The religious Doctrines created by man have no power to save anyone. Only Christ can do that!
Christ was offered once and for all of God’s creation. It excludes no one. But we have to accept the gift.
1 John 4:18 (NLT) says, “Perfect love expels all fear.” You need never fear God’s judgment. Not today. Not on Judgment Day. With perfect knowledge of the past and perfect vision of the future, God loves you—perfectly—in spite of both. Jesus is speaking on your behalf. “That’s my friend,” he says. And when he does, the door of heaven open. Trust God’s love. His perfect love. It can handle your fear of judgment. Max Lucado
“Dear Lord, grant me the grace of wonder. Surprise me, amaze me, awe me in every crevice of your universe. Each day enrapture me with your marvelous things without number. I do not ask to see the reason for it all; I ask only to share the wonder of it all.” Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel “Sabbath Moments”
Galatians 6:11-15
11 See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand! 12 As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these would compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. 13 For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. 14 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. 15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. The New King James Version
Probably here Paul began to write with his own hand, after having up to now dictated the letter to a secretary. His reference to large letters implies that Paul had problems with his eyesight or was even partly blind. Paul commonly ended his letters with personal greetings.
The Judaizers were trying to appear spiritual by becoming circumcised and demanding that others become circumcised. By teaching that all Christians should become circumcised, the Judaizers were trying to make Christianity into a sect of Judaism. This would have two advantages. First, they could counter the persecution that they suffered from zealous Jews. Second, they could include themselves with an officially sanctioned religion of the Roman Empire, Judaism. Even the Judaizers who advocated the Galatians’ circumcision did not really keep the entire law. They knew they were required to do so but were ultimately unable to fulfill all of the requirements. Still, they attempted to persuade the Galatians to be circumcised so that they could boast about having them as their followers.
As a representative believer, Paul spoke of himself as crucified with Christ. In that decisive act, “the flesh with its passions and desires” was also crucified, as was the world with all of its continuing attractions.
To a Christian under the New Covenant, following the Abrahamic sign of circumcision does not mean anything in terms of spirituality. What really matters is being a new creation in Christ. The NKJV Study Bible
This detail of large letters suggests that Paul relieved his scribe and wrote the rest of the letter himself. It is possible that Paul uses this phrase to draw attention to the passage that immediately follows, in which he summarizes several of the letter’s themes. In Paul’s time, letters commonly were dictated to a professional writer, called an amanuensis. Paul’s letter to the Romans, for example, was dictated by Paul to Tertius (Romans 16:22).
Paul seems to be indicating that the agitators are concerned about their own reputations as law-keepers. It is possible that, by promoting the practice of circumcision, they are seeking to identify publicly as Jews and thereby avoid persecution. In Graeco-Roman society, Jews tended to be accepted more readily than Christians.
Paul points out the hypocrisy of those who advocate that Gentiles should be circumcised. Paul states that he has died to the values of the world: selfishness, ambition, and pride.
Paul’s devaluation of circumcision is astonishing, given his Jewish heritage and training in the law. Here, Paul puts circumcision in its proper place: It cannot define the status of the believer, nor can it transform the believer. What matters for Paul is the new-creation work of God, through Christ’s death and resurrection and the indwelling power of His Spirit. Faithlife Study Bible
Proud, vain, and carnal hearts, are content with just so much religion as will help to keep up a fair show. But the apostle professes his own faith, hope, and joy; and that his principal glory was in the cross of Christ. By which is here meant, his sufferings and death on the cross, the doctrine of salvation by a crucified Redeemer. By Christ, or by the cross of Christ, the world is crucified to the believer, and he to the world. The more we consider the sufferings of the Redeemer from the world, the less likely shall we be to love the world. The apostle was as little affected by its charms, as a beholder would be by any thing which had been graceful in the face of a crucified person, when he beholds it blackened in the agonies of death. He was no more affected by the objects around him, than one who is expiring would be struck with any of the prospects his dying eyes might view from the cross on which he hung. And as to those who have truly believed in Christ Jesus, all things are counted as utterly worthless compared with him. There is a new creation; old things are passed away, and new views and dispositions are brought in under the regenerating influences of God the Holy Spirit. Believers are brought into a new world, and being created in Christ Jesus unto good works, are formed to a life of holiness. It is a change of mind and heart, whereby we are enabled to believe in the Lord Jesus, and to live to God; and where this inward, practical religion is wanting, outward professions, or names, will never stand in any stead. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Philippians 3:3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,
Galatians 5:11 And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased.
Acts 15:1 And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
Romans 6:6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
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