Galatians 6:14-15
“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.”
Galatians 6:14-15 NIV
Paul was passionate for His Lord and equally passionate that we understand and apply the truth of the whole counsel of God, but he knew that many would be tossed about by the chill winds of deceptive doctrines and that many false teachers and doctrines of demons would enter the Church to confuse the flock, to lead astray and entice many to return to the path of legalism and worldly pursuits. Paul will place no confidence in the flesh or anything that the flesh can work or do and by flesh I mean anything apart from the Spirit of God, rather, his only confidence, his only glory, his only spiritual boast is in the crucified Jesus, through whom the world and all of its demands and accolades and hierarchies and expectations was crucified to him, and he was crucified to the world. Paul’s point is that he no longer lives but that Christ lives in him as he lives by faith in Christ. But then notice why Paul says he boasts only in the cross. The implication here is that Paul boasts only in the cross because all that matters is a new creation, and this happens only when we are crucified with Christ by grace given faith in Christ. To be united to Christ by faith, and so to have been crucified with Him, and so to have risen with Him, is to truly be in our spirit now, in our whole selves at the resurrection a new creation. We have becomes sons and daughters of God through faith, filled with the Spirit of the Son, hidden in and united to the Eternal Son, and this all comes because we have been crucified with Him and raised with Him.This is all that counts before God. This is all that matters before Him. Are we in Christ or not? Are we trusting wholly and only in Him? Is our old, righteousness earning self crucified and buried with Christ? And is our current life of right-standing before God carried out only by faith in the one who loved us and gave Himself for us and rose again? This is what it is to be a New Creation. Because Christ fulfilled the whole Law in His life and death, the whole Law was nailed to the Cross. And because we are in Christ, the righteousness that He gained was also gained for us. We did not need to do anything to be clothed in His righteousness, except believe in Him as Saviour. If we now try to keep the Law, we are effectively saying what Christ did was not enough which allows us to boast in our own efforts. Oh, may God grant us to dream and plan and work and give and teach and live for the glory of Christ and Him crucified!!!
Father thank You for this day and for the atonement of Christ at the cross. Lord open the storehouses of your abundance and let it rain down over my friend and family today. Lord we thank You that Your work is complete and we do not have to keep the Law to please you, but simply trust in You as Saviour. Lord thank You for the wonderful way that You gradually opened up our understanding through the Old and New Testament Scriptures, to teach us that we are all sinners in need of a Saviour, and we are justified by faith. Lord use my friend to be salt and light in this dark and decaying world. Daddy we love You amen. Be a blessing. Love ya !
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