Galatians – Christ alone, my Hope and my Boast

Galatians 6:11-18 “See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ.Not even those who are circumcised keep the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh. May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation. Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule—to 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 and sisters. Amen.

In the final passage of Galatians, Paul concludes his letter with a summary of the main takeaway for his readers. He usually would dictate his letters. At this point, however he writes the final words down, for emphasis and authenticity.

The letter began with the express purpose to clarify and dispel the false Gospel that was infiltrating the Galatian churches. Today, Christians are not immune to false teachings, and this epistle is a caution for us to stand firm in our understanding of the gospel. What Christ did on the cross was sufficient for all of humanity to be made right with God. Man over the years has always had a sinful tendency to rely on themselves, thereby adding something of what they need to do, to make salvation possible. Legalism, religion, whatever you may call it, tries to incorporate something in addition, to the relationship that God wants us to have with Him, of which he is the author and the only answer.

The false teachers in Galatia, propelling the narrative that works/obedience to certain laws in some capacity contribute to saving oneself can even today creep into our perception of acceptance with God.

A.W. Pink once said, “The greatest mistake made by people is hoping to discover in themselves that which is to be found in Christ alone.”

The trap that we can fall into is that we will pick some external behaviour as our contribution to being accepted by God. And gradually, without even realizing it, we begin to rely and trust in our own righteousness rather than in the finished work of Christ at the cross. Good works or spiritual disciplines are not the issue here but the motive with which we do them. Good works are to be an outflow of Christ in us and spiritual disciplines are to enable us to draw near to Him.

Through this last passage, we get to look into the heart of both Paul and the false teachers, we find their motive. Verses 12 and 13 reveal the motives of the false teachers – to avoid persecution from the others of the circumcision group and to be able to boast. The false teachers wanted to go with the majority of the other Jewish leaders and taught something that even they did not necessarily abide by (verse 13). This shows us that the fruit in one’s life is always helpful to reveal the truth of what they believe and live by.  

As Paul speaks of their boasting, he shares the only thing that we should boast in and that is the cross of our Lord Jesus (verse 14). The difference is, Paul boasts in Christ whereas the false teachers who relied on their works for salvation were boasting in self.

How does boasting in the cross impact us: It is a constant reminder of the inadequacy that our sin nature imparts to be made right with God. Our righteous acts are like filthy rags; and this is not to belittle oneself but to help keep us in a posture of humility and never equate anything we do or are to the perfection that is Jesus.  

There no adequacy within us that makes it possible for us to be made right with God, it is His love for us that He willingly went to the cross for us. He gifts us His grace, let us not taint His perfect gift by adding anything to His sacrifice.

When we keep shedding our reliance on ourselves and lay it at the feet of the cross, it shifts our tendency to be prideful, and the desire that we can crave with regards to approval of others. Because what matters is not the external behaviour that others see and think of us but what God sees within us. This frees us from the power that seeking approval from others can hold over us.

Paul’s emphasis is the new creation that we are once we accept Jesus into our lives. What eternal value does circumcision or uncircumcision have? None. As Galatians 6:8 taught us, sow in the spirit and you will reap in the spirit. Let the Spirit of God work in you and transform you to be more Christ like.

Take a few reflective minutes and evaluate if you have allowed the opinion or approval of others to weaken your commitment to Christ. Ask the Lord to help you care for only what He thinks, and for the motives and desires that lie in your heart to be more aligned to Him than to the world and the people in it.

This concludes our time through Galatians. Thank you to all who have been a part of this series, I truly appreciate it.

God Bless.