No Confidence in Flesh 

   No. 2 of 3 

     Last Sunday, we did not go to church. A tropical storm in Florida was closing in. We learned since that after the service, our pastor and other men got soaked driving vehicles to a roof overhead for thankful owners. What a day for us to catch Chicago's Moody Church on the radio.

     All authors in the Old and New Testaments were Jewish, except Luke. Saul, a Pharisee, severely persecuted fellow Jewish people who believed in the risen Son of God. One day he traveled with others to Damascus (Syria) to arrest more "misguided" Jews. 

     Hold up! Luke wrote in Acts chapter 9 that Jesus surrounded Saul with a flash of light, calling him to stop persecuting himself, Jesus. The other men were speechless. They heard sounds, but didn't see anyone. God blinded Saul for three days, and he ate or drank nothing. 

     The Lord changed his name to Paul. He told a disciple he would show Paul "how much he must suffer for my name." Did he ever!   

     He eventually wrote 13 letters to nine different communities he had visited. To the Philippians, chapter 3, as we listened on our radio, thankful for our roof overhead, Paul wrote that he "had no confidence in the flesh." 

     Habits, strength, skills, wealth, status. Such as these are flesh. 

     Paul gave the Philippians "more reasons" that he had outstanding confidence. He was "circumcised on the 8th day; from the tribe of Benjamin; Hebrew of Hebrews; by law, a Pharisee; in zeal, persecutor of the church." As for "legalistic righteousness, faultless!" 

     After his miraculous encounter with the risen Jesus, items of flesh didn't matter to Paul. In those times, circumcision apparently was thought necessary for salvation. But converted Paul called them "mutilators." 

Tomorrow: Give it Up