INTRODUCTION TO OUR SERIES:
In this devotional we will be looking at the glorious message found in Gals 6:14-15…
“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.” (Galatians 6:14-15 KJV)
Our devotionals will be looking at:
- Glorying In The Cross (Gal 6:14a)
- The Dual Crucifixion (Gal 6:14b)
- Circumcision To No Avail (Gal 6:15a)
- A New Creature (Gal 6:15b)
In each of these devotionals our prevailing topic will be the sufficiency of Christ and the insufficiency of man to bring about the transformation of an individual’s life.
TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL:
Galatians 6:14a “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ”.
Please keep in mind, the main theme of this section of Scripture involves answering the question, who is to be given the credit for a life that has been transformed from guilt and the slavery of sin, to forgiveness and service to Christ.
Keeping this in mind our look at this text begins with:
“But God forbid that I should glory”
In this text, the word translated “forbid” simply means “to not begin”; while the word translated “glory” means “to boast” or “to exalt”.
Paul tells us that God does not want us to begin to boast about possessing a changed life if our boasting points to anyone, or anything other than…
“save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ”
…the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Jesus Christ and His work on the cross, is the only source of a truly transformed life.
Summary Of Our Study
Folks, if the Lord’s saving grace has been shown to us, we cannot take any of the credit for that change. No matter how much willpower we may have, no matter how great an inward desire for change we may possess, apart from the intervention of the Lord in our life, all our efforts for genuine change is to no avail.
Without Christ, we are much like the leopard, or the Ethiopian that, try as they might, they can never bring about true, lasting change in their lives…
Jeremiah 13:23 KJV – “Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.”
If we are saved, we can look back over our lives and see a distinct, lasting, change that has taken place in our life. Our greatest need is to recognize that this change has only come to pass through the gracious work of Christ which was applied to our lives through His personal intervention.
Once we recognize His indispensable role in our lives, may we praise and honor Him as the Great Redeemer, as the Poet who has brought into existence the wonderful poem that makes up our lives….
“For we are his workmanship (“poem”), created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
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Settled In Heaven Blog 
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging and commented:
Thanks Rob; great stuff!
Thanks for the kind words and reblog Vincent. You are a blessing.
You’re very welcome Rob and likewise my friend!
Great blog!
Thank you for the kind words April. The Lord is good! Lord bless you.
All credit goes to God and His Son Jesus Christ! This reminds me of 1 Corinthians 1:26-29: “26 For [r]consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to [s]the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 28 and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, 29 so that no [t]man may boast before God.”
That’s a great verse SJ. Thanks for sharing it… what wonderful truths!
Powerful! Thank you.
Yep it is a wonderful text for us all! Lord bless you Sheila!