Monthly Archive for June, 2000

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Galatians 6:14b

Published on June 20, 2000 in Galatians. 1 Comment
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“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”
 
by whom the world has been crucified to me,
 
The Greek tense [perfect] indicates God crucified Paul at the point Christ died on the cross and he stands crucified with Christ. This is our status quo before God eternally. Sin is no longer an issue with God because Christ’s cross dealt with it completely.
 
“For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain” (Galatians 2:19-21)
 
“And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24).
and I to the world
The word “world” is that which is against God, the satanic order. Paul died to the world system when Christ died on the cross. Those without Christ are victims of Satan’s distorted worldview. Those with Christ have changed their worldview. Although they may fall to temptations within Satan’s order, their status is in a new order, a perfect status with God.
This does not mean the Christian is free from the influence of Satan’s order. It does mean, however, the believer is no longer under the authority of his system. The believer is no longer under bondage to that system because he changed lords when he became a Christian.
“I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth” (John 17:14-19).
“Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations— “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” which all concern things which perish with the using— according to the commandments and doctrines of men? These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh” (Colossians 2:20-23).
Principle:
The greater the cross looks to us the less the world can lure us.
Application:
Paul looks at the world as if he were on the cross and that is the way the world looks at him.
Paul looks at the world as though he were dead to his aspirations. The greater the glory of the cross looked to him, the less the world attracted him. When our soul feeds on the cross, it closes down our heart for the world. The more our heart feeds on the world, the less our hearts care about the cross.
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Galatians 6:14

Published on June 19, 2000 in Galatians. 1 Comment
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“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”
 
But God forbid
 
“God forbid” is literally may it never come to be. Paul never wanted to boast in anything but the cross. Anything else was unthinkable to him. Glory in self-accomplishment was both an aversion and a worry to him.
 
that I should boast
In contrast to the boast of the legalists, Paul would not boast in anything except the cross of Christ. He refused to boast in himself or in his self-reliance. Paul in his humanity had much he could brag about but all that was so much manure.
“…have no confidence in the flesh, though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish [manure], that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:3-11).
except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Paul’s boast is in the cross that gives him eternal salvation. At the heart of the cross is the concept of grace. God gave us salvation based on the work of Christ, not our work.
Paul’s “boast” appears to justify pride but the word “boast” in this context carries the idea of praise. The cross was an object of shame to the Judaizers but it was the object of praise to Paul. They gloried in the flesh; Paul gloried in God.
“For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).
Principle:
We should never boast in what we do but in what Christ does.
Application:
Religion is based on human performance while Christianity is based on God. Religion always rests on self-righteousness, not God’s righteousness that comes from Christ’s cross.
“But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works” (2 Corinthians 11:12-15).
The believer does not look for pardon in self but in Christ. If we look for forgiveness in self, we put God under obligation to forgive us. If we glory in the cross, we glory in the matchless attributes of God because it took the cross to give us a perfect and absolute righteousness.
The cross is the accomplishment of Christ, not us. When God does the work, this is grace. When we do the works, this is works-righteousness. Our innate righteousness is only good relative to other people. The righteousness Christ gives us is relative to God’s absolute righteousness. In other words, God declares us as righteous as He is because of the cross.
Legalists put little focus on the cross and more on themselves. To those who are graced-oriented, the cross means everything. We glory in the cross. We totally reject self-righteousness. We hold a clear view of the cross. When Jesus becomes the centre and circumference of our life, we enter into spirituality as it should be lived.
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him” (Romans 5:8-9).
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Galatians 6:13

Published on June 18, 2000 in Galatians. 0 Comments
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“For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh”
 
For not even those who are circumcised keep the law,
 
The legalistic Judaizers did not keep the law themselves. They knew this was impossible. They were not consistent with their own standards yet they tried to put others under those standards.
 
“Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill Me?” (John 7:19).
 
“For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God” (Hebrews 7:18-19).
but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh
The word “boast” means to speak loudly, be loud-tongued, vaunt oneself. The legalistic Judaizers were adamant circumcision was essential for salvation and sanctification. They wanted to brag about how many converts they could get.
Principle:
Religionists are more interested in converts than conversion.
Application:
Religionists often profess a religion they themselves cannot perform. They pretend to live with integrity but their lives deny it. Their real motivation is to gain proselytes to their side.
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Galatians 6:12

Published on June 17, 2000 in Galatians. 0 Comments
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“As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these would compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ”
 
Paul now describes his adversaries who hate grace (6:12-13). These people believed circumcision was necessary for salvation and sanctification. The cross plus nothing always offends religion.
 
As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh,
 
The words “good showing” come from two words: good and face. Some Galatians wanted to show their self-righteousness by self-effort. They wanted to put on a good face to make a good impression. Appearance was more important to them than integrity. Many people today use religion as an outward appearance of righteousness. They take pride in external religious observance. Pride motivated legalistic Judaizers.
 
“For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10).
these would compel you to be circumcised,
The Judaizers wanted to “compel” the Galatians to be circumcised because this was required by their legalistic standards. They wanted to force the Galatians into this. Legalism is a religion of outward force, not inward compulsion (2:14).
only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ
Not only were the legalists proud but they were cowards as well. The legalists did not want unadulterated grace because they had a vested interest–they were afraid of persecution. They did not want any hassle or trouble for the cause of Christ. They would rather adapt their doctrine to the situation than face persecution. Already there were those who systematically organized a program to oppress those who believed in grace.
“For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans, who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are contrary to all men, forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost” (1 Thessalonians 2:14-16).
“Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles” (Acts 8:1).
There is a correlation between legalism and cowardice. Legalists want security above everything else.
The cross is always an affront to legalism and religion. The cross offends people because we have to swallow our pride and fall at the feet of the cross for salvation. That is the opposite of self-effort and self-righteousness. People hate the idea of grace so much that they persecute those who orient themselves to grace. Our whole system of salvation solely rests on the cross of Christ.
“For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Corinthians 1:22-25).
Principle:
Legalism is appearance oriented because it focuses on religious pride.
Application:
Religion that rests on appearance operates on pride. Religion always tries to impress us. Pride is the biggest stumbling block to embracing God’s grace. The fact that Jesus did all of the work for salvation is an affront to our pride.
“And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased” (Galatians 5:11).
The offense of the cross is that it does not need us for salvation. The cross provides everything we need. Jesus finished the work of making us ready for heaven on the cross. That offends religious people. It offends religious pride.
The combination of pride and cowardice is a dangerous mixture. This deadly blend will attack grace every time. People always want to add something to the cross. Man’s system is always the cross plus works or the cross plus baptism or the cross plus something. God’s system is Christ plus nothing. Our readiness for heaven does not depend on baptism or works but solely on the cross.
“The boast measures the man.” That quote shows insight into the nature of man. Those who brag about their accomplishments negate the accomplishments of Christ. Their Christianity is essentially an outward show. They have something to prove but not to God.
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Galatians 6:11

Published on June 16, 2000 in Galatians. 0 Comments
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“See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand!”
 
Now we come to the conclusion of the book of Galatians (6:11-18). Paul now writes a personal postscript that emphasizes the main points of the book. He takes a parting shot at the legalists in this section.
 
See with what large letters
Usually Paul dictated his epistles to a secretary to scribe his books. Tertius scribed the book of Romans for Paul (Romans 16:22). However, Paul wrote Galatians himself because of the urgency and importance of the letter.
The words “large letters” does not refer to the length of the book but the size of his handwriting in the conclusion. He wrote in inch high uncial letters. He may have written in large letters because he had poor eyesight.
I have written to you with my own hand
Paul did not use an amanuensis [secretary scribe] to write Galatians. To guarantee that the Galatians knew Paul wrote Galatians, he wrote the epistle in his own handwriting so that they would know it was Paul who gave them the book of Galatians. Many people forged epistles in the first century.
“…not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God” (2 Thessalonians 2:2-4).
“The salutation of Paul with my own hand, which is a sign in every epistle; so I write” (2 Thessalonians 3:17).
Principle:
Handicaps should not hinder us from ministry.
Application:
No handicap should keep us from ministry. It did not keep Paul from ministry so neither should it keep us from ministry. Paul was not a good orator. He had a poor speaking voice. Yet none of that kept him down.
Some people with handicaps take on a victim mentality. They feel sorry for themselves. They are filled with self-pity. They want everyone to wait on them. That is the worst thing they can do for it limits their potential. Seeking the pity of other people will not help them. It will not fulfil them. The last thing in the world that they need is for people to feel sorry for them. When they take on this attitude, they will fail to serve the Lord. No one has an excuse for not serving the Lord. God expects us to serve Him with or without a handicap.
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Galatians 6:10c

Published on June 15, 2000 in Galatians. 0 Comments
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“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith”
 
to all,
The word “to” means towards, face-to-face. Spirit-filled believers are willing to deal with people face to face. They deal with others with a sense of rapport.
Spirit-filled believers do not limit their good to Christians only; they are willing to do good to “all,” whether Christians or non-Christians.
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
especially to those who are of the household of faith
The word “household” signifies belonging to, a house. The household of faith is the company of the redeemed, children of God, the family of God.
“We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death” (1 John 3:14).
“If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also” (1 John 4:20-21).
The definite article before the word “faith” in the Greek emphasizes “those who belong to the faith.” Paul discriminates between the saved and the lost here. God selects the saved for special treatment. An evangelical Christian is a dirty word to many people on television yet they are God’s people. If there is a choice, God’s people are to give priority to God’s people.
“For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister” (Hebrews 6:10).
Principle:
God’s people must stick together for the cause of Christ.
Application:
Philanthropy is a good thing but there is something better–the cause of the family of God. There is a massive difference between Gentile philanthropy and Christian work. Most pagan philanthropists will not give a dime to Christian work.
God’s people ought to support God’s work. God’s work has a prior claim over secular work. Many of God’s ministries are dirt poor. This is a disgrace and shame. This is because God’s people support the great secular foundations of this world and neglect God’s ministries. This is especially true with the baby boom generation.
Baby boomers give as much as previous generations but the proportion is much more directed toward secular institutions. They have lost a sense of the eternal, of heaven and hell. They respond to temporal maudlin needs rather than eternal issues. They could not care less about the family of God or about getting people into the family of God. They want to impress those around them.
“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God…” (Ephesians 2:19).
God’s people must stick together for the cause of Christ.
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Galatians 6:10b

Published on June 14, 2000 in Galatians. 0 Comments
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“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith”
 
let us do
 
The words “let us do” refer to active, effective and diligent work. Christians should put great and continued effort in serving others. All of us have power to do good, we just need to exert it.
 
“This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men” (Titus 3:8).
good
The spiritual Christian does “good” to both Christians and non-Christians. The “good” here is an intrinsic good. We care about the essential welfare of others.
Principle:
Godly Christians care about the essential welfare of other Christians.
Application:
Godly Christians care about the essential welfare of other Christians. We will not pass on gossip about people because it will hurt their reputation. We give them the benefit of the doubt. We refuse to believe the worst and think ill of them.
Some people always think the worst of others. That is their bent of mind. They are willing to believe the worst on the smallest evidence possible. This is a compensation for their small egos. Spirit-filled believers are not only willing to think the best about others but they are willing to out of their way to do the best for others.
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Galatians 6:10

Published on June 13, 2000 in Galatians. 0 Comments
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“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith”
 
In verse 9 we have God’s season and in verse 10 we have our season, the season of Christians.
 
Therefore,
The “therefore” shows Paul is resuming his discussion of the harvest. Because the harvest is certain, do good to non-Christians and Christians.
as we have opportunity,
“Opportunity” conveys the idea of a kind of time. Chronology is not the primary idea of this word. There are seasons when we will have opportunity to do good. This present life is our only opportunity to sow for the harvest. That opportunity will only come by one time–while we live on this earth.
Principle:
God gives us special opportunities to serve Him.
Application:
We do not all have the same opportunities. Some of us have greater opportunities than others. God opens the door for special opportunities. We do not all have the same opportunities but we all have the opportunity to serve the Lord.
“Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord…” (2 Corinthians 2:12).
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Galatians 6:9c

Published on June 12, 2000 in Galatians. 0 Comments
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“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart”
 
if we do not lose heart
 
There are two stages to discouragement. First, we grow weary then we “lose heart.” This second word for discouragement in this verse means to loose, release, to unloose, like a bowstring, to relax, and so, to enfeeble.
 
Christians can keep from becoming despondent if they keep their eye on the harvest. Losing heart carries “growing weary” to its end – dissolution and disintegration in one’s life. We stop serving the Lord because we lose the power and dynamic to do it. Losing heart is the outcome of growing weary.
Both “growing weary” and “lose heart” carry the thought of giving up. The antithesis of giving up is persistence and hanging in there. Discouragement results from a failure of the will.
Principle:
Losing heart is the outcome of discouragement.
Application:
We must never lose the vision of the harvest. If we lose that vision, all we will see is the hole in the doughnut. We will develop a negative attitude and be against any suggestion to advance the cause of Christ. We will acquire a cynical attitude so that everything is sour grapes. God does not use this kind of person.
Many of God’s people die bitter, old people. They have allowed life to sour them. They permit criticism to defeat them. This plays right into the Devil’s hands. You will become cynical and censorious if you imbibe these attitudes. God always bypasses such people.
No Christian should allow himself to develop a defeatist attitude. “All I see around me are people fleeing from God. What use is there? Everything looks hopeless. I don’t see how I can make any difference.” We should follow the example of Christ’s tenacity,
“For consider Him [Jesus] who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:
“My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
For whom the LORD loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives” (Hebrews 12:3-6 ).
We need to exclude from our lives anything that will deflect us from the vision of God’s harvest. We ought to find what God wants us to do to bring in the harvest and refuse to let anything get in the way. A very small stream will make a big lake.
It is amazing how easily some of us give up. It takes very little to discourage us. Some of us imagine we are the only ones who are doing anything for the Lord. We think everything depends on us. Everyone else seems to be out of step or off base.
Do you get discouraged when people do not recognize your service? God recognizes everything you do. If we do things to get recognition from people then we are off base. Everything we do, we must do as unto the Lord.
Sooner or later you will be criticized for what you do for the Lord. It is impossible to do anything of significance without being criticized for it. Maybe your antagonist attacks you out of envy or sour grapes. It does not matter. A hundred people may approve of what you do and not say anything. Yet one person may criticize you and it will throw you off balance. If you’re serving for the Lord, you let the criticism roll off your back. You will not allow it to discourage you.
It seems the only way to avoid criticism is to do nothing but you will be criticized even for that! People will always find some way to criticize you so why do you live by trying to please people? We can always come up with some excuse, “I am too tired, too old, too weak, too immature, too uneducated, too young, too something.”
Some people lose heart in their prayer life (Luke 18:1). Some lose heart in ministry (2 Corinthians 4:1). God puts these people on the shelf. He discards them for service and passes them by. They miss out on God’s blessing.
“Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart….But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body” (2 Corinthians 4:1, 7-10).
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Galatians 6:9b

Published on June 11, 2000 in Galatians. 0 Comments
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“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart”
 
while doing good,
 
The “good” in this context is spiritual sowing for an eternal harvest. The idea is more that of noble, praiseworthy or admirable deeds in contrast to the works of legalism. There is beauty in doing good. God’s harvest is a noble mission.
 
for in due season
We will receive our reward in God’s timing. “Due season” is God’s season. God operates on His own time, the appropriate time. There is a long time between planting the seed and the harvest but God’s appropriate timing will come at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
we shall reap
The one thing that will keep the Christian from flagging in his service for the Lord is to keep his eye on the goal – his reward at the Judgment Seat of Christ. God will not forget what we do for Him. “Shall reap” is a promise from God. Keeping our eye on that goal will give a perseverance that goes beyond our normal strength.
“Reap” here is not salvation but reward. Because of the distance in time until we receive a reward, we might become discouraged in doing good. Reaping will come in God’s time.
“Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward” (2 John 8).
Principle:
Because the Lord promises we will ultimately reap what we sow, there is no excuse to give up in our service for Him.
Application:
There is a supreme harvest for every Christian. At the judgment seat of Christ, God will overlook no service done for Him. We will receive full reward there. By keeping our eye on that goal, we do not allow anything to discourage us from God’s purpose for us.
Those who keep their eye on the goal of the Judgment Seat of Christ never become despondent. They never let apathy overtake them. People may criticize, malign and slander us but we move right on.
Each one of us will give an account for what we did. It will be rather grim for some of God’s people when they have to account for their time, talent and treasures.
“But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24).
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7-8).
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