Philippians 3:4-6
“although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If any other man thinks that he has confidence in the flesh, I yet more: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the assembly; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.”
Paul wrote this letter to the church in Philippi, likely from prison, in the mid-1st century CE. He is warning them against false teachers who emphasize human effort and external markers like circumcision for salvation. To make his point, Paul draws on his own impressive background.
What parts of our identity and past achievements do we struggle to let go of when considering new ways of understanding life or faith?