Our Only Boast is Jesus
Notes
Transcript
Translation
Translation
Opening illustration:
In the 3rd century, in 250 AD, there was a widespread Roman persecution of Christians. John Foxe, who wrote Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, refers to this as the 7th great persecution of Christians by the Roman Empire. Emperor Decius passed an edict that required all Romans citizens to offer worship and sacrifice to traditional Roman gods in times of victory or military threat. Following the offering of this supplication the sacrificer would be provided with a written document stating that they did this. It was called a libellus.
Jews were given a religious exemption. Christians however, were viewed as being superstitious and having abandoned the faith of their forefathers - thus being given no such exemption. This lead to the imprisonment and event death of some Christians. Some well known Christians even - include Pope Fabian, Alexander of the Bishop Jerusalem, among others. Because of this some Christians went into hiding. However, many Christians in this era, for their own safety, offered the sacrifices so that they could avoid persecution.
By the grace of God, Emperor Decian died in 251. So after about 18 months the edict died out.
One of the last issues from this persecution is what is called the lapsi, or the lapsed. This referred to the Christians who sacrificed to the Roman gods for their own safety - but after the persecution ended they repented.
The major debate for the church then became what do we do with those Christians who lapsed… do we allow them back in the church, or do we kick them out forever?
So these lapsed Christians - are Christians who made a sinful decision in order to escape persecution. Paul makes the same claim of the Judaizers here in this text this morning.
Ultimately: the main point - or main theme for this text - and thus this sermon is this question:
In who will you boast.
In who will you boast?
In who will you boast?
Will you boast in a piece of paper that says you have done something according to the law?
Will you boast in something that you have done?
Or will you boast in Jesus?
While I just gave you the point ahead of time - I don’t want you to check out - there still a lot here…
Like what is going on with Paul writing with big letters?
Paul begins this ending section of the book of Galatians with what seems like an odd statement. Why is Paul making reference to the size of his letters. It’s not Paul writing in all caps because he’s angry. It is more likely that Paul has been using a scribe or an amanuensis as Paul. Paul is speaking what he is saying to someone who is writing these things down. Maybe its easier if Paul narrates or maybe he has sloppy hand writing - we don’t know the exact reason - it probably wasn’t the sloppy handwriting - as it was a common practice in the day. This is Paul taking the quill from his scribe to write his own personal note. So much like when you get a greeting card or a birthday card and you pay a little more attention to the handwritten part than the pre-printed part so also that might be Paul’s intent here. The whole letter is made up of Paul’s words inspired by the Holy Spirit, but here Paul applies his own signature. This is a custom that he also practiced in 1 Cor., Col, and 2 Thess.
So on the one hand it gives us a further certainty of Paul’s authorship, but also it gives us shows us that this last part is so important that Paul felt to emphasize it with his own hands.
Paul takes to quill to write “I’m afraid that you might read this letter and might have heard don’t get circumcised. What I said was do not boast in anything except Christ and his cross.”
And Paul in this last part provides a final statement concerning the issues that are happening in Galatians. A coup de grâce, if you will, to the argument.
In verse 12, Paul makes a statement that identifies them with the opening illustration.
12 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.
They compromised to avoid persecution. And it is the opposite of what he says back in Gal 5:11… as these Judaizers used this to escape persecution so Paul uses this to demonstrate that because of his persecution he has not caved, and this gospel being preached among them is not Paul’s gospel - and not the gospel of Jesus Christ.
11 But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed.
Baptism just in case…
Paul is being very blunt in these last few verses. He plainly says it them “these people who are insisting on you keeping circumcision as a requirement of the law do not even keep the law themselves.” Because they don’t keep the law they are seeking to add works so as to warn their way to heaven.
It is hypocrisy for them to require this - but also there is a better way.
Yet in verse 14 Paul reiterates the main point of the letter.
14 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.
A major part of Paul’s closing argument, and seemingly a call back to verses 4-5, where previously Paul was making the statement that the man who trusts in himself does not have others to help him will only be able to boast in his own deeds - Paul further states that he doesn’t want to boast in his own deeds.
14 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.
And while we in the church this is a familiar phrase - it is a phrase that shows up in all of the songs that we are singing this morning - but even so it might seem a bit odd.
If you really think about it Paul is saying that he boasts in the device that caused the gruesome death of the innocent Jesus. Without an understanding for what Jesus’ death accomplishes Paul might seem a bit odd here.
But the significance of this statement is because Jesus death does something.
So when Paul is making the statement about boasting in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ - he is in different words repeating the major theme of this book - justification by faith. My only boast, my only hope for salvation, is that Christ Jesus - God who became a man - lived a life of perfect obedience to the law of God, died on a cross -the death that every sinner deserved to die - and on that cross Jesus took the sin of those he would redeem upon himself. Then conquering death Jesus rose from the dead.
This is why Paul can boast in the cross - not just because a man died but because Jesus, the God man, died. Not just because Jesus died, but because he rose again. And that his death serves to satisfy the wrath of God for all of those who believe in Christ Jesus as
But also noticed that even though Paul has preached Justification by Faith - he still doesn’t boast in his faith - he boasts in the work of Jesus - not in how much, or how well he believes - but in what Christ has done.
And then Paul in Gal 6:15 states:
15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
This is a significant argument. For those who are arguing that you need both - and Paul tells them that it’s completely irrelevant. And while this might be an odd thought - imagine the how the last guy to get circumcised felt before this letter arrived…
This is also a repeat of what Paul says in Gal 5:6
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
So here Paul’s emphasis is on the New Creation. Both of which are a result of our salvation in Jesus - and our justification by faith - is us being a new creation in Christ - and that is demonstrated by faith working through love. And that’s is what matter - not what we do with our flesh - but that we are made new in Christ.
Paul says as much in 2 Cor. 5:17
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
In Christ, you are a new creation - and while our bodies still bear the marks of sin, and are falling apart, and are plagued with illnesses, arthritis, cataracts, cancer, paralysis, etc. in Christ we longingly hope for the day in eternity when our bodies will be fully restored. But the new creation on the side of eternity is our new and restored relationship to God in Christ. For those who were once enemies of God - through Christ we are made friends of God. If you are in Christ, you have been born again.
Romans 6:4 “4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”
As Paul begins to wrap up his letter - he pronounces peace upon all who walk according to this rule - who walk according to their boast being in only Jesus.
Israel of God in verse 16 -
Paul has already mentioned earlier in chapter 3 that the true sons of Abraham are those who have faith. Now he introduces this phrase the Israel of God. And in line with Paul’s comments in
6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel,
7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”
As Paul makes this distinction of the Israel of God - he’s referring to those who have faith in God, those who have faith in Christ Jesus. This is true Israel. Thus those who are walking according to the rule of boasting in Christ for salvation - those who are identified not by circumcision but by the confession that Jesus is Lord and being giving a new heart, having been filled with the Spirit, and made into a new creation.
Who are you wearing?
Who are you wearing?
A common question asked at award shows - as people are discussing whoever made their dress or suit…
And although it’s obnoxious and pretentious at award shows it’s an important question for us… But I’m not referring to your clothes…
Paul’s statement is that he is wearing the marks of Jesus.
The brand marks of Jesus is how the NASB95 translates it.
What are the brand marks of Jesus?
Paul is not speaking of having the stigmata - or literally having the marks of Jesus on ones hands and feet. Well technically he is because that’s the word comes from… but that’s not the point.
Paul is making a comparison here. The Judaizers are insisting upon the physical mark of circumcision - but Paul, even though he has the same mark, as he mentioned in Philippians 3… he does not consider that of any value… but considers the marks of Christ to be more important.
Philippians 3:4–7 “4… If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.”
So Paul’s statement here about bearing the marks of Jesus in his body is less about a physical sign that is identical to the crucifixion wounds of Christ - but rather about branding. Paul on his body bears the marks of a Christ.
To use a simple illustration: back when I worked in retail we had a uniform and that uniform - for me - required that i wore a polo that had the company’s name in two places. My wife when she was working in wound care had scrubs that bore her company’s name. So when she went into a patients home that was the first sign that she was a representative of her company. They identified us with our company and stated that we were representatives of our respective companies.
But Paul isn’t talking about wearing a shirt with a Jesus fish on it, or a having a cross tattoo… so what is he referring to?
24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one.
25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea;
The reason that Paul receives the 39 lashes 5 times, the reason that he was beaten three times with rods is because he was on mission for Christ. These are the marks of Christ on his body. The suffering that he inflicted for the sake of the gospel.
In the first century often times slaves were marked by a physical sign such as a piercing. Pagan priests would also make marks on their bodies to identify themselves with god that they followed. Paul is asserting that his wounds that he has born on his body - the result of his physical sufferings for Christ - are marks that identify him with Christ.
It’s not the marks of circumcision that Paul rejoices in but the marks of Jesus’ suffering.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.
And appropriate conclusion to this letter. A reminder that they are brothers - and a reminder of who they are in Christ and an eager anticipation for them to grow in the grace of Christ - and that the grace of God will triumph.
A few concluding thoughts before we close…
Application:
Boast as Paul boasts.
Boast in Jesus.
Not in your good deeds. Not in your title. Not in your degree. Not in the number of converts. Not in the number of kids you have taught in Bible Club. Not even in your faith.
BOAST IN THE FINISHED WORK OF CHRIST.
Paul has shown in this letter that what we do with our lives does indeed matter but our works cannot save us - our boast is not in what we have done - our boast in only in Christ.
Wear your marks proudly.
When you face persecution - do so with joy - consider it all joy - know that it is working for your good. Boast in Christ all the more - even if the government tells you that you cannot be a citizen in good standing unless you renounce your faith - wear the marks of Jesus.
The issue at hand is not merely circumcision. If you leave today and think “well I’m glad pastor Brian is finally done talking about circumcision, not sure why he spent the last 5 months on that.” Then you have missed the point. And Paul makes that clear in this final passage. Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision count for only thing but only a new creation. Whether you cut the flesh or do not cut the flesh matters not because you still have the flesh - you need to be made new - you need a new heart. It’s not about circumcision it’s about a salvation.
On the final day each person will give an account for their lives - what will your defense be?
The only defense that will stand will be Jesus… only Jesus.