, “Whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.” May Christ alone be our strong confidence this week.

Golden Era?

If you've been around Christianity or the church very long, it's likely you've read or heard a comment about 'the church nowadays' and how people are less orthodox, and preachers don't teach the Word of God anymore or other such concerns (many of which, by the way, are adequately justified). Often in conversation about this generation it is said that people have lost respect for God or that He just isn't as important to people as he used to be.

Granted, many of these statements have statistical backing; but I'm concerned that we do not look back nostalgically to an era that was supposedly more "God-fearing" than this one. What generation would we look to? The 1950's? Take an hour listening to your favorite 50's station, and you'll hear the same fast-and-loose attitude toward relationships that is still on the radio today. So then 1920's right? But the early 19th century saw some harsh textual critics arise from a liberal movement within Christian circles. 1850's? The generation that gave us natural selection. Modernism and naturalism prevailed in the 1800's. How about the 1700's? Jonathan Edwards himself fought promiscuity among his youth and heterodox rationalistic movements among his peers. Calvin's time? Libertines. Luther's era? Romanists.

This line of thought can be taken all the way back to Jesus' time. "Even if this era is no worse than others, certainly things would be better if Jesus were here," some may think. But in His time, Pharisees mishandled the Word, Sadducees lived immorally, and the people had him killed. And after he rose, His church was soon persecuted and infiltrated with false teachers who led some astray.

But the church prevailed. Why? Because Jesus was with them, and He said He would build His church. For that same reason the church will prevail today. For those wishing Jesus were here, wish no longer: He is here; we serve a risen Savior. Don't look to some bygone era wistfully and miss the fact that every generation in the church has had its difficulties, but Christ is still the Captain of this team, and with Him leading the way, we will never lose. So let's look to Him with heads held high as we struggle with all his strength to lift His name up in this fallen world.

References: Matthew 16:18; Colossians 1:27-29

your thoughts...

I want to start some Christian discussion today. This question just hit me, and I'm not quite sure how I would answer it. I want to see what you would think.

Here's the question:

Is God pleased with or excited by the violence of criminals? Answer that question in your head now.

Now what I want you to tell me is:
A) Your answer to the above
B) Whether or not that answer relates (or should relate) to a believer's choice to watch violent movies (e.g. The Dark Knight etc..)
C) How it relates if it does
D) Why or Why not

Let the discussion begin!

Finding Life in Christ: Pt.1 The Fake and the Real- Phil 3:2-3

We saw God’s command to have a changed attitude of rejoicing because of the great sovereign work of Jesus last week. Along the way, we noticed that such an attitude is antithetical to a legalism that puts my confidence before God in some activity I performed. Now as we move to the main section in Philippians 3, we find Paul addressing this error and pointing out the true way to stand rightly before God on the last day. For this week we focus mainly on the first part of this section, verses 2-3:

“Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.”

Paul is obviously fired up about something. He begins this section with the use of alliteration and a pun, not to mention some sharp descriptive words for this group of people. His counter to this group is straightforward and assertive. What is Paul so fired up about? As we examine these verses we will find out about two groups: The false circumcision and the true circumcision.

I. The False Circumcision

Before we look at verse two, let’s get some background on this issue. In Acts 15, Paul and Barnabas run into a group of believers who were Pharisees theologically. This group said that the Gentiles who were getting saved needed to be circumcised. The apostles and church leaders gathered together in Jerusalem to consider this question and decided definitely that circumcision was not necessary for Gentiles. Now Paul is warning the Philippians to avoid those who were still preaching this error.

Back in Philippians 3:2, Paul issues a command three times: “Look out.” Paul warns the Philippians that like sentries on the wall keep watch for intruders and saboteurs, so they must watch for these preachers of a false gospel. Paul also starts with a harsh pejorative to describe the false teachers. He calls them dogs. Though the term has more diverse uses today than in Paul’s time, we can still feel the force of this kind of language. To call someone a dog is to say that person is worthless. Moreover, in the context of Jewish racial tensions with Gentiles, “dog” was a term that the Jews used almost as a racial slur for Gentiles. Applied to these Pharisaical men, it would have been particularly stinging.

Next Paul labels this group as “evil workers.” They thought they did well by keeping the law. They thought their deeds would be seen and considered righteous by God. But Paul says to the Philippians: “Don’t be fooled by their righteous looking exterior. Their deeds are evil, and the falsehood they preach is evil. Look out for them.” Finally in his last phrase, Paul takes it a step further. My bible reads, “Look out for those who mutilate the flesh.” Others say, “Beware of the false circumcision.” I actually found the KJV to be most accurate here. It reads “Beware of the concision,” however even that fails to capture the full sense of Paul’s words here. While keeping with his alliteration, he is actually making a pun here. The word translated “false circumcision” or “concision” sounds very close to the word “circumcision” in verse 3. The former means “to cut down” while the latter means “to cut around.” It is almost as if Paul said, “Look out for the castration, for we are the circumcision.” That’s why the ESV renders it “those who mutilate the flesh” and the NASB reads “false circumcision.” Paul makes it loud and clear: these are not worthy fellows.

This kind of talk from Paul might cause us to wonder, “Is it ok for Paul to talk like that?” We already know the answer must be yes. Ultimately Paul is writing the words God wants written. God does not inspire sinful language for His apostles to write in His book. If you have a Bible with you, look at the front. What does it say? “Holy Bible.” “Holy Bible.” Paul himself calls the Scriptures “Holy” in Romans 1:1-2. We must reject the notion that this language is sinful for Paul to write, or we must reject the notion that Scripture is holy. The most logical choice is to reject the former.

The Bible has never dealt kindly with false prophets and preachers. The penalty for being a false prophet was death, even if that person’s prophecy came true (Deut 13:1-5). Jesus compares them to wolves and a whole chapter in Matthew is devoted to Jesus pronouncing curses on the leaders of false religion in his day. Elsewhere Paul has a not-so-kind suggestion for this same group (Gal 5:12). John says simply of false teachers, “they are liars,” and both Peter and Jude provide descriptions of their evil.

Why does the Bible take such a hard stance against these kinds of people? For the same reason that David killed bears as a shepherd. For the same reason why the government puts a man who throws a shoe at the president in jail for three years. For the same reason a known felon who breaks into an elementary school gets tazed. Just like in those scenarios, the Bible is trying to protect people. God has no problem calling the abominable sin of leading people towards eternal hell just like it is. There are souls at stake here. Soft speech and political correctness are not on Paul or God’s priority list.

If someone asks “What’s so wrong with circumcision? Doesn’t God command that?” Yes God did command circumcision in the Old Testament. But this isn’t godly circumcision. As Romans 2:25 says, “Circumcision is indeed of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision.” Obedience to the law cannot save (Rom 3:20). So Paul blasts these peddlers of a salvation that doesn’t save. The Christian faith has no room in it for the modern idea of tolerance. No, we don’t force other to convert (that would deny free grace). Yes we are called to love all people. But we do not have to pretend for one moment that the sum total of man’s religions and religious works is anything other than the worst noxious stinking filth coming from and leading to the pit of hell.

II. The true circumcision

Interestingly Paul does not counter the error of the legalists by saying that circumcision is not an issue. Elsewhere he takes this angle (1 Cor 7:19, Gal 5:6, Gal 6:15). But here, perhaps to prepare the Philippians with a defense in their inevitable encounter with this falsehood, he affirms that the Philippians already have what the legalists say they need.
In other words the way we fight self-righteousness is by knowing who we are. So how do we know who we are? Let’s find out by examining the ways the true circumcision is different from the false.

A. Our circumcision is of the heart.

Paul says to the Philippians “we are the circumcision.” Both Paul and the Philippians are included in this “we.” But the Philippians were not physically circumcised. They were Gentiles, and if they were circumcised Paul would not have had to warn them of people who would tell them it was necessary to be circumcised. In other words, if you were circumcised already, the Pharisees would be wasting their time telling you to get circumcised.

Yet Paul says “we are the circumcision.” If they are circumcised, and they are not circumcised externally, then it follows logically that their circumcision must be internal. Paul affirms this in Col 2:11 where he says, “you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands.” This circumcision of the heart is a picture of God’s sovereign work in saving those who believe. As Deut 30:6 says, “The Lord your God will circumcise your heart.” It is made with out human hands, it is “in Him.” While their circumcision relies on human effort, ours relies on God’s grace.

B. Our worship is by the Spirit.

When God changes our heart he gives us His Spirit. This is a new covenant promise (Eze 36:26-27). Once again, notice God’s sovereign work in the phrase “I will.” God takes the initiative. But here the emphasis is on the Spirit’s enabling. Ezekiel says that God will cause us to live in obedience. Paul in Galatians also sets up a contrast between living by the Spirit and living by our own effort (Gal 5:16-23). The believer acknowledges that the things he does are done in the strength that comes from God (1 Cr 15:10, Col 1:28-29). The idea of worship is a whole life response to God. Paul uses this same idea the familiar Romans 12:1. While legalists try to live out of their own ability, believers look to the enabling of the Spirit to give their whole lives in worship to God.

C. Our boast is in Christ.

Ultimately because legalists try to obtain their own salvation, their boast is in themselves. All of their right doing and all their supposed good standing before God they base in their own work that they initiate. That’s why Jesus condemns the Pharisees for always looking to others to see and patting themselves on the back! It was never for God in the first place. But the believer knows that Christ is his all. Our righteousness is from Christ our salvation is from Christ. We know God through Christ. We receive the Spirit of Christ (Rom 8:9). It’s all Christ, so the boasting is all in how great he is.

For a final point of application, let’s look to Romans 2:29: “But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter, His praise is not from man but from God.” Notice the similar elements: heart circumcision, Spirit and not law. However when Paul speaks of “praise” here, he speaks of the praise that is coming to the individual. The question is: “Where is your praise coming from?” We all know where the legalists got their praise: “They do all their deeds to be seen by others,” said Jesus in Matt 23:5. Where are your complements coming from? For whom are your deeds done? Whose eyes do you try to draw? Whose face would you cause to smile? It’s clear who true imitators of Christ try to please: “His praise is … from God.”

This week consider how different your life would look if it was lived to draw God’s praise alone.