Galatians 6:12 - 15 “As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you
to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of
Christ…For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire
to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh…But God forbid that
I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world
is crucified unto me, and I unto the world…For in Christ Jesus neither
circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.”
If you look at the zeal of a lot of people who call
themselves Christians it is a great zeal. Paul wrote, “Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they
might be saved…For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not
according to knowledge.” Romans 10:1 - 2 Paul loved his fellow
Jews, I believe he prayed for them often, that they would come to know Christ
as their Saviour. I often find myself praying for the lost and I hope you do
also. However, Paul like a lot of us understood salvation and we know that God
saves sinners and regardless what or do, God saves sinners. While these Jews
had “a zeal of God” or for God, they
refused to receive Jesus Christ as their Saviour. Most people who call
themselves “Christians” are nothing but zealous people trying to serve God by
serving themselves. Paul wrote in Verse 12 of our text “As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh…” This means
that these folks wanted to do something to saved lost sinners, we have so many
today and they are called “charismatics” in today religion. These people are energized
in themselves, and these are the ones who Paul calls “Zealous” but “…but not according to knowledge.” This
means while they have a lot of energy for saving sinners and causing people to
make decisions or choices for Christ, they do it for self-glory and not for
God. Paul went on to say in our text scripture “…they constrain you to be circumcised…” v. 12 they insist that you
do some kind of self-glory work to call yourself a Christian. You must make
some sort of decision, pray a prayer, be baptized, join a church, or do some
sort of works to be saved. Here they were holding to the old Jewish custom of
being circumcised before they could be saved. The problem was that circumcision
like works today do nothing for salvation, “For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law…” because
the circumcision is not a part of salvation no more than works are, because if
you do not keep the entire law then you are guilty of all. “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and
yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” James 2:10 Salvation
has nothing to do with works, nor zeal because salvation is in Jesus Christ.
Abraham was 99 years old when he was circumcised but declared righteous long
before that. Salvation is in Jesus Christ, we as Christians have no reason to
glory because we did nothing to be saved. Paul wrote “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus
Christ…” because He and He alone is Saviour. It matters not how much “zeal”
a person has, it matters whether or not they believe in Jesus Christ and His
action upon the cross, the finished work. Paul finished-up with these words “For in
Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing…” if salvation is
in Christ then zeal, decisions, choices, prayers, baptisms, church memberships,
or anything else will not do you any good in salvation. People can bend or twist
the scriptures to make them say or prove any false doctrine, but the truth is Jesus Christ is Saviour! And then there’s this conclusion “…neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor
uncircumcision, but a new creature.” It’s not about a work, it is about
being born again as a New Creature. “Jesus
answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be
born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3 and “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a
new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 Hear the scriptures, they will teach you the truth about
salvation, and it about Jesus Christ and not about us. “Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:9 Do not
be fooled by foolish, zealous lost people.
