Galatians 6:11-18

Paul had more reasons than most in his day to boast about himself, but he counts everything he had done as rubbish compared to Jesus. Boasting about himself gets him nowhere with God. 

If he is going to boast, he will boast in one thing, in the cross of our LORD Jesus. Cleaning up or changing the outside [circumcision] doesn’t make us new; only faith that the Father sent the Son gives us the Spirit and makes us new. 

We all boast about something. Salvation and sanctification are a total God thing. It frees us to be honest about our great need for a Savior. Paul says those who walk in the truth that grace is enough are truly free, true sons/daughters, and have daily peace and mercy for their reward. There is no need to reject or trouble Paul, thinking he or his gospel is not costly. His new life, our new life, doesn’t come easy, he has been persecuted for his faith and carries the marks of his devotion and trust in Jesus. 

He leaves them with a prayer, a benediction, that reinforces the whole letter: let “Jesus” and “grace,” “be your life, and with your spirit,” “brothers.”

What will your boast be? What story will your life tell? Let it be the cross. Because there is no other gospel.