Protecting the Pure Gospel Part 12

Well today we will finish the book of Galatians.  Paul closes with a one two punch of exposing the motivations of the false teacher/s and restating the "rule" by which Christians should live and follow Jesus.  Our text today is Galatians 6:11-18.

Making A Good Show in the Flesh

Five of Paul's letters make mention of the fact that Paul would have a helper who would write what he wanted.  The method is not explicit.  That is, was it a dictation or did the writer influence the wording?  Clearly there is no question that what was written expressed what Paul wanted.  The letter we call 2 Thessalonians further states that a mark of Paul's letters is that he would write something by his own hand at the end of each letter.  Most likely this was his way of reassuring the recipients that it really was him and it also gives a personal touch to the address.

So it is not strange for Paul to make mention that he is writing by his own hand.  Whether his writing has started here in Gal. 6:11 or he has written the whole letter would really be conjecture and not necessary to discover.  What is strange is how Paul brings attention to the largeness of his letters (letters of the alphabet).  Some have felt that this was most likely for emphasis, much like typing in all caps is a kind of visual shouting.  Though this may be, I believe that the context requires this strange point of Paul's to contrast with the "good show in the flesh" that the false teachers desire.  It seems clear that Galatians 4:14,15 reveal that Paul had a physical problem that had something to do with his eyes.  This eye problem may have affected his ability to write.  Normally in life large writing is a sign of beginners.  Little kids start off learning to write with a line that is not only about an inch in height, but it is also split in half by a dotted line and has a lot of space between it and the next line.  No adult would expect to get a letter from a friend that had writing at that size.  As we develop our ability to write we move to wide ruled and then college ruled paper.  Thus Paul seems to be pointing out the largeness of his letters as a way to show that he definitely isn't trying to make a "good show" in the flesh.  In fact, his flesh is fighting against him.  It's physical weakness does not enable him to write well.  Paul isn't concerned about how he looks.  He could have easily been ashamed of his inability to speak well and write well, but instead he tells the Corinthians that this actually allows the power of God to be seen.

Contrast Paul to those who were teaching the Galatians to add the law, especially circumcision, to believing Jesus is the messiah.  Paul says, these guys are motivated by the outward and appearance. Now "in the flesh" can mean one of two things.  It can refer to things done in the body (which is pretty much anything we do) or it can refer to things done in response to the desires and will of the flesh versus the desires and will of the Spirit of God.  I believe here Paul is referring to the body.  They want their outer life to look good.  Those things that they do with their body are on display.  Now it is clear that their show isn't really for God.  Their show is for others.  But even if it were for God, the problem is not what they do, but rather why.    Paul has been very clear that believers are free to circumcise or not circumcise.  However, if they circumcise because they believe that it is necessary for salvation, then they are straying away from grace and rejecting Christ.  The "why" for these false teachers is that they want to look acceptable/good for others.  Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:12, that they are "those who boast in appearance and not in heart."

The second thing Paul points out about them is that they "compel" the Galatians to be circumcised.  The word compel means to make someone think something is necessary.  This can be done by force, logic, manipulation, duress, etc...  Either way, one individual influences another to believe that something is necessary.  Now notice what it is that they are making them think is necessary.  It is an act of the flesh.  Anyone who points to a certain, act of the flesh, and says you must do this to be saved, has left the gospel.  They may talk about Jesus, the cross, etc.. but as soon as you add works of the flesh you have rejected who Jesus is and what he has done.  It always sounds spiritual when these people make their arguments.  However, Paul said that it has an appearance of godliness, but it is impotent (no power) to transform our life.  Only the Spirit of God dwelling within us, laboring with our faith in the work of Jesus, in order to express actions of love, has power to transform.  In actuality they do not promote faith in Jesus, but rather, faith in your own works.

Thirdly, Paul points out that the reason they teach such stuff is because they want to escape suffering persecution for the cross of Christ.  Paul could have easily only said for Christ and it would have been correct.  However, he purposefully connects (nails) Jesus and the cross precisely because these teachers are trying to separate the two.  You cannot have Jesus without a cross.  In fact you cannot follow Jesus without picking up your own cross and following him to Golgatha.  The only way to heaven is through the cross, do not be deceived.  It is somewhat self-serving to point to a crucifix and say, "how horrible.  Our Lord, isn't still suffering.  He is risen."  Yes it is true that Jesus is risen.  However, it is also true that the foundation of the gospel is his being nailed to the cross until he died.  We must never forget both of these.  It is too precious not to point out that once Jesus was nailed to the cross he couldn't go back even if he wanted to.  The flesh has to be nailed down through crucifixion otherwise it will not follow the Spirit of God.  These guys are promoting something that is not only powerless to transform them and follow the spirit, but it hates where the Spirit leads and refuses to follow. 

The book of The Acts of the Apostles displays that persecution came from three areas.  Those who promoted the gospel of Jesus and it alone, were persecuted by the Jews who rejected him as messiah.  These were religious phonies who said they loved God, but when he showed up they hated him and put him to death.  Persecution also came from the Romans.  Judaism was sanctioned by Rome, but not Christianity.  For 300 years Christians suffered under varying cycles of persecution from Rome.  To keep connected to Judaism was to be acceptable to Rome.  Lastly, a more insidious, subtle, and social persecution came from these legalistic teachers themselves.  Their judgmental, mocking pronouncements over those who embraced grace alone was a heavy thing to endure.  It preyed upon those Jews who were weak in their faith and it put fear in those Gentiles who respected Jesus but also feared God.  The Apostle Peter himself was tempted by this social pressure, as Paul pointed out in Galatians 2:11 and following.  Those who want to follow Jesus cannot allow the fears of their flesh to lead them.  We must boldly face any persecution that comes our way whether from other religions, the secular world, or other "Christians."  This is part of the cross that we have to bear in order to follow Jesus.

Fourthly, in verse 13, Paul states that these false teachers are hypocrites.  Yes in circumcision they have accomplished one of 613 laws that Moses had given.  They do not keep them all.  In fact they don't even attempt to keep them all.  It is a common practice amongst legalists to have a top 10, or whatever, list.  It may change from group to group, but the same dynamic always remains.  If you don't do or do do these X things then you are not saved.  However, their list always leaves off the sins that they commit.  So the extremely obese preacher doesn't put gluttony or over-eating on his list and the preacher who likes to look good doesn't put vanity or $100.00 haircuts on his list.  The problem with lists is not what is on the list, but rather why it is on the list.  Paul points out that they are hypocrites.  They do not keep the law.  If you seek to be saved by the works of your flesh you will be condemned by the law everytime.  "Oh, for a thousand lives to live....." we would still never get it right and still be condemned by the law.  That's why we needed Jesus! It is logically inconsistent to insist on circumcision to be saved (or any pet law) and not insist on other aspects of the law and thus condemn yourself and us all.

The fifth and final problem is in what the false teachers boast and glory.  They boast in getting other believers to be circumcised.  They boast and glory in the number of flesh works that have been done.  They love to keep data tables of flesh operations, why?  Because they glory in those things that they, and mankind, have accomplished.  Friends, we can either be the type of person that comes into New York City and marvels at the immensity and beauty of its buildings and boasts/glories in that.  Or, we can be the type of people that come into the city and weep over the great energy that is expended in destroying ourselves.  It is insanity to boast in those very things that are destroying us.  Check your own heart, Christian, and ask the Lord to see if you boast and glory in things that will not last.  Do we boast in the number of people who walk down an aisle and say the words, "I want to serve Jesus."  How many of them had their hearts circumcised?  That's right.  We don't know because we can't see their hearts.  Even if we could the boast is not in the circumcision of their hearts, but rather in the fact that Jesus' death on the cross makes it possible for true righteousness in our lives.

Paul now turns from the false teachers and contrasts how he feels.  God forbid that I would boast in anything but the cross of Jesus.  Again, Paul could have said Jesus and been correct.  However, he purposefully points the Galatians back to the cross.  Particularly because they are not yet crucified to the flesh.  Somehow there is still a twinge in their heart for what the flesh can do.  They are in danger of being like Lot's wife who in the midst of being saved from the wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah, longingly looked back to them and was destroyed.  We cannot look back to the works of our flesh and see any hope or we will doom ourselves and those who follow us.  Paul strongly negates the idea of ever boasting in any work but what Jesus did.

Now the false teachers would piously state that they "boast" in Jesus too.  But their life testifies against them because their every decision attempts to avoid the cross.  How can I say I boast in something but every time it comes close I hide or pretend it doesn't exist?  To follow Jesus is to embrace self-death, crucifixion.  Just as Jesus' flesh was nailed to the cross and couldn't get free, we need to freely choose to follow the Spirit and be nailed to our own trees in life.  So that our flesh cannot turn back to the desires of this world.

Only Christ's work on the cross is worthy of boasting.  Do we truly behold our savior on the cross and marvel at the amazing love, and the precious grace, and the wonderful hope that he made available by freely choosing to go to it?  Are we amazed like a person who watches a chess match is amazed by the move of a master chess player?  Do we then seek to imitate and follow the wisdom of our Lord's "master move" by similarly embracing the cross of our own life?

In fact Paul goes on to state that Jesus death on the cross means that the world has been crucified to him.  This is the poignant but also beautiful truth of crucifixion.  Yes, Jesus was no longer responsive to this world, and in that moment imagine the death of all the hopes and dreams of his apostles.  Everything Peter said he would do in the flesh became dust.  This flesh must be killed before the Spirit can resurrect it and pour new life into it.  This is true first spiritually and then eventually physically.  Paul says that he is dead to the world.  Nothing in the world appeals to him any more but to lift up the cross of Jesus so that all men might be drawn to him.  He is not enamored with the buildings and idols of Athens or Rome but rather is enamored with Jesus.  The Church of Jesus has become far too enamored with the things we have built with our own hands.  The Church of Jesus has not truly boasted in the cross of Jesus, but rather have boasted in the works of our own hands and our own minds.  God forgive us and cleanse us from all our unrighteousness.  Thus the tough truth:  It is impossible to embrace Jesus, in Spirit and in Truth, without dying to the world.  You cannot do both.

Of course verse 15 is a restatement of Paul's earlier principle of life.  The legalists always cry foul when the grace of Jesus and the glory of the cross of Christ is preached, alone.  They either attack the messenger as promoting sin or they point to sin in people's lives and say, "Are you saying that this is good?"  It is as if they have their fingers stuck in their ears and refuse to hear the deeper thrust of the argument:  the flesh is the problem.  How can you propose fixing it with the flesh?  The rule of life for the Christian should be this.  The works that I can do in the flesh have no power to "save" me or "justify" me before God.  The only thing that has power is a new creation.  This "new creation" is the same thing Jesus spoke of in John 3, the "born from above" or born of the Spirit person.  Paul defined it in Gal. 5:6.  The new creation does not ask what law must I perform to be saved.  The new creation has put its faith in the work of Jesus and thus has already entered into salvation.  The new creation expresses its faith in Jesus through actions of love towards others: both believers and unbelievers, saved and the lost, family and enemies.  The new creation doesn't sweat over the issue, "I haven't been circumcised, I'm not sure God will let me into heaven."  Rather it responds to the situation at hand by saying, "If Jesus were here I wonder what "move" he would make?  I think I will love in this way......  Freedom!!!!!!!

Paul closes by blessing those who will walk by the "rule" he has proposed.  This rule or canon (like the word cane) is simply the 2nd greatest command: to love your neighbor as yourself.  Jesus Christ has given you freedom to love.  "Yeah, but do I have to do this...?"  You have been given freedom to love and to grow in love however greatly you want.  Love continually cries out to us to go deeper.  You have the freedom to mine the depths of love however deeply you wish.  And, may God's peace and mercy be upon you as you live this life.  Yes, peace.  God does not desire you to be fretting over every decision of your life.  He simply wants you to ask the question how can I love and how do I want to love in every situation.  Don't ask what job does God want me to do and then sweat over the fear that you may have chosen the wrong profession.  Rather, discover how you can best demonstrate love to your fellow man through the talents God has given you and then do it!  You have been given freedom to learn how to love. So be at peace and enjoy the mercy of God.

Paul points out a huge issue in such a small verse in verse 17.  The false teachers promote a cutting of the flesh in order to receive God's mercy.  However, Paul has similar marks in his body.  There is a contrast between the marks of circumcision and the marks of suffering.  They are both painful.  But one was in response to avoiding the persecution of those who hate the cross.  The other was received because Paul would not let go of the cross of Jesus.  These marks were marks of love between Paul and his Lord.  They were the marks of faith in Jesus rather than the marks of faith in me.  Oh may the Lord give us true spirituality and true religion wherein we endure, suffer and do what our flesh doesn't want to do because we love Jesus and want to be like him.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus the Anointed One be with your spirit.  Let it be so!  Amen!