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Paul's Seven Assets

Philippians 3:4-6

Paul lists seven reasons why he could have "confidence in the flesh" (3:4), or trust in following Jewish laws and practices.

1. He was circumcised the eighth day. The law required this for every Jewish boy, and Paul's parents complied with this requirement.
2. He was of the stock of Israel, meaning he was not a convert to Judaism. Paul had been born a Jew, a physical descendant of Abraham.
3. He was of the tribe of Benjamin, which was the aristocracy of Israel and the tribe from which Israel's first king had been chosen.
4. He was a Hebrew of the Hebrews. That is, Paul was a Hebrew boy born to Hebrew parents who spoke the Hebrew language and lived by Hebrew customs. He had been schooled in Hebrew traditions and studied under Gamaliel, one of the great Hebrew teachers.
5. He was a Pharisee. The Pharisees were renowned as strict, meticulous observers of the Jewish laws.
6. He had been a zealous persecutor of the Church. Before he was saved, Paul relentlessly pursued the followers of The Way.
7. He was blameless before the Law. Paul had kept the outward rules of the law meticulously. No one could point a finger and accuse him of falling short. 

Paul had possessed the right ancestry and orthodoxy, and he had also practiced the right activities. From a human standpoint, he had every reason to be proud and arrogant, even if he had been a converted Jew. But he considered these assets rubbish (3:8) so that he may gain Christ and be found in Him.

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