Faith is a Gift; Leave Me Alone

Oct. 3

Read: Galatians 6:11-18

Faith is a Gift; Leave Me Alone

“From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.” (v.17)

Just how vicious are those who would put us back under the law? How zealous are these so-called “circumcisers”? Evidently they were pretty intense. Paul takes to writing out his own ending to the book here. Despite being beaten and bruised, with his age showing… and (likely) eye-sight failing… Paul grabs the pen for his closing. You can feel his desperation in these final words:

“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…From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.”

The bitter truth is that those who would push so heavily for the law often do so for their OWN benefit… their own SELFISH motives… to stroke their own egos or to build their own empires. The sad truth is that, “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.” (v.13) Sometimes the loudest advocates for the law are the most depraved. They themselves are not even keeping the law… or they are only doing so in one area (ie. here it is “circumcision”) while behind the scenes they are ignoring the rest.

It is for this reason that Paul makes his final declaration of freedom in Christ:

“For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.” (v.15)

Paul says, it is really not about the law. Keeping the law… not keeping the law… it doesn’t really matter. The true test for Paul according to the scriptures here is: ARE YOU A NEW CREATION? Will power and dogged determination may have you “keeping the law” for a season - a sort of intense morality - but it doesn’t really matter without being made a new creation. This is the true litmus test of Christ. In the freedom we have in Christ we are enabled to experience the ways that we have actually been “born again” and “made new”. When we come “out from under” the legalism… the “law”… we can begin to experience that we actually have been made new again in Christ. We can begin to see that, in Christ, “the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” (v.14) This is what we boast in (according to this passage) that we are dead to the world and the world is dead to us. This is easier said than done, but it is nonetheless TRUE. It is only after we receive this biblical truth and embrace it that we are fit to receive blessing from the Lord… otherwise we will always drift into thinking we deserve it for our efforts of “law keeping” That is why Paul reserves his final well-wishing and blessing for only those who have embraced this truth and held up under the pressure of those “law-pushers”:

“And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God…The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.” (v.16,18)

The TRUE ISRAEL of God have always been “children of the promise”. (review Gal. 3:10-4:31) The true Israel has always been beyond genetics and legalistic temple worship… beyond the law… they are children of the promise that the Lord has been calling to himself by FAITH. It has always been “by grace through faith”. (cf. Eph. 2:8,9) FAITH ALONE is the good news of Christ. The promise of Christ is TRANSFORMATION into a “newness of life”. The good news is Christ + nothing else. Do not let anything distract you from this truth… not even seemingly “spiritual” or “religious” things like legalism. The “law of Christ” is love, shared first with us in grace and mercy… given as a gift… faith itself as much a gift as the salvation it leads us to! Love you guys. -JDP