Jeff Englund

October 6, 2025October 6, 2025

Philippians 3:5b – No Secrets

Picture of an ancient Hebrew scroll with the words "Dear Diary" above it.
(GROK)

…of the people of Israel…

Summary: Israel is a people with nothing to hide – because all of their ‘dirty laundry’ has been written down in a book that millions of people have read.

One of the reasons I believe the Bible is from God is because of the “people of Israel.” Not because the people of Israel are intrinsically good, but because they aren’t. It is because only God could make a race of people write down all of their mistakes and then make it their mission in life to preserve the book they wrote.

October 4, 2025October 5, 2025

Philippians 3:5a – The Eighth Day

Pocket watch with the words "Time to Worship" on the face. (GROK)

… circumcised on the eighth day…

Summary: Paul’s reference to the “eighth day” opens up an interesting meditation on the nature of time and the importance of the times assigned by God.

When God created the “heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1), the first thing he did was to create time (Genesis 1:14-15).

October 3, 2025October 3, 2025

Philippians 3:4c – The Flesh, Part 2

Picture of a butterfly and its chrysalis (Pixabay)

[If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in] the flesh, I have more:

Summary: Following up on our last meditation, we take a more detailed look at the specifics of what the flesh is and how it relates to our spirit.

In our last meditation, we looked at the concept of the flesh metaphorically. In this one, let’s take a more objective look through the lens of Scripture.

October 2, 2025October 2, 2025

Philippians 3:4c – The Flesh

A cartoon fish swims in the water with a mirror version of itself flying above (GROK)

[If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in] the flesh, I have more:

Summary: Understanding Paul’s language sometimes requires that we know Jesus to know what he is talking about.

Here is an interesting fact: To understand the “flesh,” you first have to be in the “spirit.”

What does that mean? Let’s use fish for an example.

October 1, 2025October 1, 2025

Philippians 3:4b – It’s All About Jesus!

Picture: I giant cross surrounded by thousands of people (GROK)

If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in…

Summary: The opening words of Paul’s statement about why people put confidence in the flesh provide a jumping-off point for us to consider what the true meaning of the Gospel is.

Before we begin with today’s meditation, Thank you to all of you who took the time to write and share your thoughts. I deeply appreciate the encouragement and the feedback! God bless all of you! — Jeff

Looking at this passage, it is easy to get caught up in the larger picture of Paul’s thought. His full sentence reads:

September 17, 2025October 1, 2025

Philippians 3:3e – Taking a Break

Two deck chairs overlooking the ocean (GROK)

… though I myself have reasons for such confidence.

Summary: Today, we take an inside-out look at Paul’s statement about confidence. We are also taking a break from blogging.

Taken in context, Paul is referring to his spiritual “credit rating” under the Old Covenant Law. He has a lot to be proud of! He could trace his lineage back to Abraham. He was schooled under the best instructor, Gamaliel. He was apparently a good student. And as far as enthusiasm goes, his Zeal Factor was off the charts. When it came to enforcing the Law, there was no one better.

September 16, 2025October 1, 2025

Philippians 3:3d – Flesh & Spirit

…and who put no confidence in the flesh—

Summary: As we prepare for Paul’s essay on what the flesh can and cannot do, it is helpful to understand the basics of our human nature.

If you don’t know what Paul means by putting “confidence in the flesh,” he is going to explain, in great detail, in the next few verses. Meanwhile, this is a good opportunity to preview the concept before we dive into the details.

September 15, 2025October 1, 2025

Philippians 3:3c – Something to Boast About

AI image showing Christ standing at the foot of a large glowing cross (Pixabay)

[We] … who boast in Christ Jesus…

Summary: Sometimes, to appreciate what we have, we need to look at what we wouldn’t have if we didn’t have what we have.

As we read ahead in this chapter, we find that Paul is about to give us a masterclass on the art of boasting in Christ Jesus. But for now, before we get into the details, it might be good to take a minute and consider what boasting in Christ means.

September 13, 2025September 14, 2025

Philippians 3:3b – Serving God

Picture of the Holy Spirit represented by a dove (Pixabay)

…we who serve God by his Spirit…

Summary: The concept of serving God is clearly explained in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, obedience becomes more Spirit-driven.

If you ever wonder why it takes us so long to get through a short book of the Bible, this passage is a great example of why.

September 12, 2025September 12, 2025

Philippians 3:2a – Old and New

a stone bridge between to land masses. The side of the bridge spells out the word "HISTORY." It is a symbolic connection between the old a the new. In the middle of the bridge is the cross and the on the cross is Jesus. (Grok)

For it is we who are the circumcision…

Summary: Understanding what Paul means by “we who are the circumcision” requires a brief look back at the history of the Bible.

In the Old Testament, circumcision was given by God to Abraham and every male that was with him (Genesis 17:10). When we talk about circumcision of the flesh in the Old Testament sense, we are talking about something that is uniquely male. Interestingly, when we talk about circumcision in the New Testament sense, it can apply to both men and women.