Saturday, June 11, 2016
Galatians 6:14 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.
CHAPTER BY CHAPTER: GALATIANS 6
Paul ends the letter the same way he began -- with an emphasis on the "Christ crucified for sinners" gospel. What the Christian faith really comes down to is glory. Either glory belongs fully to God alone or we share in it to some extent. Different religions and branches of Christianity come to different conclusions as to where the glory should go.
Paul's conclusion was simple. All glory, no exception, belongs to God. Any reason that we have to boast is only in the name of our Savior, and through the works He accomplished on our behalf. But what about the things we do? Surely, we deserve some credit when we refrain from cursing, lust, lying, stealing, murder, etc. And what about all the times we do things the right way? We're not perfect, but we're not worthless either, right?
It may appear on the outside as if some credit belongs to us, but the law and the gospel reveal the truth. Either we were completely helpless before Christ or we weren't -- there's no in-between. If we were completely lost, we needed a complete Savior who offered up a complete atonement for us. If we weren't completely lost, then maybe we don't need Jesus as much as we think or we're taught.
But God is clear, "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Furthermore, if we could help ourselves, even in a small way, why would Paul tell us that to justify ourselves is to become severed from Christ (Galatians 5:4)?
The truth is clear. The law shows our complete helplessness. The gospel shows us our complete salvation. Our task as ambassadors of Christ is to keep the two separate and to use them appropriately. Paul's concise letter to the Galatians shows us the way. May our boast and glory always be in Jesus Christ, our only Lord and Savior!
