Chapter 3, Verse 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:”
If salvation could be obtained through fleshly means, Paul is quick to point out that he would be at the head of the line. Paul would not need to argue for a spiritual circumcision and covenant if it were a matter of fleshly confidence. Paul has a number of reasons why he excels in fleshly confidence. All the required conditions are met by Paul and he will mention them to the Philippians. Obviously, those conditions count for nothing, or Paul would not be opposing those who wanted to tout them.
In fact, Paul had spent much of his life counting those things. He despised Christians because they rejected all of his fleshly credentials and tried to eliminate them. That is how he felt and acted up to the moment he met Jesus. Once he encountered the Lord of Lords, he lost his desire for the fleshly things and embraced the spiritual ones. He counted all that former way of life as worthless because he was confronted with grace. Things of the flesh disappeared in the light of grace.
The Holy Spirit changed everything for Paul. Race, heritage, law, circumcision, all that he knew was wiped out in the saving blood of Jesus the Christ. It was when his heart was cut and he was reborn a Christian that he knew being a Jew was valueless.
Task for Today: When you have done all you can do it will amount to nothing. There is no confidence in the flesh for the Christian. All your confidence today must be placed in the care of Jesus of Nazareth. Let your heart be cut, let the Spirit bring you through the new birth. Today, live your life in the spirit!
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