I would like to ask a simple question today. What confidence do you have in your salvation? In other words, what do you base your salvation on? When I meet with many people and I try to inquire as to their salvation, I will ask a simple question: are you saved or, if you died today where would you spend eternity? These questions are easy to answer and certainly salvation is not a hard answer, but I wonder how many people answer that question because they rely upon “what they did”? I often use this question: “When you stand before God, what if He were to ask you “Why should I let you into heaven”? Or, “Can you tell me when you discovered you were lost without hope?”
There can be no salvation without an understanding of who we are and why we need a savior. In our verses we see Paul addressing this subject of “confidence in the flesh”. He is telling them in verse 4 that IF you think that what you have done is good enough to get you into heaven, let me tell you that I have done more. Vs. 5 Circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
Here we see the real Saul of Tarsus. Circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel – Paul was not just a Roman citizen, but he could declare that he was part of the people of Israel. Paul knew the promise given to his people in Genesis 12:3 “And I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. “
Genesis 17:10-13 “This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.”
This covenant was made to the tribe of the tribe of Benjamin- and in this tribe stood, and still does to this day, the city of Jerusalem, and the temple of the Lord; because this tribe retained the true worship of God with Judah, when the ten tribes revolted and worshipped the calves at Dan and Bethel, and returned with Judah
from captivity, when the others did not. And the apostle was not only able to make himself appear to be of the stock Israel, but could name the tribe to which he belonged, which many of the Jews, that were of one, or rather of the ten tribes, were not able to do, and may be his chief reason for mentioning this circumstance.
An Hebrew of the Hebrews – not so called only because he could trace his pedigree from Abraham the Hebrew, or understood, and could speak the Hebrew language, which the Hellenistic Jews could not, but because both his parents were Hebrews; he was a Hebrew by the father and mother’s side both; he was a genuine Hebrew. The Arabians have the same way of speaking; and with them a genuine Arab is called an Arab of the Arabs.
As touching the law, a Pharisee – with respect to the interpretation and observance of the law, which was according to the traditions of the elders, and not the literal and genuine sense of it, he followed; and was of the sect of the Pharisees, which was strictest sect among the Jews. Acts 22:3 “/ am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day. 11
A Pharisee had separated and distinguished themselves from other people, and hence they had their name; which means to be divided or separated.
Philippians 3:6 “Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness, which is in the law, blameless.” Concerning zeal, persecuting the church – Paul’s strict up bringing caused him to falsely accuse many new Christians and caused their capture, and even their death, and we know that he held the clothes of those who stoned Stephen. In short, Paul was a very big reason that many fled Jerusalem because of his threats and persecution. Touching the righteousness, which is in, the law, blameless. This he mentions last, as including the whole of his righteousness, civil, ceremonial, and moral; and which he fancied was so perfect, that whatever righteousness was in the law, or required by it, he had it, and to such a degree, that he was blameless before God and men.
But this was all for nothing in God’s sight. Philippians 3:7 “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 11 But what things were gain to me, as circumcision, and the observance of the ceremonial law, which he thought were necessary to salvation; and his natural and lineal descent from Abraham, which he supposed entitled him to the favour of God, and eternal life, as well as to outward privileges, came to the grand total of nothing while standing before a Holy God.
Those I counted loss for Christ. – Paul can take no pleasure in a reflection on it, neither can I. I am in the flesh lower than that. I am not a Hebrew, I am not from the tribe of Benjamin, I was not raised and a Pharisee rose to follow the law, I was not zealous to follow after the things of God. BUT: 1 Corinthians 6:11 “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. 11
I am now a follower of Jesus Christ, who one day confronted me with my sin, and showed me I was lost with no hope. Who came and saved me. I was nothing BUT know I am a child of the King.
There is a Song I would like to share with you it goes like this;
My Father is rich in houses and lands, He holdeth the wealth of the world in His hands! Of rubies and diamonds, of silver and gold, His coffers are full, He has riches untold. Refrain: I’m a child of the King, A child of the King: With Jesus my Savior, I’m a child of the King!
So I ask each of you as I have asked myself. What have you to say about your salvation? Is it from you or
from God? If you are trusting what you have done, or intend to do, it is all counted as loss.
But if you are saved by the blood then you too walk in victory over the flesh. So many want to walk in victory when they do not have Christ alone for salvation. It is not Christ plus what I have done. It is all Christ or non of Christ. Was there a time God showed and revealed to you that you were lost? Perhaps he is showing you
right now!
Romans 10:13 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
