Boasting in the Cross (Galatians 6:14-16)

Today, we’re diving into a powerful passage from Galatians 6:14-16, where the Apostle Paul challenges us about what we should boast in, and what truly matters in our Christian lives. Paul keeps coming back to the cross. Paul boasted in a crucified and risen Saviour. He gloried in the Cross. Certainly this does not mean that he gloried in the brutality or suffering of the cross. He was not looking at the cross as a piece of wood on which a criminal died. He was looking at the cross of Christ and glorying in it.

14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. 16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

I. The Cross is the Ultimate Source of Our Boasting (v. 14a)

But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,

A. The Person of the Cross.

Jesus Christ is mentioned at least forty-five times in the Galatian letter, which means that one third of the verses contain some reference to Him. The person of Jesus Christ captivated Paul, and it was Christ who made the Cross glorious to him. In his early years as a Jewish rabbi, Paul had much to glory in; but after he met Christ, all his self-glory turned to mere refuse.

The legalists did not glory in the cross of Christ because they did not glory in Christ. It was Moses—and themselves—who got the glory. They did not really know the Person of the Cross.

Today the biggest football in the world is going to be played The players will all be wearing their jerseys, each with a name and a number. But what if there was one player, humble and unknown, who refuses to wear his name because he doesn’t draw attention to himself. He recognizes that his strength, his purpose, his victory all come from a higher source. That’s how Paul views the cross. When we stand at the foot of the cross, we realize that everything we have—every blessing, every bit of righteousness—is a gift from God. It’s not our own doing.

B. The cross represents the ultimate sacrifice.

By boasting in the cross, we are acknowledging that we are nothing apart from what Christ has done for us. We are saved, not by our works, but by His finished work.

Let’s reflect on our lives. What do we boast about? Is it our abilities, our accomplishments, or our own righteousness? Paul challenges us to shift our focus. The only thing worth boasting about is the work of Christ on the cross. Let this reality shape our daily lives and attitudes.

II. The Cross Defines Our Relationship with the World (v. 14b)

by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

A. The cross has radically altered our relationship with the world around us.

The cross in that day was the ultimate example of weakness and shame. Yet Saul of Tarsus experienced the power of the Cross and became Paul the apostle. The cross ceased to be a stumbling block to him and became, instead, the very foundation stone of his message. For Paul, the Cross meant liberty: from self, the flesh, and the world. In the death and resurrection of Christ the power of God is released to give believers deliverance and victory.

It is no longer we who live; it is Christ who lives in us and through us. As we yield to Him, we have victory over the world and the flesh. There is no power in the Law to give a person victory over self, and the flesh. The Law appeals to the human ego (“I can do something to please God”), and encourages the flesh to work.

Picture a person who has been in a toxic relationship for years. They are controlled by it, influenced by its pull. But one day, they decide to break free. They sever ties with the relationship, no longer allowing it to control their decisions or identity. In the same way, when we come to the cross, we break free from the world’s hold on us. Our desires, our values, our ambitions are no longer tied to worldly success or approval. We now live for a higher purpose.

B. The power of the Cross.

When Paul says, "the world has been crucified to me," he means that the world no longer has a claim on his heart. And when he says, "I to the world," he is saying that his old self, the self that sought after the things of this world, is now dead. The cross is what makes this possible. It separates us from the patterns of this world and calls us to a new way of life.

As followers of Christ, we are called to live differently. We must ask ourselves: Are we still living according to the world’s standards, seeking approval from people, or is our identity found in Christ alone? The cross demands a shift in allegiance. It calls us to break free from worldly systems and live according to God's eternal kingdom.

III. The New Creation: What Truly Matters (v. 15-16)

15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. 16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

A. One purpose of the cross was to bring in a new creation.

This “new creation” is the church, the body of Christ. The “old creation” was headed by Adam, and it ended in failure. The new creation is headed by Christ, and it is going to succeed.

Paul explained the doctrine of the two Adams—Adam and Christ. The first Adam disobeyed God and brought into the world sin, death, and judgment. The Last Adam obeyed God and brought life, righteousness, and salvation. Adam committed one sin and plunged all of creation into judgment. Christ performed one act of obedience in His death on the cross, and paid for all the sins of the world. Because of Adam’s sin, death reigns in this world. Because of Christ’s victory, we can “reign in life” through Jesus Christ. In other words, the believer belongs to a “new creation,” a spiritual creation, that knows nothing of the defects and limitations of the “old creation”.

Think of an old, rusted car. No matter how many layers of paint you apply to it, no matter how much you polish the exterior, it’s still an old, broken-down car. But imagine that car is taken to a mechanic who completely transforms it—new engine, new parts, new paint job. It’s no longer the same vehicle. That’s what happens when we are in Christ. Our lives are not just patched up; they are completely made new. We are new creations.

B. Another purpose of the cross was to create a new nation.

“the Israel of God” (v.16). This is one of many names for the church found in the New Testament. Jesus said to the Jewish leaders, in Matt. 21:43 “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it”. Peter identifies that nation as the family of God: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation” (1 Peter 2:9).

This does not mean that the church has permanently replaced the nation of Israel in the program of God, but only that the church is “the people of God” on earth today just as Israel was in centuries past.

Those who live by the truth of the cross and embrace their identity as new creations will experience God’s peace and mercy. This peace is not merely the absence of conflict, but the deep, soul-satisfying peace that comes from being reconciled to God. And God’s mercy is unmerited favor that extends to all who place their faith in Christ. You are not defined by your past failures or your current struggles. You are defined by the new creation you are in Christ. Embrace this truth today. Let go of anything that ties you to your old life and walk in the fullness of what God has done in you.