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0:20 All right, welcome to day three. 0:22 As we study Philippians three, one through eleven, finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord to write the same things to you as no trouble to me, and is safe for you. 0:29 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 0:33 For we are the circumcision who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus, and put no confidence in the flesh, though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. 0:43 If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more. 0:47 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. 1:00 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 1:05 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord, for his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through 1:24 faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. 1:41 Let's drill down on verses four through seven. 1:44 Paul says, Though I myself have reason for competence in the flesh also. 1:48 He just said, put no confidence in the flesh. 1:51 But if someone was going to put their competence in the flesh, Paul says, If anybody can do it, I can do it. 1:58 Though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh, if anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more. 2:04 And then what Paul is going to do is Paul is going to lay out his religious resume. 2:10 He says, I was circumcised on the eighth day of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews, as to the law of Pharisee, as to zeal of persecutor of the church, as to righteousness under the law, blameless, but whatever gain I had, I count as loss for the sake of Christ. 2:26 Again, Paul is saying, if anybody can boast in human effort and religious pedigree, I can. 2:31 He said, Some of it I received from my my parents. 2:35 Like I was circumcised on the right day, I was born in Israel, and I was born in the best of all the tribe. 2:42 I was a Benjamite, I'm a Benjamite. 2:44 He says, and some of the confidence in the flesh that I could have is by my own work. 2:50 I was a Hebrew of Hebrews. 2:52 What that means is basically he finished first in his class. 2:55 I was a Pharisee, which means he had the entire old covenant memorized. 3:00 And he was not just any Pharisee. 3:02 He studied under Gamaliel, who was the best. 3:05 And this phrase, Pharisee of Pharisees, literally means like he was the valedictorian. 3:11 And then it was not just external, but it was also internal. 3:15 He says that he had zeal for purity to the point where he was persecuting Christians. 3:21 He had such a zeal for the purity of the Old Testament law that he went after these followers of Jesus who say that it is by grace through faith that we are saved. 3:31 And he says, not only that, as far as righteousness under the law, he says, I'm blameless. 3:36 Now he doesn't say he's perfect. 3:38 What that means is he's saying every time I sinned, I did the appropriate sacrifice as laid out in the old covenant so that I will not be blamed for my sins. 3:50 He looks at all of that, this incredible pedigree, this incredible resume, and he says, all of that is an L, is a loss for the sake of Christ. 3:59 And here's what he means all of that effort, all of those things I was born into, it got me no closer to salvation. 4:07 Here's a quick illustration. 4:08 I live in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. 4:10 And if I said to our entire church, folks, we're all swimming to England. 4:15 From here, we're going to go to Jacks Beach, we're going to head east, and don't stop swimming until you make it to England. 4:22 How many people of their own effort could make it to England? 4:26 The answer is zero. 4:28 Zero people could could swim all the way across the Atlantic Ocean. 4:31 Now there would be, some people would get a little farther than than others. 4:35 Some of the least athletic folks, they would die in the breakers. 4:38 That's embarrassing. 4:39 Some people may swim a mile. 4:41 Some people might die in the Gulf Stream. 4:44 But here's the reality: everyone would be dead, and everyone would need a rescuer to avoid death. 4:51 So this is what Paul's saying. 4:53 It is not your resume, it is not your family tree that gets you in. 4:58 It's only your RSVP to Christ's invitation. 5:03 To come to him by grace, through faith, and put your faith not in yourself, but in the finished work of Christ Jesus. 5:13 Put no confidence in the flesh, but put all of your confidence in the one who came and had his flesh nailed to a cross for you.