Devotion Link

Rejoice:

Read:

¹¹ See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!

¹² Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. ¹³ Not even those who are circumcised keep the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh. ¹⁴ May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which^[a] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. ¹⁵ Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation. ¹⁶ Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule—to^[b] the Israel of God.

¹⁷ From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

¹⁸ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.

Paul is closing his letter and wants to drive home these final thoughts: everyone who seeks to push you to legalism is dead wrong. By the way, legalism is performing good deeds or any other acts and believing they save you or keep you saved (outside of faith). As Paul says here, there is nothing to boast about except Christ’s work on the cross! We must always remember that it is through that cross that we are crucified to the world. We must remember the significance of Christ having to come down and die for us – it indicated our insufficiency. Everything God did in this redemption story pointed to the facts that WE cannot do this on our own or through any of our own ability. The cross showed that it was through GOD alone we could be reconciled. Thus, He sent His Son to die.

Church, peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, and I pray all these words we have studied will not fall on rocky ground and be choked out by the weeds of this world. Let’s work to IMPLEMENT these things we have learned.

Respond:

God I find significance in so many things! I know that, according to Your Word, the only thing I can find value in is Your work on the cross. Help me to remember that THAT is the cornerstone of my life and worth. Help me to focus on Your completed work in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.

Relate:

An easy way to relate with this is to remind others where you find your worth. IF you are acting upon the love of Christ and treating people the way Paul has asked us to treat them, you will run into people remarking about your behavior. In that, you can point them to God, point them to the cross. At every moment possible turn and point to the cross and give glory to God for what HE has done.