Grace Boasts in the Cross

Legalists Boast in Themselves (6:11-13)

They Are Prideful (v.11-12a)

Galatians 6:11–12 ESV

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.

(1) “See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.”

Here we see again a reference to Paul’s ailment mentioned in Galatians 4:13-15

Galatians 4:13–15 ESV

You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me.

There seems to be a contrast here, too, with the Judaizers. The Judaizers were bad-mouthing Paul while claiming to be the true ones helping the Galatian Christians. But Paul draws attention to his difficulty of writing to show how much he cares for them and how important his message is for them. A person who truly loves will go to any lengths to tell them the truth; the Judaizers, on the other hand, do not truly care for them because they will abandon them if they do not follow the law.

They care only to boast in themselves and others whom they have convinced to follow them.

Side note: this shows us that Paul himself wrote the letter, not someone else, although it was common.

(2) “It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh . . .”

Those who boast in themselves are prideful. They brag about what they say and do and how they do it. Here, it’s the Judaizers. They are prideful people. They want to look good to their Jewish counterparts. “We’re awesome because we believe in Jesus AND we follow the Law. We have it all.”

This is the essence of legalism: boasting about how one follows rules and laws so well or how one does things that others do not. It’s about pomp and circumstance. This is what Jesus continuously pointed out about the Pharisees:

Matthew 23:5–7 ESV

They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others.

It wasn’t just the external boastful show; it was an internal prideful conviction:

Luke 18:10–14 ESV

“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Recall the contrast: walking by the Spirit vs. walking in the flesh.

Pride and boasting are “walking in the flesh.” Walking by the Spirit would be humility and grace.

Those who boast are not only prideful. They are demanding:

They Are Demanding, Yet Fearful (v.12b-12c)

Galatians 6:12 ESV

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.

(1) “. . . who would force you to be circumcised . . .”

Force = compel as necessary

Matthew 23:4 ESV

They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.

(2) “ . . . and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.”

The Judaizers’ demand isn’t for the Galatians’ good, but because they are fearful of others. Their true motive is actually fear: fear of being persecuted by the Jews. The partial motive here for forcing them to follow the law is because they didn’t want to be ostracized, verbally or otherwise.

The result: Matthew 23:15

Matthew 23:15 ESV

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.

Twice as much a child of hell because there is no grace, mercy, and love for others. It’s all about rule-following, adding the burden of law, whether manmade or otherwise. And they fear what others may think about their new found grace in Christ.

Legalists are more than just prideful and demanding. They are also hypocrites:

They Are Hypocrites (v.13)

Galatians 6:13 ESV

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.

Jesus pointed this out frequently:

Matthew 23:23 ESV

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.

Application:

Do we boast in ourselves? Are we prideful or demanding? Are we hypocrites, demanding others to fulfill our requirements while not fulfilling them ourselves?

Illustration from my own experience: in my younger years, I was embedded in a Christian tradition that demanded to “call Bible things by Bible names.” This was not a concern for biblical faithfulness per se; it was a demanding requirement to never use a word that was not found in the Bible. E.g., Trinity, pastor, baptism, etc.

But there was hypocrisy in this: no one can live up to such a demand, practically or otherwise. Practically because the Bible was written in Greek and Hebrew. Some Greek words do not have an English equivalent. E.g., deacon.

Ultimately, this view was trying to find identity in a strict demand to conform one’s speech to particular words and terminology. Why? So they could boast about how “biblical” they were and others weren’t. Then we we all hung out together and used the exact same words for everything, we could pat ourselves on the back for being biblical. It gave us a sense of identity.

Christians Boast in the Cross (6:14-16)

Boasting in the Cross Glorifies God (v.14)

Galatians 6:14 ESV

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.

(1) “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. . . .”

Why boast in the cross? Because it is the cross by which GOD saved us. Salvation is by grace, a work of God, not a work of mankind. We have nothing to boast about. We are sinners condemned by the law.

This verse also shows us where we find our true identity: in Christ:

(2) “. . . by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”

Application:

In our culture, the cross is “psychologically damaging,” “divine child abuse”

Anna Skates, “The Trouble with Easter: How To (and Not To) Talk to Kids about Easter” Patheos:

“Public execution! Child Sacrifice! Rising from the dead! Just the kinds of stories you want to tell your kid(s), right? Yeah…me either.”

Things she won’t teach:

““Jesus died for you/your sins.” While I realize that statement won’t psychologically damage every kid, if it damages ONE, it’s not worth using. Period.”

Jesus died to save them from God’s judgement/hell.

Coming back from the dead is something you can expect to happen.

Things she will teach:

The way of Jesus is one of honesty, bravery, love, and kindness.

New life often pops up unexpectedly. It brings with it hope and comfort knowing that our world sustains us and that what has gone away is never truly gone.

Even in the most difficult times, we can know that we’re loved. We all bear God’s image so God is never far from us.

The article “psychologizes” the very core of the Christian faith: it’s about us and how we feel mentally and emotionally. It becomes a boasting in ourselves: about how good we feel about ourselves and how free we are of guilt and negative emotions. But at what cost?

Liberal theologian Richard Niebuhr: “A God without wrath brought men without sin into a Kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a Cross.”

If we do not have a God with wrath, judgment, the sacrifice of Jesus on a cross to pay for our sins and his resurrection so we can be recreated, we having nothing. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:19 “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.”

We have a God of love AND holiness.

Romans 5:6–11 (ESV)

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Boasting in the Cross is about a New Creation, not Law (v.15):

Galatians 6:15 ESV

For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.

CS Lewis: ““Give me all of you!!! I don’t want so much of your time, so much of your talents and money, and so much of your work. I want YOU!!! ALL OF YOU!! I have not come to torment or frustrate the natural man or woman, but to KILL IT! No half measures will do. I don’t want to only prune a branch here and a branch there; rather I want the whole tree out! Hand it over to me, the whole outfit, all of your desires, all of your wants and wishes and dreams. Turn them ALL over to me, give yourself to me and I will make of you a new self---in my image. Give me yourself and in exchange I will give you Myself. My will, shall become your will. My heart, shall become your heart.”

Boasting in the Cross brings Mercy and Grace (v.16)

Galatians 6:16 ESV

And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

“Israel of God” = all who believe in Jesus and are saved

This has been Paul’s main point all along: all who are of faith (like Abraham) are God’s true people.

Grace Blesses Others (6:17-18)

Galatians 6:17–18 ESV

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.

Grace doesn’t boast in one’s self. It is not self-seeking. It looks to others’ welfare.

Illustration from social media here: “Don’t think about others. Think about yourself because no one else thinking about you.”

Philippians 2:3–8 ESV

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Legalists—those who attempt to be saved by law, even those who live by law—are boastful. They are prideful, demanding, and hypocritical.

Concluding summary:

But Christians (us) boast in the cross. We offer grace and mercy. We do not demand. We think of others and their welfare, and how we can to good to them. We bless others.