No Confidence in the Flesh

When I read this passage, I am tempted to be impressed with Paul because of his ‘resume’ in verses 4-6. He was the picture of an excellent Jew, with a lineage and an education that few others could boast of. As a Pharisee, he had a deeply-seated passion for the Torah and its observance. He was even able to declare himself faultless in the way he conformed to the law. He was most likely well-respected and set up as an example of faith for men to follow. This is a man who was truly secure in his beliefs and in his God! Yet despite all this, Jesus was able to take him and move his life to a place where all his gifts, knowledge, and deep faith would be used for an even higher purpose. 

Sometimes we can take what God has given us and rest comfortably, thinking that we can go no higher or do no more. We can think that we have done and given our best. But Paul’s life and example tell us differently. Whatever had been valid and valuable in Paul’s life was no longer important to him. It was time for a new understanding of God and a new purpose in life. Yet this could only come through truly knowing Christ - not just knowing about him, but by experiencing his life, death, and resurrection. 

In order to be used by God in the way He desires, we need to have the same mentality as Paul. We need to let go of our successes, our skills, and what we see as our value, and allow the knowledge of Christ to transform us. We need to be willing to keep the transformation going throughout our Christian lives, never settling for what we believe we have accomplished for God. Rather, we need to continue to ‘know’ Christ more by experiencing him on a daily basis and then allowing Him to transform us as He sees fit.