SUNDAY April 11, 2021

Boasting in the Cross of Christ

For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. 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. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.
Galatians 6:13-15

Judaizers, in pride, went around to others, boasting about their newly made converts. They were just phonies in the Galatian church! What should the Galatian Christians boast about? The Cross of Jesus Christ! Understand, there is nothing else to boast about except in the Cross of Jesus Christ. That is it. The message of the Cross has power: For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18).

Underline verse 14 in your Bible and memorize it. This is an important key verse for all of us. The Cross means death to self. We are to reckon the old man to be dead––all our fleshly desires. Instead, we are a new creation: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). We have been born again of the Holy Spirit. Be alive in Jesus Christ! That is what benefits us. Other things in this world are of no value.

Messianic Jews in America are Christians, but some of them have become legalistic in their relationship with God. Those who become legalistic are like the Judaizers in Galatia. They find it hard just to be free in Jesus Christ and have even attempted to reach other Jews by trying to live their lives by the letter of the Law, not by the grace of God. This will only bring others into bondage. Why not be free in Jesus Christ?

It is important to know this: ...Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32). Are you free in Christ Jesus?

The only freedom that man ever has is when he becomes a slave to Jesus Christ.
~R.C. Sproul~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!