RELIGIOUS CREDENTIALS

Philippians 3:1-6
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

The Priceless Value of Knowing Christ

1 Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith.

2 Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved. 3 For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, 4 though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!

5 I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. 6 I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.


The Judiazers (Jews who believed both the Old Testament law and New Testament grace were requirements for salvation) were challenging the Apostle Paul regarding his religious credentials. Paul’s response to their challenge could have been to ‘measure up’ to their requirements. Rather than go there, Paul pointed to Jesus Christ as the only necessary requirement. “We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us.”

Faith in the work of the Cross is the Christians only credential.