Bragging Rights - November 26

Read Galatians 6:14-18

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world

has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

Reflect

Where should believers find their confidence and pride?

Our society loves to celebrate achievements and worldly success. We elevate those who are the most successful in the categories that the world cares about. We consider those who have earned the titles of the richest, the most famous, the most decorated, the winningest, the MVP, the most beautiful, etc. to have “bragging rights.” We consider them entitled to boast about their accomplishments because they earned it.

But if you’ve ever been around someone who is truly arrogant, then you know just how nauseating this boasting can be. I think we would all do well to consider whether or not any human being has actually earned the right to brag. And if so, which accomplishments are truly worth bragging about?

In today’s passage, the apostle Paul said that he didn’t want to have anything to do with boasting. But he had one exception. The only boasting that he considered acceptable was boasting in the cross of his Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, he didn’t want to brag about his own accomplishments but about the accomplishment of Jesus Christ on his behalf.

Recall the context from yesterday’s passage (Galatians 6:11-13). Paul had called out the motives of the Judaizers in big block letters. He said they were motivated by pride (to make a good showing in the flesh with works) and cowardice (to avoid the persecution often associated with those who identify with the cross of Christ). They wanted to boast in the flesh of those they converted. It made them look good if they were able to convince large numbers of people to get circumcised and follow Jewish laws even though they themselves didn’t fully keep the law. They were prideful, cowardly hypocrites.

Today, Paul contrasted their motives by spelling out his own motives. Paul was not interested in legalism or in boasting in his flesh because he knew it didn’t count for anything. There was nothing he could do on his own that had any lasting, eternal value.

In Philippians 3:2-4, he warned believers to look out for those he called “dogs” and “evildoers”, those who put their confidence in their flesh and mutilate it. He’s referring to the Judaizers who put their faith in the works of their flesh as if they had “bragging rights” because they’d been circumcised. But he went on to say that if the flesh is the basis for our confidence, then he has even more reason to boast than they do.

These are his “bragging rights”: “...circumcised on the eighth day of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless” (Philippians 3:5-6). Everything the Jews considered important, Paul had. But then, Paul added that he counted all of that as “rubbish” and as “loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:7-8).

Paul knew that his resume didn’t redeem him. It didn’t make him righteous in God’s eyes. It didn’t have the power to save him. Ultimately, his pedigree and his credentials were worthless trash. It didn’t gain him anything. His accomplishments didn’t count for anything. But when he put his faith in Christ, he became a new creation. His old self was crucified with Christ and is dead to him now. Only the cross could free him from the bondage of the world, only the cross could make him righteous in God’s sight, and only the cross could eternally save.

Rather than following the world’s rules for bragging rights, Paul said that peace and mercy await those who “walk by this rule.” In other words, those who accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ and place their faith, not in the works of their own flesh, but in the saving work of Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross and walk by faith in the Spirit. Those are the people who receive God’s mercy and experience His peace. Those are the people who have gained eternal rewards and eternal glory.

Friend, what about you? Is your confidence in your flesh or in the cross of Christ?

Respond

Lord, forgive me for ever boasting in anything except for the fact that I have been saved by grace through faith because of Your work on the cross on my behalf. Nothing I do or have ever done counts for anything. I have no bragging rights so I glory in You only instead. Help me to walk by the rule of Your grace and mercy. Amen.

Reveal

Consider how your humility can draw others to Christ.