Justification by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone means Boasting in the Cross alone. To understand this is to understand Galatians and the gospel. Paul closes out with 3 headings: 1. The Authority of the Letter. (11) 2. The Offense of the Cross. (12-13) 3. Boasting in the Cross. (14-16) I. The Authority of the Letter, v.11. In v.11, Paul restates his authority for writing such a letter. This was not a letter written by an imposter — it was written by his own hand. This was not a matter that should be up for debate within the Galatian church — “see” he says…Look, put your eyes on the letter and be aware that Paul himself has written it! Paul would often dictate to a scribe who penned the physical letters. Here, he seems to end by picking up the pen himself and writing out the last paragraph. There are many theories as to Paul’s meaning of “large letters”: The simplest is that since Damascus he’d suffered with an eye issue, thus to see it he wrote large. Or, given the physical abuse he’d taken over the years, either his eyesight or hands were the cause of large writing. Either way, the “large letters” in this instance served a purpose. The reader of the letter to the church, would be able to show a group the large writing. They could literally “see” Paul’s note in conclusion. Some take Paul to be meaning “lengthy” letters. This could not be the case with Galatians. Further, the greek from which we derive “letter” refers to alphabet, grammar, not a note. Before we get lost in these weeds, be sure you catch Paul’s greater purpose in this verse. He wrote this with his own hand. They could look and see so. There should be no dispute among them about what he has been “Holy Spirit” inspired to teach them up against the judaizers. This is a statement of the authority of the letter. II. The Offense of the Cross, v.12-13. Those trying to convince you to be circumcised have poor motives. They were motivated by the flesh. (12a) They feared persecution. (12b) They were not themselves keeping the law. (13a) They pushed this 1 thing, out of selfish pride and ambition. (13b) All of this dresses up better than the truth of the gospel. We were hopelessly dead in our sin. God the Son, Jesus came and though He lived sinless, the religious of the day crucified Him (for God’s sake). Crucified — He was beaten to a bloody pulp, beyond recognition, mocked, tortured, and hung on a cross in view of all to die. He died, but rose again, and by His death and resurrection we have forgiveness of sin and hope of our own future resurrection. Still, those then (like us now) preferred to focus on the works of the flesh and boast there, and avoid the truth of the gospel! Of all that Paul points out, the fear of persecution because of the cross is the most striking. Isn’t the cross the very symbol of our salvation? Shouldn’t that be what compels us along in the Christian life and fulfillment of the Great commission? The cross offends, because it points out the necessity of a divine death as the only solution to the sin of man. Boice says, “To have the cross is to have three disquieting and humiliating doctrines: (1) man is a sinner; (2) his sin brings him under the curse of God, which curse Christ bore; and (3) nothing man can do can earn salvation, for if this were possible, the cross would have been unnecessary.” These doctrines humble us. Consequently, humans hate the cross and actively persecute those who proclaim it. “People find it insulting to be told that they are too weak and sinful to do anything to contribute to their salvation.” (Keller) The gospel is offensive to liberal-minded people, who charge the gospel with intolerance, because it states that the only way to be saved is through the cross. The gospel is offensive to conservative-minded people, because it states that, without the cross, “good” people are in as much trouble as “bad” people. Ultimately, the gospel is offensive because the cross stands against all schemes of self-salvation. The world appreciates “religion” and “morality” in general. The world thinks that moral religion is a good thing for society. But the world is offended by the cross. So people who love the cross are “persecuted”. (Keller) III. Boasting in the Cross, v.14-16. How could Paul boast in anything else? (14) It is only through the cross of Christ that the world is dead to Paul. It has lost the appeal, the luster, that it once had. It is only through the cross that Paul could die to the world! How else could he put eternal things before the temporal? How could he commit his entire life to spreading the good news? How could he give up such potential given his resume? (Riches, power, influence, affluence, etc.) Having come to know the truth of the cross, not religion, Paul’s answer was simple — God forbid I boast in anything else! Only in Christ are we made new. (15) It is not circumcision that made him a new creature (new creation). It is not uncircumcision (no Jew/Gentile thing). It is through the work of Christ on the cross that we can become made new! You must be born again! Peace and Mercy comes to those who follow this “rule”. (16) Rule = canon (greek, assignment, formulation). Often used to refer the completed Word of God, the Bible. Not Paul’s use here, but it fits. For Paul’s use, “canon” or rule would be the truth of the gospel (that formulation, that “assignment”). “Canon” is a standard against which other things can be be evaluated. A basis of comparison. A reference point. In regards to my eternal standing for God, I only want absolute truth as this standard. Thank God for His Word, especially the good news! As for v.16, “This statement makes three points: (1) the peace and mercy of God are given only to those who adhere to this gospel; (2) all who believe the gospel, so it is implied, have an obligation to continue walking in it; and (3) these, and these only, are the true Israel.” (Boice) The cross created a new nation, “the Israel of God” (Gal. 6:16). This is one of many names for the church found in the New Testament. Jesus said to the Jewish leaders, “The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof” (Matt. 21:43). Peter identifies that nation as the family of God: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation” (1 Peter 2:9). This does not mean that the church has permanently replaced the nation of Israel in the program of God. But, the church is “the people of God” on earth today just as Israel was in centuries past. Can you sense Paul’s rebuke to here to the Judaizers? They wanted to take the church back into Old Testament Law, when that Law could not even be kept by the nation of Israel! That nation was set aside to make way for God’s new people, the church! Believers today are “Abraham’s seed” through faith in Jesus Christ (Gal. 4:28–29). We have experienced a circumcision of the heart that is far more effective than physical circumcision (Rom. 2:29; Phil. 3:3; Col. 2:11). For this reason, neither circumcision nor the lack of it is of any consequence to God (Gal. 6:15; see also Gal. 5:6). Conclusion: Paul concludes fully in vv.17-18: v.17 - it is not man with which Christians should be bothered. (17) Paul associated the physical scars of his persecution for preaching the cross of Christ with the marks a slave would receive in “branding”. There was no need for any other outer show, his Master was gracious. And though, the world around hated it, and beat Paul for Him, Jesus’ grace was sufficient for him! (2 Cor. 12:9-10) v.18 is Paul’s benediction. Sproul notes this is, “A fitting conclusion to the letter in which Paul is most intensely concerned with God’s grace. The benediction summarizes Paul’s hope that among the Galatians the gospel of God’s grace will triumph.” How can we live out the grace by which we’ve been saved? It is not through legalism. It is not by attaching the fulfilled Old Covenant to the freely given New. It is by grace and grace alone that we live fulfilling Christian lives as more than conquerers. We continue by grace, not by anything we do. This gospel of grace is what the Galatians need to know, and love, in “their spirit”. It is not a set of abstract truths. It is a way of life, of deeply fulfilling, secure life now, and of eternal life to come. (Keller) Boast in the Cross! “Those who boast in the cross put all their confidence in what Christ has done for them. They acknowledge that salvation is wholly of the Lord.” (Schreiner) The heart of your religion is what you boast in. What is the reason that you think you are in a right relationship with God? Religion leads us to boast in something about us. The gospel leads us to boast in the cross of Jesus.