Meritocracy Favours The Elites

For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!
I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin - a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. (Philippians 3:3-6 NLT)

The Apostle Paul gave a list of accomplishment he could have confidence in the flesh:

1. With respect to birth and pedigree, circumcised on the eighth day, from the people of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews;
2. With respect to observing the Law, a Pharisee who strictly obeyed the Law of Moses;
3. With respect to zeal, persecuting the church;
4. With respect to righteousness under the Law, blameless.

For those who believe in work and meritocracy, they must be like Paul, who was not only self-disciplined, hard working, principled and zealous, he was also born of the right parents and pedigree.

Christianity does not favour the elites.

Christianity is for those who are hopeless, those who cannot make it in life. For an elite like Paul, he must give up all the works of the flesh in order to gain the righteousness that is from Christ.

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith - that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:7-11 ESV)