Thank you, my friend, for sticking with me as we have worked our way through this incredible letter of Galatians. You know I’m getting ready for my teaching time at Word of Life Korea — and these posts are helping me do that. [I’m aware that some of these posts are scheduled for days after my trip]. We conclude our study of chapter 6 and this epistle this morning. A third theme I see here in chapter 6 is that of pleasing people (vv. 11-18).
The Apostle is not interested in making people happy or caving in to their demands for believers to be put under the law.
These circumcision-compellers are wanting to impress people — and Paul will have none of it! He says their motive is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ (v. 12). And they themselves don’t keep the whole law.
In fact, these false teachers want to boast to others that they have convinced the Galatians to go through circumcision.
Not all boasting is wrong — and Paul says he only wants to boast in the cross of Jesus Christ! And there’s been 
a double crucifixion in his life: the world to him and he to the world (v. 14)!
And, mysteriously, Paul says he bears on his body the marks of Jesus (v. 17). Did Paul have the stigmata (the signs of crucifixion) on his body? We don’t know. And it’s not his primary point. His primary point is to live his life in the freedom which Christ purchased for him. That should be the primary point of your life and mine as well!
Dr. Larry Dixon
larrydixon.wordpress.com 