So now what Paul has been writing about and arguing for finally comes into clear view.
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love (1-6).
Some Christ followers were being duped into being circumcised. In other words they were accepting the Jewish faith as a means of salvation. Through the act of circumcision they were saying that they would keep the Jewish Law and thus become accepted as one of God's people.
No, Paul screams. Because with circumcision you moved from grace and mercy to law, moved from faith to effort and work. Since it is impossible to keep the entire law, one is damned by this switch.
Remember, too, that he already taught that the Spirit was experienced through faith not works, so by accepting the Law they are forfeiting God's Spirit within them.
Ok, so what does this mean for me? I am not considering converting to Judaism.
Where circumcision can be a bold action declaring a person's intention to earn their way to God, might there be subtle less dramatic actions that indicate a similar shift?
I have to tread lightly here but I suspect so…
When I put my trust in religious actions rather than the Lord Jesus, the Father and the Spirit who is the focus of these actions, I have subtly shifted to a works approach to God. Fasting, worship participation, Bible study, etc. are all excellent actions that can help me grow in faith. BUT if I mentally treat them as a checklist of my effort and work, they can become a lesser type of circumcision, indicating I am earning my way to God rather than accepting God's grace and mercy through faith.
Similarly if I have gobs of money and give big gifts to my church or favorite Christ-honoring charity, thinking this will endear me to God, I have slipped from faith to works.
If I serve here and there as a means of proving to God I am worthy and maybe even better than those who do not serve as much as I do, I have slipped from faith to works.
As I mentioned, I need to tread carefully here because a person could give gobs of money by faith or serve tirelessly by faith. So it is not the outward action in these cases but the inward intention/motivation that is determining.
Back to me… I need to examine my heart probing my motivation. I need to keep communications open between my Lord and me so that if He sees something in me I do not see in myself, I am open to His correction. I need to walk by faith…
So, Lord, I open myself up to probing… I will probe but please, Lord, I ask You to probe me. Should I slip off the way of faith, call me, nudge me, wrestle me back to You, to faith, I pray.
And, Lord, cultivate the Fruit of the Spirit in me…love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control that I might be Yours wholly and totally. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
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