Philippians 3:4-11

STP Devotional for the Week of 01/12/26

In Philippians 3:3, Paul gives us the three attributes of a true Christian: they “worship by the Spirit of God a d glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.” If you remember from last week, we talked about these very things protecting our joy! Paul decides to continue, though, and explain what he means by having self-confidence over God-confidence.

Have you ever been self-confident about something you can do and then found someone who could do it better? Or have you ever started a project confident that you understood the directions and it turned out very different from what was pictured? I enjoy making costumes and I remember picking up a pattern thinking, “This won’t be so bad. I can sew.” I opened the package and it was about 50 different pattern pieces. All for one dress! I was confident in my ability, as I had made many costumes, but I greatly overestimated my ability.

Paul mentions a few of his “qualifications,” if you will, to show us that if anyone should be confident in what they could accomplish on their own, it would be him. Paul was trying to warn the people of Philippi that the false teachers would give personal reasons why they should listen to them. These false teachers would act superior, boast of high achievements and advanced spirituality. Paul rebukes them, telling them that although he could boast of being “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; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless,” (v. 5-6) it was nothing compared to the righteousness that comes through faith in Christ. Paul turned his back on any kind of self-confidence to follow Christ.

Let’s look at Paul’s confidences in the light of the gospel. First, he had faith in following the law (circumcised on the eighth day). Jesus came to fulfill the law (Matthew 5:17), so our only responsibility is to follow Him. Next, he mentions his heritage (Israel, tribe of Benjamin). Any of us may come to Christ regardless of our heritage because we are all adopted sons and daughters of Christ! (Romans 8:15) Finally, he says he attained the highest position of a Hebrew religious leader at the time (Pharisee). Jesus is our high priest and there is none above Him. (Hebrews 4:14)

Paul ends this section by giving his testimony. All the things he could have boasted in or counted as gain he sees as loss, or rubbish, if it didn’t help him to know Jesus any better. All of his future goals revolve around understanding that right standing with God depends not on what we do, but on what Christ has done for us. He knows and witnesses to the fact that through faith in Christ, and sharing in Christ’s sufferings, Paul “may attain the resurrection from the dead.” (v.9-11)

Do you remember the story of the two men who went to the temple to pray? One was a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee was very flamboyant in his worship, praying loudly, telling God of all of his religious achievements, thanking God that he was better than the tax collector. He was extremely self-confident and proudly boasted before our perfect God. The tax collector, on the other hand, wouldn’t even look up to heaven. He was broken and very much aware of how unworthy he was to approach God. He humbly cried out to God for mercy. The tax collector, Jesus said, “went down to his house justified, rather

than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14)

Salvation is a free gift. There is nothing we can do to earn it or deserve it. It is through faith alone in Christ alone. The only confidence we should have is in Christ.

AT HOME:

• Read Philippians 3:4-11.

• How can you deepen your relationship with Jesus this year?