In verse 3 Paul continues, “For we are the circumcision, who serve by the Spirit of God and boast in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.” Those who are the circumcision here are the New Testament believers, the ones genuinely circumcised by Christ’s crucifixion. They are absolutely different from the Judaizers. They serve as priests by the Spirit of God, not by the ordinances of law; they boast in Christ, not in the law; and they have no confidence in the flesh, but have their confidence in the Spirit.
In verses 2 and 3 there is a threefold contrast: believers who serve by the Spirit of God in contrast to the dogs; believers who boast in Christ in contrast to evil workers; and believers who have no confidence in the flesh in contrast to the concision. The Judaizers lived by their fallen nature, whereas the believers in Christ serve by the Spirit of God. Thus, the Spirit of God is in contrast to the nature of the “dogs.” The Judaizers did evil things and even boasted in them, whereas the true believers boast in Christ. They glory and rejoice in Him. As used here, the word boast implies not only boasting, but also rejoicing and glorying. Our boasting, glorying, and rejoicing are not in our outward deeds, not in our behavior or conduct, but in Christ alone. The Judaizers had confidence in the flesh, whereas the true believers in Christ have no confidence in the flesh.
The flesh in 3:3 comprises all that we are and have in our natural being. The fact that the Judaizers had confidence in their circumcision was a sign that their confidence was in their flesh. They trusted in their natural qualities and qualifications, not in the Spirit. Their confidence was in what they were by nature. They trusted in the fact that they were Jews. By contrast Paul says strongly that we who believe in Christ do not have any confidence in the flesh. Our confidence is wholly in the Lord.
What a contrast we see in verses 2 and 3! We serve by the Spirit of God, we boast in Christ, and we have confidence not in the flesh, but only in the Lord. Because we deny our old nature, we are the true circumcision. The denial of the flesh is the real circumcision, the true cutting off of the flesh as revealed in Colossians 2:11.
According to verses 4 through 6, Paul had been a model of the Judaizers: “Though I myself could have confidence also in the flesh; if any other man thinks to have confidence in the flesh, I more: circumcised the eighth day; of the race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, persecuting the church; as to the righteousness which is in the law, become blameless.” When Paul used to be among the Judaizers, he had been very active and had many outstanding qualifications.
A former leading one among the Judaizers, Paul had more reason than others to have confidence in the flesh. In Galatians 1:14 he tells us that he “advanced in Judaism beyond many contemporaries in my race, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.” In a very real sense, Paul had been a “top dog” among the Judaizers.
In verse 5 Paul says that he was circumcised the eighth day, the day for a genuine Israelite to be circumcised (Gen. 17:12). This day distinguished him from the Ishmaelites and proselytes, who were circumcised later. Paul was a typical Jew, not a proselyte. This gave him ground to boast when he was a Judaizer.
Paul was also of the race of Israel, God’s called race, the genuine seed of Abraham (Rom. 11:1; 2 Cor. 11:22). He was not a descendant of the proselytes grafted into the race of God’s covenant.