As kids we brag most about the stuff we’ve been born to or gifted with — a bigger house, a cooler bike, a taller stack of video games, the latest model computer, the newest cell phone.

As adults we brag most about the stuff we feel we’ve earned — a bigger paycheck, a better college, a successful career, a position of power and influence, how far we’ve climbed from where we started.

In today’s epistle text Paul covers all that bragging territory and then some as he argues against those who were advocating the prerequisite of Jewishness for Gentile Christians. These “Judaizers” were insisting that those not born Jewish must become Jews through the rite of circumcision and obedience to Torah law in order to be full members of the Christian community of faith.

Paul’s rejection of this teach…