NO CONFIDENCE IN THE FLESH

Philippians 3:3-4,7-8

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, 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!

I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done.

Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ

We do not get tired of teaching this truth - "Put no confidence in the flesh!". For we cannot save ourselves, see, really we cannot attain by ourselves, it is a "spiritual something", there is salvation in no other but in Christ Jesus, the Heavenly Father has already done it, you cannot add or remove from it, it is a finished work.

If only we fully understand what Christ has done.

So those who have confidence in the flesh miss it, this is the bondage religion keep people in. I repeat "religion is man-made".

Matthew 15:9

Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’”

This is what Christ told the religious folks. Listen a lot of books people call sacred are actually man-made (let me avoid naming them), some are just old scriptures compiled and joined together by scholars, don't be deceived:

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

The Word of God is actually a person, and that person is Christ Jesus, whatever you call scriptures and it is NOT seen in the light of the Word, Christ Jesus, it remains dead. Selah

Do you know that some religions have it recorded in their books that Christ Jesus is the "Word of God", then why do they believe they received the message from an angel, why not follow the one and only Word "the way, the truth and the life", you then understand why religion is a bondage, a perpetual tying down a human to dos and don'ts, that you have a sort of self righteousness yet remaining spiritually dead. Oh Lord save someone today.

John 4:23-24

But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.

For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

The Father has already stated how we should worship Him, why should I stay in bondage of the flesh! Hello get out of that bondage.

This is the problem, man was created in God's image, thus has the power to choose, this is both his blessing and can become his curse if he errs by rejecting salvation. For there was the tree of life and the tree of death and man allowed himself to be convinced to eat of the tree of death - disobedience.

John 3:18-19

“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.

And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.

Are you still in the bondage of the law and religion, listen to Paul:

Philippians 3:9-11

and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.

I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death,

so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!

This was a man who when it came to the law he was perfect, yet he understood when he encountered Christ that it all counted for nothing.

Cornelius was another man who the heavens and the earth knew of his good works, yet the Heavenly Father knew He needed salvation.

Listen to what Christ told a man who kept all the laws and practiced his religion even from childhood:

Matthew 19:16,20-21,26

Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”

“I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?”

Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”

The "following" is where many miss it, you don't follow laws, a religion, a sect, , a prophet or any human, - you follow Christ!

You have to let it all go and follow Christ.

John 10:1-2,7,9,11

“I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber!

But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.

so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep.

Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.

Christ, who is in the Father came and gave His life for you, why would you leave Him to follow another, hello, what has that other done for you, don't stay blind.

Men can arise with their philosophy, claims and gimmicks, they say they are from God. Hello, listen again:

John 1:18

No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.

John 3:13,31,35-36

No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven.

“He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else.

The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands.

And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”

John 14:6

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

So what does Christ give us? - life, which is eternal and of the Spirit:

John 10:10b 

I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly.

So we submit to Him:

Philippians 3:9 

And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

Philippians 3:9

and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.

Glory to God.

He calls us blessed.

Love

@the watcher