Subscription Lists

Well, this week we finish our study through Paul’s letter to the churches of Galatia. Paul is intentional in everything he writes, and the way he closes this letter is no different.

‘See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.’ (Galatians 6:11-18)

In what will you boast?

Let’s start with a quick recap. The whole of this letter is speaking against those who were leading the Galatian churches astray by forcing new believers to be circumcised and thereby joining the Jewish nation. Paul explained that sons of Abraham are ‘those who are of faith’, i.e. all who trust in Jesus, whether circumcised or not! This passage begins with a comparison between the boasts of those who were leading the churches astray, and Paul himself.

The false teachers were able to boast in the flesh of those who had submitted to their teaching, but that’s all! Remember, the flesh is temporary and fallen, pretty much everything which God is not. Jesus said something similar when he said that those who give publicly and pray long, loud prayers have received their (temporary and fallen) reward in full (Matthew 6:3,5).

In opposition to this is Paul, who boasts in nothing except Jesus’ cross. Jesus’ work on the cross is eternal, perfect and complete. It’s through this finished and successful sacrifice that Paul was able to say the world had been crucified to him, along with the flesh. Allow me to ask you what you would boast in, given the chance. If someone said, ‘elevator pitch: in 30 seconds tell me what you’re most pleased about’, what would you say? If you say ‘the Great Exchange that took place on the substitutionary cross of Christ’, I’d suggest you’re probably a liar – that’s not where my mind would go! But perhaps it should. It ought certainly to sit in our minds permanently as that on which our joy is founded. As the hymn puts it so well, ‘On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.’

Only a new creation

Paul repeats his earlier words by saying ‘neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything’ (see Galatians 5:6). Note what he’s saying: if you want to be circumcised, you can be! But it doesn’t make any difference either way. You can’t guarantee your salvation through circumcision, just as you can’t guarantee it by not being circumcised – all that matters is this ‘new creation’. That sounds like 2 Corinthians 5:17, also written by the apostle Paul: ‘if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.’ So what really matters is not whether or not you’re circumcised, but whether or not you’re in Christ. Jesus talked about being ‘born again’ (John 3), and it’s this that Paul’s referring to. New means something appearing out of nothing, just like when a child is born!

Again, allow me to ask you a question. Is your Christian life displayed through physical acts like circumcision, even if they’re good like caring for the poor? Or is it displayed through the fact that your entire life has been created anew? Let’s use the analogy of a car to represent our lives. The Holy Spirit is not in the business of putting his foot down and changing to a higher gear, he’s about giving us an entirely new car, with gears we’d never even dreamed about!

Bearing Jesus’ marks

Now here’s an interesting phrase to finish the letter with, but Paul isn’t using it to confuse his readers, he’s using it to underline the point this passage is all about: the size of your perspective. The false teachers had their eyes fixed on the temporary, material, fallen, flesh-driven world. As a result they would boast in the flesh, and focus only on fleshly results. In comparison, Paul’s eyes are fixed firmly on eternity. He boasts in Jesus’ once for all sacrifice, and is focussed on the new creation, looking forward to the new heaven and earth. It is for this reason that he now looks at the persecution he has received as a Christian. As Jesus received torture for Paul’s sake, so also had Paul for his sake. But he was able to persevere thanks to his eternal perspective – as Matthew Henry put it, ‘he had cheerfully suffered persecution for the sake of Christ and Christianity’.

Society is pretty much designed around avoiding suffering as much as possible, but that’s not the Christian mindset. Temporary suffering is actually necessary – why else would Jesus himself undergo such brutality? If your eyes are fixed on the temporary then suffering is to be avoided at all costs, whereas is your eyes are fixed on heaven, suffering is just like circumcision – it doesn’t count for anything! Paul is underlining here that a view to eternal joy will help us through temporary suffering. He would have us compare this to the false teachers, whose view of temporary joy distracts them, and us, from eternal suffering. Hebrews 12:2 tells us that Jesus endured the cross by fixing his eyes on the joy set before him, and that’s our call too.

Let’s not lose sight of what we’re here for. Let’s suffer well, and let’s lead those who are heading for eternal suffering toward the light, that they may receive the same free gift of joy that we have. Glory to God.

"'Christ in You...'" from Dale Krebbs

God Inhabits The Ordinary