‭ hat we must do‬

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‭Those‬‭who‬‭belong‬‭to‬‭Christ‬‭Jesus‬‭have‬‭crucified‬‭the‬‭sinful‬‭nature‬‭with‬‭its‬‭passions‬‭and‬‭desires.‬‭Since‬‭we‬
‭live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit (5:24-25).‬

‭There are two mistakes Christians commonly make in regard to sanctification‬‭.‬

‭ he first consists in overemphasizing the role of human effort.‬

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‭That‬ ‭is‬ ‭the‬ ‭mistake‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭nomists.‬ ‭Like‬ ‭the‬ ‭Galatians,‬ ‭having‬ ‭begun‬ ‭with‬ ‭the‬ ‭Spirit,‬ ‭they‬ ‭try‬ ‭to‬
‭attain perfection through their own efforts.‬

‭And, as Paul has explained to us, those efforts are not enough. Dr Jekyll on his own must fail.‬

‭ he second, and opposite, mistake is to underestimate the role of human effort.‬

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‭This error is sometimes called quietism.‬
‭The quietists say you mustn't try to live a life that pleases God at all. You should just let it happen.‬

‭ hey‬‭make‬‭much‬‭of‬‭Paul's‬‭statement‬‭that‬‭we‬‭have‬‭crucified‬‭the‬‭sinful‬‭nature.‬‭'There!'‬‭they‬‭say.‬‭'The‬
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‭sinful nature is dead.‬

‭ ‬‭truly‬‭spiritual‬‭person‬‭is‬‭immune‬‭to‬‭sin.‬‭Just‬‭as‬‭a‬‭corpse‬‭can't‬‭respond‬‭to‬‭a‬‭stimulus,‬‭so‬‭a‬‭Christian‬
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‭should be incapable of responding to temptation.'‬
‭They‬ ‭often‬ ‭point‬ ‭too,‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭phrase‬ ‭'led‬ ‭by‬ ‭the‬ ‭Spirit'‬ ‭(5:18),‬ ‭and‬ ‭interpret‬ ‭this‬ ‭to‬ ‭mean‬ ‭that‬
‭Christians‬ ‭are‬ ‭to‬ ‭see‬ ‭themselves‬ ‭almost‬ ‭as‬ ‭Spirit-directed‬ ‭robots,‬ ‭doing‬ ‭the‬ ‭will‬ ‭of‬ ‭God‬ ‭without‬
‭needing to think or decide or exercise their wills.‬
‭To use an old catchphrase, the quietist says, 'Let go and let God.'‬

‭ hat is all very far from what Paul means here.‬

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‭If‬‭he‬‭were‬‭a‬‭quietist,‬‭we‬‭should‬‭hardly‬‭find‬‭him‬‭issuing‬‭moral‬‭imperatives‬‭such‬‭as:‬‭'Each‬‭one‬‭should‬
‭test his own actions' (6:4) and 'Let us not become weary in doing good' (6:9).‬

‭ he‬‭New‬‭Testament‬‭never‬‭suggests‬‭that‬‭our‬‭moral‬‭response‬‭to‬‭God‬‭should‬‭be‬‭passive.‬‭On‬‭the‬
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‭contrary, it describes the Christian life in terms of strenuous activity:‬
‭●‬ ‭'Fight‬‭the‬‭good‬‭fight'‬‭(1‬‭Timothy‬‭6:12);‬‭'Run‬‭.‬‭..‬‭the‬‭race'‬‭(Hebrews‬‭12:1);‬‭'Make‬‭every‬‭effort'‬
‭(2 Peter 1:5; Hebr~ws 12:14).‬

‭God's ideal Christian is not a remote-controlled zombie, but a new kind of human being:‬
‭●‬ ‭a‬ ‭self-determining‬ ‭individual‬ ‭who‬ ‭obeys‬ ‭God‬ ‭intelligently‬ ‭and‬ ‭serves‬ ‭him‬ ‭voluntarily‬ ‭(see‬
‭Romans 12:1-3 and Ephesians 4:20- 24).‬

‭ he‬‭difference‬‭between‬‭a‬‭Christian‬‭and‬‭a‬‭nomist‬‭is‬‭not‬‭that‬‭the‬‭nomist‬‭struggles‬‭and‬‭the‬‭Christian‬
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‭just 'lets go'.‬
‭Rather,‬ ‭the‬ ‭nomist‬ ‭struggles‬ ‭in‬ ‭self-reliance‬ ‭and‬ ‭futility,‬ ‭whereas‬ ‭the‬ ‭Christian‬ ‭struggles‬‭in‬‭union‬
‭with the Spirit and is therefore ultimately victorious.‬
‭Paul does not say that the advent of the Spirit brings our inner war to an end.‬

‭1‬
‭ ather,‬ ‭it‬ ‭carries‬ ‭it‬ ‭to‬ ‭a‬ ‭new‬ ‭plane.‬ ‭D-Day‬ ‭has‬ ‭happened!‬ ‭The‬ ‭Allies‬ ‭have‬ ‭landed!‬ ‭Now‬ ‭we‬ ‭are‬
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‭marching to victory, instead of certain defeat. How then can we go on to the end of the march?‬

‭Steps to victory‬
‭First, we must be decisively committed to Christ.‬
‭'Those‬ ‭who‬ ‭belong‬ ‭to‬ ‭Christ‬ ‭Jesus‬ ‭have‬ ‭crucified‬ ‭the‬ ‭sinful‬ ‭nature‬ ‭with‬ ‭its‬ ‭passions‬ ‭and‬‭desires'‬
‭(5:24).‬
‭●‬ ‭No‬ ‭way‬ ‭does‬‭Paul‬‭imply‬‭here‬‭that‬‭the‬‭Christian‬‭no‬‭longer‬‭has‬‭passions‬‭and‬‭desires.‬‭If‬‭that‬
‭were true, where would be the inner conflict that he has been talking about?‬
‭●‬ ‭No, we still experience passions and desires.‬
‭But‬ ‭we‬ ‭have‬ ‭made‬ ‭a‬ ‭decisive‬ ‭commitment‬ ‭to‬ ‭Christ,‬ ‭which‬ ‭includes‬ ‭a‬ ‭determination‬ ‭not‬ ‭to‬ ‭be‬
‭mastered by those selfish drives.‬

‭ any‬‭have‬‭problems‬‭in‬‭their‬‭moral‬‭lives‬‭because‬‭they‬‭have‬‭never‬‭made‬‭such‬‭a‬‭decisive‬‭break‬‭with‬
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‭the past.‬
‭Their repentance has been shallow, or even non-existent.‬
‭They‬ ‭have‬ ‭never‬ ‭really‬ ‭severed‬ ‭their‬ ‭links‬ ‭with‬ ‭their‬ ‭sinful‬‭habits.‬‭In‬‭fact,‬‭they‬‭continue‬‭to‬‭fondle‬
‭those habits.‬

‭ econdly, we must daily align ourselves with the Spirit.‬

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‭'Keep in step with the Spirit,' says Paul (5:25).‬
‭Notice‬ ‭the‬ ‭active‬ ‭verb.‬ ‭We‬ ‭are‬ ‭to‬ ‭walk‬ ‭in‬ ‭rank,‬ ‭like‬ ‭soldiers‬ ‭on‬‭parade,‬‭keeping‬‭in‬‭file‬‭behind‬‭the‬
‭Spirit.‬
‭This‬ ‭hardly‬ ‭suggests‬ ‭the‬ ‭remote‬ ‭controlled‬ ‭movements‬ ‭of‬ ‭a‬ ‭robot‬ ‭or‬ ‭puppet.‬ ‭Paul‬ ‭makes‬ ‭his‬
‭thought a little clearer in Romans 8:5:‬
‭●‬ ‭'Those‬ ‭who‬ ‭live‬ ‭according‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭sinful‬ ‭nature‬ ‭have‬ ‭their‬ ‭minds‬ ‭set‬ ‭on‬ ‭what‬ ‭that‬ ‭sinful‬
‭nature‬‭desires;‬‭but‬‭those‬‭who‬‭live‬‭in‬‭accordance‬‭with‬‭the‬‭Spirit‬‭have‬‭their‬‭minds‬‭set‬‭on‬‭what‬
‭the Spirit desires.'‬

‭ he‬‭focus‬‭of‬‭our‬‭effort,‬‭then,‬‭is‬‭our‬‭thinking.‬‭We‬‭are‬‭not‬‭to‬‭strive‬‭pedantically‬‭to‬‭obey‬‭-rules,‬‭like‬‭the‬
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‭nomists.‬
‭●‬ ‭Neither are we to try to empty our minds and let God 'operate' us, like the quietists.‬

‭ ather,‬‭God‬‭wants‬‭intelligent‬‭obedience.‬‭Our‬‭minds‬‭have‬‭been‬‭renewed‬‭by‬‭the‬‭Spirit,‬‭so‬‭we‬‭should‬
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‭focus them on the moral priorities of the Spirit.‬

‭ story from Greek mythology is often told to illustrate this point.‬

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‭There‬ ‭was‬ ‭a‬ ‭famous‬ ‭island‬ ‭inhabited‬ ‭by‬ ‭Sirens.‬ ‭Half-woman‬ ‭and‬ ‭half-bird,‬ ‭the‬ ‭Sirens‬ ‭beguiled‬
‭passing sailors with their entrancing singing, and lured them to make shipwreck on the rocks.‬
‭When‬‭the‬‭hero‬‭Odysseus‬‭passed‬‭by‬‭the‬‭island,‬‭he‬‭stopped‬‭his‬‭ears‬‭with‬‭wax‬‭and‬‭tied‬‭himself‬‭to‬‭the‬
‭mast‬ ‭of‬ ‭his‬‭ship‬‭so‬‭that‬‭he‬‭could‬‭not‬‭be‬‭seduced.‬‭But‬‭when‬‭the‬‭Argonauts‬‭traced‬‭the‬‭same‬‭route,‬
‭Orpheus employed a different strategy.‬
‭He‬‭took‬‭a‬‭harp,‬‭and‬‭played‬‭music‬‭of‬‭such‬‭superior‬‭charm‬‭that‬‭the‬‭sailors‬‭gave‬‭no‬‭heed‬‭to‬‭the‬‭Siren‬
‭song.‬

‭2‬
‭ aul seems to be advising a similar tactic in our moral battle with temptation.‬
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‭The‬‭Spirit‬‭stops‬‭immorality‬‭in‬‭us,‬‭not‬‭by‬‭saying‬‭negatively,‬‭as‬‭the‬‭law‬‭does,‬‭'Thou‬‭shalt‬‭not‬‭commit‬
‭adultery',‬‭but‬‭by‬‭generating‬‭in‬‭us‬‭the‬‭positive‬‭self‬‭control‬‭necessary‬‭to‬‭practise‬‭chastity‬‭and‬‭marital‬
‭fidelity.‬
‭He‬‭puts‬‭an‬‭end‬‭to‬‭drunkenness‬‭in‬‭us,‬‭not‬‭by‬‭forbidding‬‭pleasure‬‭in‬‭a‬‭legalistic‬‭way,‬‭but‬‭by‬‭cultivating‬
‭a‬ ‭more‬ ‭authentic‬ ‭joy‬ ‭that‬ ‭does‬ ‭not‬ ‭need‬ ‭the‬ ‭stimulus‬ ‭of‬ ‭alcoholic‬ ‭excess.‬ ‭He‬ ‭destroys‬
‭self-centredness‬‭·‬‭in‬‭our‬‭personal‬‭relationships,‬‭not‬‭by‬‭merely‬‭commanding‬‭us,‬‭as‬‭the‬‭law‬‭does,‬‭to‬
‭'love‬‭your‬‭neighbour‬‭as‬‭yourself',‬‭but‬‭by‬‭actually‬‭generating‬‭that‬‭love‬‭towards‬‭others‬‭in‬‭our‬‭hearts,‬
‭together with the patience, kindness and gentleness that go with it.‬

‭ he‬‭Spirit's‬‭way‬‭is‬‭not‬‭to‬‭imprison‬‭Hyde‬‭in‬‭a‬‭straitjacket‬‭of‬‭rules,‬‭but‬‭to‬‭exorcise‬‭him‬‭with‬‭sweeter‬
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‭music.‬

‭ any‬ ‭fail‬ ‭because‬ ‭they‬‭relax‬‭the‬‭discipline‬‭of‬‭this‬‭daily‬‭alignment‬‭with‬‭the‬‭Spirit.‬‭They‬‭let‬‭the‬

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‭world,‬‭the‬‭flesh‬‭and‬‭the‬‭devil‬‭occupy‬‭their‬‭minds.‬‭And‬‭from‬‭there‬‭it‬‭is‬‭only‬‭a‬‭shon‬‭step‬‭to‬‭falling‬‭out‬
‭of line with the Spirit altogether.‬

‭●‬ L‭ et‬‭us‬‭not‬‭become‬‭weary‬‭in‬‭doing‬‭good,‬‭for‬‭at‬‭the‬‭proper‬‭time‬‭we‬‭will‬‭reap‬‭a‬‭harvest‬‭if‬‭we‬‭do‬
‭not‬‭give‬‭up.‬‭Therefore,‬‭as‬‭we‬‭have‬‭opponunity,‬‭let‬‭us‬‭do‬‭good‬‭to‬‭all‬‭people,‬‭especially‬‭to‬‭those‬
‭who belong to the family of believers (6:9-10).‬

I‭ f‬ ‭we‬ ‭are‬ ‭to‬ ‭be‬ ‭committed‬ ‭to‬ ‭Christ‬ ‭and‬ ‭aligned‬ ‭with‬ ‭the‬ ‭Spirit,‬ ‭we‬ ‭are,‬ ‭thirdly,‬ ‭to‬ ‭be‬
‭responsible‬ ‭for‬ ‭(}ne‬ ‭another.‬ ‭Brothers,‬ ‭if‬ ‭someone‬ ‭is‬ ‭caught‬ ‭in‬ ‭a‬ ‭sin,‬ ‭you‬ ‭who‬ ‭are‬ ‭spiritual‬
‭should restore him gently.‬
‭But‬‭watch‬‭yourself,‬‭or‬‭you‬‭also‬‭may‬‭be‬‭tempted.‬‭Carry‬‭each‬‭other's‬‭burdens,‬‭and‬‭in‬‭this‬‭way‬‭you‬‭will‬
‭fulfil the law of Christ (6:1-2).‬

I‭ t's‬ ‭not‬ ‭unusual‬ ‭to‬ ‭find‬ ‭Christians‬ ‭who‬ ‭are‬‭rather‬‭negative‬‭about‬‭the‬‭church.‬‭But‬‭the‬‭church‬‭has‬‭a‬

‭vital role to play in our moral progress.‬
‭Notice‬ ‭the‬ ‭kind‬ ‭of‬ ‭social‬ ‭environment‬ ‭it‬ ‭ought‬ ‭to‬ ‭provide.‬ ‭It‬ ‭is‬ ‭not‬ ‭a‬ ‭competitive‬ ‭one,‬ ‭in‬ ‭which‬
‭Christians keep trying to score holiness points off one another.‬
‭●‬ ‭'If‬ ‭your‬ ‭church‬ ‭life‬ ‭gets‬ ‭like‬‭that,'‬‭Paul‬‭says‬‭in‬‭effect,‬‭'far‬‭from‬‭helping‬‭one‬‭another,‬‭you'll‬
‭just speed your common journey to hell' (see 5:15).‬

‭ o,‬ ‭the‬‭social‬‭environment‬‭God‬‭demands‬‭is‬‭one‬‭of‬‭mutual‬‭caring.‬‭Notice‬‭also‬‭the‬‭moral‬‭discipline‬
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‭the church should exercise. There is an element of surprise in the word 'caught' (6:1).‬

‭ aul‬‭isn't‬‭thinking‬‭of‬‭deliberate,‬‭persistent‬‭wrongdoing.‬‭He‬‭is‬‭talking‬‭about‬‭the‬‭kind‬‭of‬‭moral‬‭lapse‬
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‭which‬‭even‬‭otherwise‬‭godly‬‭Christians‬‭can‬‭experience,‬‭and‬‭which‬‭all‬‭too‬‭often‬‭becomes‬‭an‬‭excuse‬
‭for sanctimonious gossip on the part of others in the fellowship.‬
‭We‬ ‭are‬ ‭not‬ ‭to‬ ‭extract‬ ‭malicious‬ ‭satisfaction‬ ‭from‬‭our‬‭Christian‬‭brother's‬‭or‬‭sister's‬‭failures‬‭in‬‭that‬
‭way.‬

‭3‬
‭ ather,‬‭we‬‭must‬‭exercise‬‭a‬‭disciplinary‬‭care‬‭for‬‭them.‬‭The‬‭word‬‭'restore'‬‭was‬‭used‬‭in‬‭the‬‭context‬‭of‬
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‭setting a fractured bone or repairing a piece of furniture.‬
‭●‬ ‭It‬ ‭implies‬ ‭that‬ ‭while‬‭we‬‭are‬‭not‬‭to‬‭ignore‬‭such‬‭moral‬‭lapses‬‭in‬‭the‬‭fellowship,‬‭and‬‭pretend‬
‭they are none of our business, we are not to make capital out of them.‬

‭ e‬‭are‬‭to‬‭seek‬‭to‬‭heal‬‭people‬‭who‬‭fulfil,‬‭getting‬‭them‬‭back‬‭on‬‭their‬‭moral‬‭and‬‭spiritual‬‭feet‬‭again‬‭if‬
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‭we‬‭can.‬‭And‬‭we‬‭are‬‭to‬‭do‬‭this‬‭'gently',‬‭that‬‭is,‬‭without‬‭censoriousness‬‭and‬‭belligerence.‬‭If‬‭rebuke‬‭is‬
‭needed,‬ ‭it‬ ‭must‬ ‭be‬‭administered‬‭tenderly‬‭and‬‭without‬‭complacency.‬‭'Watch‬‭yourself,'‬‭warns‬‭Paul,‬
‭for it is a fallacy to think that any of us is immune to sin.‬

‭ ometimes‬ ‭dealing‬ ‭with‬‭other‬‭people's‬‭failures‬‭will‬‭expose‬‭areas‬‭of‬‭moral‬‭vulnerability‬‭in‬‭our‬‭own‬

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‭lives, that we were not aware of. There must be no invidious comparisons.‬

‭If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself (6:3).‬

I‭ n‬‭the‬‭Greek‬‭original,‬‭the‬‭connecting‬‭word‬‭'For'‬‭links‬‭this‬‭verse‬‭to‬‭the‬‭one‬‭preceding‬‭it.‬‭Paul‬‭seems‬
‭to‬‭be‬‭saying‬‭that‬‭the‬‭chief‬‭reason‬‭we‬‭neglect‬‭this‬‭supportive‬‭role‬‭within‬‭the‬‭church‬‭is‬‭arrogance.‬‭We‬
‭think we are too important to be bothered with failures.‬

I‭ f‬‭they've‬‭got‬‭a‬‭problem,‬‭it's‬‭because,‬‭unlike‬‭us,‬‭they‬‭are‬‭weak.‬‭Like‬‭the‬‭Pharisee‬‭in‬‭the‬‭temple,‬‭we‬
‭use‬ ‭the‬ ‭sins‬ ‭of‬ ‭others‬ ‭to‬ ‭bolster‬‭our‬‭own‬‭self-esteem.‬‭Nomism‬‭is‬‭often‬‭a‬‭first‬‭cousin‬‭to‬‭pride.‬‭But‬
‭Paul‬ ‭warns‬ ‭us‬ ‭that‬ ‭we‬ ‭are‬ ‭not‬ ‭to‬ ‭spend‬ ‭our‬ ‭time‬ ‭making‬ ‭self-congratulatory‬ ‭comparisons‬ ‭with‬
‭people in the church who have fallen.‬

‭●‬ E‭ ach‬ ‭one‬ ‭should‬ ‭test‬ ‭his‬ ‭own‬ ‭actions.‬ ‭Then‬ ‭he‬ ‭can‬‭take‬‭pride‬‭in‬‭himself,‬‭without‬‭comparing‬
‭himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load (6:4-5).‬

‭ here‬ ‭is‬ ‭no‬ ‭contradiction‬ ‭here‬ ‭with‬ ‭6:2,‬ ‭'Carry‬ ‭each‬ ‭other's‬ ‭burdens.'‬ ‭Paul‬ ‭is‬ ‭making‬ ‭a‬ ‭different‬
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‭point,‬ ‭namely,‬ ‭that‬ ‭we‬ ‭are‬ ‭ultimately‬ ‭accountable‬ ‭for‬ ‭our‬ ‭own‬ ‭lives‬ ‭and‬ ‭nobody‬ ‭else's.‬ ‭We‬‭must‬
‭therefore‬‭evaluate‬‭our‬‭lives‬‭objectively‬‭by‬‭God's‬‭standards,‬‭not‬‭by‬‭self-inflated‬‭comparisons.‬‭We‬‭are‬
‭to‬‭carry‬‭one‬‭another's‬‭burdens‬‭now,‬‭precisely‬‭so‬‭that‬‭we‬‭may‬‭be‬‭ready‬‭to‬‭carry‬‭our‬‭own‬‭burden‬‭on‬
‭the day of judgment.‬

‭Note too the kind of ministry the church leadership should offer:‬
‭●‬ ‭Anyone‬‭who‬‭receives‬‭instruction‬‭in‬‭the‬‭Word‬‭must‬‭share‬‭all‬‭good‬‭things‬‭with‬‭his‬‭instructor‬
‭(6:6).‬

‭ he‬ ‭primary‬ ‭job‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭minister,‬ ‭then,‬ ‭is‬ ‭not‬ ‭to‬ ‭administer‬ ‭the‬ ‭sacraments,‬ ‭sit‬ ‭on‬ ‭committees,‬
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‭entenain visitors over a cup of tea, or run a taxi service for the infirm.‬
‭●‬ ‭The ministerial office is first and foremost for the purpose of 'instruction'.‬
‭That teaching function rightly has a claim on the financial supprt of the fellowship.‬
‭For‬‭nothing‬‭will‬‭help‬‭us‬‭to‬‭keep‬‭in‬‭step‬‭with.‬‭the‬‭Spirit‬‭more‬‭than‬‭regular‬‭instruction‬‭from‬‭the‬‭Word‬
‭of God.‬

‭4‬
‭A postscript‬
‭ hose‬‭who‬‭want‬‭to‬‭make‬‭a‬‭good‬‭impression‬‭outwardly‬‭are‬‭trying‬‭to‬‭compel‬‭you‬‭to‬‭be‬‭circumcised.‬‭The‬
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‭only‬ ‭reason‬ ‭they‬ ‭do‬ ‭this‬ ‭is‬ ‭to‬ ‭avoid‬ ‭being‬‭persecuted‬‭for‬‭the‬‭cross‬‭of‬‭Christ.‬‭Not‬‭even‬‭those‬‭who‬‭are‬
‭circumcised‬‭obey‬‭the‬‭law,‬‭yet‬‭they‬‭want‬‭you‬‭to‬‭be‬‭circumcised‬‭that‬‭they‬‭may‬‭boast·‬‭about‬‭your‬‭flesh.‬
‭May‬ ‭I‬ ‭never‬ ‭boast‬ ‭except‬ ‭in‬ ‭the‬ ‭cross‬ ‭of‬ ‭our‬ ‭Lord‬ ‭Jesus‬ ‭Christ,‬ ‭through‬ ‭which‬ ‭the‬ ‭world‬ ‭has‬ ‭been‬
‭crucified‬ ‭to‬ ‭me,‬ ‭and‬ ‭I‬ ‭to‬ ‭the‬ ‭world.‬ ‭Neither‬ ‭circumcision‬ ‭nor‬ ‭uncircumcision‬ ‭means‬ ‭anything;‬ ‭what‬
‭counts‬‭is‬‭a‬‭new‬‭creation.‬‭Peace‬‭and‬‭mercy‬‭to‬‭all‬‭who‬‭follow‬‭this‬‭rule,‬‭even‬‭to‬‭the‬‭Israel‬‭of‬‭God.‬‭Finally,‬
‭let‬ ‭no-one‬ ‭cause‬ ‭me‬ ‭trouble,‬ ‭for‬ ‭I‬ ‭bear‬ ‭on‬ ‭my‬ ‭body‬ ‭the‬ ‭marks‬ ‭of‬ ‭Jesus.‬ ‭The‬ ‭grace‬ ‭of‬‭our‬‭Lord‬‭Jesus‬
‭Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen (6:12-18).‬

‭In his final paragraphs Paul returns to the threat that prompted him to write his letter:‬
‭●‬ ‭the Judaizing false teachers and their campaign to promote circumcision.‬

‭Why do they do it?‬

‭●‬ ‭Because they are legalists who think we must earn salvation by obeying the Jewish law?‬
‭●‬ ‭Because‬‭they‬‭are‬‭racialists‬‭who‬‭think‬‭the‬‭Jews‬‭are‬‭a‬‭spiritual‬‭elite‬‭and‬‭that‬‭we‬‭can‬‭find‬‭God's‬
‭favour only by identifying with them?‬
‭●‬ ‭Because‬‭they‬‭are‬‭nomists‬‭who‬‭think‬‭the‬‭only‬‭way‬‭to‬‭overcome‬‭the‬‭power‬‭of‬‭sin‬‭in‬‭our‬‭lives‬
‭is by keeping the Jewish law?‬
‭Yes, all these things were true of them.‬

‭ ut‬ ‭Paul‬ ‭explains‬ ‭that‬ ‭underneath‬ ‭all‬ ‭those‬ ‭theological‬ ‭rationalizations‬ ‭there‬ ‭are‬ ‭two‬ ‭much‬
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‭simpler reasons for their enthusiasm for circumcision.‬
‭First,‬‭they want to avoid being persecuted by their fellow Jews.‬
‭Secondly,‬‭they want to be able to boast that they have won others over to their side.‬
‭●‬ ‭'That', says Paul, 'is where I differ from them.‬
‭I have no interest in ecclesiastical politics for its own sake. Christian ministry is no ego trip for me.‬

‭ here‬‭is‬‭only‬‭one‬‭thing‬‭that‬‭makes‬‭me‬‭proud,‬‭and‬‭that‬‭is‬‭the‬‭fact‬‭that‬‭Christ‬‭died‬‭on‬‭the‬‭cross‬‭for‬‭a‬
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‭wretch like me.‬
‭That old self-obsessed religion I used to share with these Judaizers has been crucified with Christ.‬
‭Circumcision‬‭and‬‭all‬‭the‬‭rest‬‭of‬‭that‬‭legalistic‬‭paraphernalia‬‭is.‬‭a‬‭matter‬‭of‬‭total‬‭indifference‬‭to‬‭me‬
‭now.‬
‭●‬ ‭For I realize that it all belongs to a world that is passing away.‬

‭ he future belongs to Christ and the new creation which he has inaugurated.‬
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‭The messianic peace for which the people of God have always yearned has arrived.‬
‭But it will not be given to those who pursue a religion of law.‬
‭It is for the true Israel of God, the children of Abraham who have faith in Christ.‬
‭●‬ ‭Let us have no more nonsense about circumcision, then.‬

‭ he‬‭only‬‭marks‬‭in‬‭my‬‭body‬‭that‬‭matter‬‭to‬‭me‬‭are‬‭the‬‭scars‬‭I‬‭have‬‭received‬‭as‬‭a‬‭faithful‬‭witness‬‭to‬
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‭Jesus Christ.‬
‭And my-only prayer as I bid you farewell is that his grace may be with your spirits.'‬

‭5‬