"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. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Isreal, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of a Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church, as to the righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worthy of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." Philippians 3: 3-8.
I have heard a lot of outcries about grace. People protesting what they would call the "liberal" teaching of grace. They claim that God requires us to work. Work on not sinning. Work at loving better. Work to build what they would call The Kingdom.
Revealed within this concept are a few thought processes. 1) People have confidence in their flesh. They believe that they have the ability to build this so called Kingdom. 2) They don't really believe in grace. They subconsciously(or consciously) believe we are still under some sort of law.
Paul in Philippians talks about not having confidence in the flesh. He was not talking about committing what most would call sin. He was talking about having confidence in fleshy works. Working out religious do's and dont's. Working on a religious kingdom that is completely contrary to The Kingdom of God. Philippians 2:13 says, "For it is God who works in you to both will and to do for his good pleasure." What? God is the one who does the work within me? This is exactly what He does.
Ephesians 2:10 says "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. " So it is God works in you to both WILL and TO DO for HIS pleasure, AND we are HIS workmanship, created in Christ for good works which HE prepared beforehand. What does this mean? This means that God has already laid out the things that you WILL do. Why? Because you are HIS workmanship. The pharisee works and toils in vain, walking in dead religious works that he may take glory for himself. The saint rests in Christ. Because he knows that Christ will work in him as HE chooses, because they were set out for him before the foundation of the earth.
Religion loves to bind people in chains that Christ has broken. People will accuse you of being a wolf, of teaching cheap grace, of being an apostate. We are securely seated in Christ, who is the author and finisher of our faith. (Heb. 12:2) I will continue to teach "liberal grace" because Christ has given it liberally to me.
