Free Brothers Bearing the Marks of Grace Galatians 6

Free Brothers Bearing the Marks of Grace

Free Brothers Bearing the Marks of Grace

Galatians 6Galatians 6Galatians 6Galatians 6

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty,Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty,(2 Corinthians 3:17)(2 Corinthians 3:17)

Now, in these last sentences, I want to Now, in these last sentences, I want to emphasize in the bold scrawls of my emphasize in the bold scrawls of my personal handwriting the immense personal handwriting the immense importance of what I have written to you. importance of what I have written to you. These people who are attempting to force These people who are attempting to force the ways of circumcision on you have only the ways of circumcision on you have only one motive: They want an easy way to one motive: They want an easy way to look good before others, lacking the look good before others, lacking the courage to live by a faith that shares courage to live by a faith that shares Christ's suffering and death. Christ's suffering and death.

All their talk about the law is gas. They All their talk about the law is gas. They themselves don't keep the law! And they themselves don't keep the law! And they are highly selective in the laws they do are highly selective in the laws they do observe. They only want you to be observe. They only want you to be circumcised so they can boast of their circumcised so they can boast of their success in recruiting you to their side. That success in recruiting you to their side. That is contemptible! For my part, I am going to is contemptible! For my part, I am going to boast about nothing but the Cross of our boast about nothing but the Cross of our Master, Jesus Christ. Master, Jesus Christ.

Because of that Cross, I have been crucified Because of that Cross, I have been crucified in relation to the world, set free from the in relation to the world, set free from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing others and stifling atmosphere of pleasing others and fitting into the little patterns that they fitting into the little patterns that they dictate. Can't you see the central issue in dictate. Can't you see the central issue in all this? It is not what you and I do — all this? It is not what you and I do — submit to circumcision, reject circumcision. submit to circumcision, reject circumcision. It is what God is doing, and he is creating It is what God is doing, and he is creating something totally new, a free life! something totally new, a free life!

All who walk by this standard are the true All who walk by this standard are the true Israel of God — his chosen people. Peace Israel of God — his chosen people. Peace and mercy on them! Quite frankly, I don't and mercy on them! Quite frankly, I don't want to be bothered anymore by these want to be bothered anymore by these disputes. I have far more important things disputes. I have far more important things to do — the serious living of this faith. I to do — the serious living of this faith. I bear in my body scars from my service to bear in my body scars from my service to Jesus. Jesus. (Galatians 6:11-17, The Message) (Galatians 6:11-17, The Message)

1. The 1. The churchchurch of the free of the free


““. . . hold to a form of godliness but deny its . . . hold to a form of godliness but deny its power,” power,” (2 Timothy 3:5)(2 Timothy 3:5)


"But no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth "But no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear away from the garment, and a worse tear results. Nor do results. Nor do people people put new wine into put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new wineskins are ruined; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved." preserved." (Matthew 9:16-17)(Matthew 9:16-17)


““Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.”men's bones and all uncleanness.”(Matthew 23:27)(Matthew 23:27)


Now, in these last sentences, I want to Now, in these last sentences, I want to emphasize in the bold scrawls of my emphasize in the bold scrawls of my personal handwriting the immense personal handwriting the immense importance of what I have written to you. importance of what I have written to you.


For my part, I am going to boast about For my part, I am going to boast about nothing but the Cross of our Master, Jesus nothing but the Cross of our Master, Jesus Christ. Because of that Cross, I have been Christ. Because of that Cross, I have been crucified in relation to the world, set free crucified in relation to the world, set free from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing others and fitting into the little patterns that others and fitting into the little patterns that they dictate. they dictate.


Can't you see the central issue in all this? It Can't you see the central issue in all this? It is not what you and I do — submit to is not what you and I do — submit to circumcision, reject circumcision. It is what circumcision, reject circumcision. It is what God is doing, and he is creating something God is doing, and he is creating something totally new, a free life!totally new, a free life!(Galatians 6:11, 14-15, The Message)(Galatians 6:11, 14-15, The Message)

2. The 2. The communitycommunity of the free of the free


Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day's be needing forgiveness before the day's out. Stoop down and reach out to those out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ's law. If you think and so complete Christ's law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly you are too good for that, you are badly deceived. deceived.


Make a careful exploration of who you are Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don't be then sink yourself into that. Don't be impressed with yourself. Don't compare impressed with yourself. Don't compare yourself with others. Each of you must yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.best you can with your own life.(Galatians 5:1-5, The Message)(Galatians 5:1-5, The Message)


Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ, fulfill the law of Christ, (Galatians 6:2)(Galatians 6:2)

For each one will bear his own load,For each one will bear his own load,(Galatians 6:5)(Galatians 6:5)


3. The 3. The couragecourage to be free to be free


The one who is taught the word is to share The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches all good things with the one who teaches him. him. Do not be deceived, God is not Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.


Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.household of the faith.(Galatians 6:6-10)(Galatians 6:6-10)


Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak the Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak the truth each one of you to his neighbor, for truth each one of you to his neighbor, for we are members of one another.we are members of one another.(Ephesians 4:25)(Ephesians 4:25)


The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren, Amen,your spirit, brethren, Amen,(Galatians 6:18)(Galatians 6:18)

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Free Brothers Bearing the Marks of Grace Galatians 6