SATURDAY April 10, 2021
Persecution for the Cross of Christ
See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand! 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.
Galatians 6:11-12
Remember, Paul had an issue with his eyes. It seemed a scribe wrote for him as he dictated his letter.
Paul was once again speaking to the Galatians about Judaizers––legalists. He had such a struggle with these men. Some believers, not wanting to suffer persecution, had submitted to these Judaizers, and, in an outward emotion, they became circumcised. They chose to compromise their faith in Jesus Christ. They chose to please man––not God.
They forsook a relationship of grace with God, because they went back into the works of the Law. Did those believers who compromised not realize that by trying to keep the Law, they had turned their backs on God? The Law could not save them––it condemned them. Yet not wanting to suffer persecution, they failed to pick up their own crosses and follow Jesus:
“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:24-25).
When Paul wrote the book of Hebrews, he also addressed these Judaizers. What happened? They heard the truth about God’s grace and were enlightened; but instead of receiving His grace, they went back to killing lambs and sprinkling blood for the covering of sin––man’s traditions.
The only way a person can be saved is by the grace of God––period––nothing else.
“Now I should like to know whether your soul, tired of its own righteousness, is learning to be revived by and to trust in the righteousness of Christ.”
~Martin Luther~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!