Rachel Workman: 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.
I think this is a good point and
one we can use in our lives now. Some churches are not as concerned about what
is correct as they are who's in attendance.
14 As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross,[c] 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.[d]
A new creation and a new people. We can not serve two masters. Either we crucify our interest in this world or we continually live in conflict.
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,[e] may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
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John Burnett: 11 See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand! 12 All who want to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply so that they will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 For those who [d]are circumcised do not even keep [e]the Law themselves, but they want to have you circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh. 14 But [f]far be it from me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through [g]which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new [h]creation. 16 And all who will follow this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. There were Christians in Galatia that were trying to revert back to Judaism or at least bring the law of circumcision back as a part of law that must be kept in this new religion of Christianity. Keeping the law was something that brought these people pride so they would boast about how good they were for keeping the law. We are not able to keep the law. This is why we have to have Christ's righteousness imputed to us because our righteousness falls so short. When we are born again, we are a new creation and we realize that all of our striving to be good was in vain. We see that our striving was only self-righteousness that we boasted in and Paul says here that we are only to boast in Christ in verse 14.
17 From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the [i]marks of Jesus.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.
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Tomorrow’s reading for 1 Thessalonians 1:1-7
1 This letter is from Paul, Silas,[a] and Timothy.
We are writing to the church in Thessalonica, to you who belong to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
May God give you grace and peace.
The Faith of the Thessalonian Believers
2 We always thank God for all of you and pray for you constantly. 3 As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ.
4 We know, dear brothers and sisters,[b] that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people. 5 For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance[c] that what we said was true. And you know of our concern for you from the way we lived when we were with you. 6 So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord. 7 As a result, you have become an example to all the believers in Greece—throughout both Macedonia and Achaia.[d]
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