Paul’s Final Advice
Galatians 6:11-18 NLT
11 Notice what large letters I use as I write these closing words in my own handwriting.
12 Those who are trying to force you to be circumcised want to look good to others. They don’t want to be persecuted for teaching that the cross of Christ alone can save. 13 And even those who advocate circumcision don’t keep the whole law themselves. They only want you to be circumcised so they can boast about it and claim you as their disciples.
14 As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died. 15 It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. 16 May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God.
17 From now on, don’t let anyone trouble me with these things. For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus.
18 Dear brothers and sisters, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
Examine the scriptures:
Galatians 6:11-18 NLT
Paul’s Final Advice
11 Notice what large letters I use as I write these closing words in my own handwriting.
- Paul frequently took the pen from his secretary and added a postscript in his own handwriting.
Romans 16:22 NLT
22 I, Tertius, the one writing this letter for Paul, send my greetings, too, as one of the Lord’s followers.
1 Corinthians 16:21 NLT
21 Here is my greeting in my own handwriting–Paul.
Colossians 4:18 NLT
18 Here is my greeting in my own handwriting–Paul.
2 Thessalonians 3:17 NLT
17 Here is my greeting in my own handwriting–Paul. I do this in all my letters to prove they are from me.
Paul did this to show that the letter really did come from him
And
In this case to make a final appeal.
The large letters may have been used for emphasis.
12 Those who are trying to force you to be circumcised want to look good to others.
Throughout the book of Galatians Paul was addressing a group of Judaizers in Galatia who claimed that Paul’s teaching about the Good News was inadequate. The Judaizers argued that Paul’s law-free gospel was incomplete, and they claimed that the real gospel required Gentiles to be circumcised and to keep other aspects of the law.
Paul continues to address this topic in his closing comments.
Paul believed that the Judaizers were more concerned about their own reputation than with pleasing God.
The Judaizers were only thinking of themselves. They want to look good to others.
- The Judaizers wanted to look good to others.
They don’t want to be persecuted for teaching that the cross of Christ alone can save.
By advocating circumcision, the Judaizers were less likely to experience opposition from the Jewish opponents to Christianity.
1 Corinthians 1:23 NLT
23 So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense.
- The Judaizers wanted to avoid persecution.
For us it might be: criticism, opposition, condemnation, disapproval, disfavor, rebuke, etc.
13 And even those who advocate circumcision don’t keep the whole law themselves. They only want you to be circumcised so they can boast about it and claim you as their disciples.
The motivation of the false teachers was self-serving. They “want to look good to others.”
They were more concerned about their own reputation than with honoring God.
“… so they can boast about it and claim you as their disciples.”
- The Judaizers only wanted to boast about the number of people they had convinced to be circumcised.
Some people are more interested in numbers than in truth.
14 As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul’s motivation was to increase, not his own reputation, but God’s glory. Boasting about law -keeping would detract from recognition of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul’s writings:
1 Corinthians 1:31 NLT
31 Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.”
1 Corinthians 2:2 NLT
2 For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified.
1 Corinthians 1:17-18 NLT
17 For Christ didn’t send me to baptize, but to preach the Good News—and not with clever speech, for fear that the cross of Christ would lose its power.
18 The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.
1 Corinthians 15:3 NLT
3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said.
Colossians 1:20-22 NLT
20 and through him (Christ) God reconciled
everything to himself.
He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth
by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.
21 This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. 22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.
Colossians 2:14-15 NLT
14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.
Paul’s message was “salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone”.
- Paul stated that he never boasted about anything except the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died.
- The things of “this world” no longer attracted or influenced Paul. The “world” had no interest in Paul.
15 It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation.
The Galatians missed the point.
2 Corinthians 5:16-17 NLT
16 So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! 17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
Colossians 2:11-12 NLT
11 When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature.12 For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.
Colossians 1:21-22
21 This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. 22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.
16 May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle;
Those who have been transformed into a new creation by the power of the cross. (V. 14-15)
they are the new people of God.
- Those who have been transformed into a new creation are the people of God.
17 From now on, don’t let anyone trouble me with these things.
Paul makes one final attempt to defense of his authority as an apostle.
The false teachers, and perhaps some of the Galatians, have been misrepresenting Paul. Paul insists on the respect that is due his ministry.
No one has a right to criticize Paul or his message because of his proven status as Christ’s servant.
For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus.
- Paul is a genuine minister of Christ and has the scars to prove it.
Acts 14:19 NLT
19 Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowds to their side. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of town, thinking he was dead.
2 Corinthians 6:4-5 NLT
4 In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. 5 We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food.
2 Corinthians 11:21-27 NLT
21 … But whatever they dare to boast about—I’m talking like a fool again—I dare to boast about it, too. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. 24 Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. 26 I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. 27 I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.
Exodus 21:6 NLT
6 If he does this, his master must present him before God. Then his master must take him to the door or doorpost and publicly pierce his ear with an awl. After that, the slave will serve his master for life.
18 Dear brothers and sisters, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
- Paul has not given up on the Galatians. He still refers to them as brothers and sisters.
It’s all boils down to God’s grace.
Paul ends where he began.
Galatians 1:3-4 NLT
3 May God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. 4 Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live.
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- Paul frequently took the pen from his secretary and added a postscript in his own handwriting.
- The Judaizers wanted to look good to others.
- The Judaizers wanted to avoid persecution.
- The Judaizers only wanted to boast about the number of people they had convinced to be circumcised.
- Paul stated that he never boasted about anything except the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ.
- The things of “this world” no longer attract or influence Paul. The “world” has no interest in Paul.
- Those who have been transformed into a new creation are the people of God.
- Paul was a genuine minister of Christ and had the scars to prove it.
- Paul had not given up on the Galatians. He still referred to them as brothers and sisters.
