Joy in Spiritual Heritage

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PrayerTherefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17-18).  O God, the only true God, let Your name be magnified in all the earth.  Thank You for our lives and our identities, which are unique in Your universe.  For we were specially made by You and for You.  We were remade in Your spiritual image, O Lord, and we are grateful for Your life, death, resurrection, and ascension.  Help us understand today, in our uniqueness, that we are to serve You and to glorify Your name at all times.  We love You, and we know that You love us. Amen.

Main Scripture: Read Philippians 3:4-6.

Though I myself have reasons for such confidence.  If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless (Philippians 3:4-6).

Associated Scriptures:

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well (Psalm 139:13-14).

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations (Jeremiah 1:5).

The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life (Job 33:4).

Correlative Quotes:

He shows what he had to boast of as a Jew and a Pharisee. The apostle did not persuade them to do anything but what he had himself did, to quit anything but what he had himself quit, or venture on any bottom but what he himself had ventured his immortal soul upon.[1] – Matthew Henry

When he (Paul) understood the gospel of Christ, the apostle realized that all of these credentials, achievements, privileges, and rights were worthless. Paul is not saying that they are of no social, cultural, educational, or historical value. Instead, he is saying that they are of no value.[2] – John MacArthur

Paul had the best possible reputation as a Jewish rabbi. In birth and training, he far surpassed all of his friends.  He was sincere too; his Jewish religion meant life and death to him. So sincere was he that he even persecuted those who differed with him When he met Christ, he considered all of his earthly and fleshly attainments mere rubbish![3] – Warren Wiersbe

Study:

In the previous study, we discussed the heretics who altered the truth of the Gospel message for their own benefit or out of ignorance of the truth.  The most pronounced group of false teachers at the time of Paul were the Judaizers.  They desired to keep the new believers in Jesus under the restrictions of the Law.  They believed that their good works for the honor of God should earn them their salvation.  This belief is the center of Paul’s disagreement with the phrase “confidence in the flesh.”

Paul felt secure that he could match his heritage and credentials against any Jew, Greek, or Roman in the Empire.  On this basis, he was willing to challenge any of those who would deceive and attempt to sway believers from the truth of the Gospel message.  Paul’s road-to-Damascus experience and the subsequent indwelling of the Spirit of God gave him the courage, conviction, and confidence that his message was accurate.

To substantiate Paul’s position on the Gospel message, he makes this comment in Romans 8:8-9: “those who are in the flesh cannot please God.  But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.”

1 A Covenant Hebrew: Circumcised on the Eighth Day (vs. 4): Paul met all of the qualifications of being a Jew, including following the commandment to be circumcised.

  1. A Pure Hebrew: Being of the Stock of Israel (vs. 5). Paul was descended from the patriarch Israel, through Jacob. Therefore, he was able to trace his genealogy back as far as any Jew.  This would have separated him from the Samaritans, who had intermarried. His lineage gave Paul all of the rights of a true Hebrew.
  2. A Faithful Hebrew: Paul was a Benjamite (vs. 5). He was from one of the two tribes which remained aligned with God (the other being Judah) when the ten tribes of northern Israel revolted under Jeroboam. This allowed Paul to claim the honor of being a pure Jew. It also allowed him as much right as anyone to boast.
  3. A Hebrew of Hebrews: Both in Action and by Birth (vs. 5). He was fluent in both Greek and Hebrew. Paul followed the customs of the people of God.  He was a true Hebrew.
  4. A Pharisaic Hebrew: Concerning the Law a Pharisee (vs. 5). Paul was a member of the strictest sect among the Jews. They followed the Law of God and their own interpretations of the Law to the letter.
  5. A Zealous Hebrew Concerning Zeal (vs. 6). This personal trait describes an eagerness and ardent interest in the pursuit of everything.
  6. An Intimidating Hebrew: In Persecuting the Church (vs. 6). Paul was physically and mentally oppressing the Christians. This means that Paul systematically followed a program of oppression and harassment against his own people. He actually led the persecution and ultimately participated in the death of Stephen.
  7. A Self-righteous Hebrew: As to righteousness, which is in the Law Found Blameless (vs. 6). This means having its source in obedience to the law, which was a combination of God’s Law and man’s interpretations of God’s Law. The Law is no longer our master.  It has become our guide.
  8. A “Perfect” Hebrew: Blameless (vs. 6). Paul excelled in legalistic righteousness. He was found faultless in his own eyes and in the eyes of all those who trust Salvation by faith alone. That faith finds its fruition through works.

Summary Statement:

Once Paul was converted through salvation, he became a zealot for Christ.  He truly became a new creation in Christ.  Paul does not list his birthright as a Hebrew to brag about himself.  His wish is that people would see him as he is, unworthy of salvation.  He understood and preached that salvation was not by works but by grace through faith.  Paul’s conversion was the same miracle that we who have been saved experienced when we believed.

Lessons within the Lesson:

What was Paul’s greatest concern for the Church at Philippi?

How did Paul use his own reputation and credentials as a Jew to make his point about his unworthiness?

How do we recognize spiritual fraud in society today?

What does it mean when we say: “use the whole word of God?” (read Luke 4:4).

[1] Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible, Volume VI, Acts to Revelation, Public Domain, 1706, Ibid., P. 1057-1058

[2] John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Fair Use 2020 – Section 107, copywrite law, Ibid.

[3] Warren Wiersbe, Expository Outlines on the New Testament. Fair Use 2020 – Section 107, copywrite law, Ibid.