Grace for the Journey - Galatians 6:6-18

A little bit far away, some of you are nice and close, but that's okay.

You're here, and I'm here, and it is so good to see you.

Some of you I haven't seen physically for a long time,

so it is good to see you in person.

Just to remind you this morning that as we gather, there are toilets.

If you can, if at all possible, just wait until the very end.

Ladies at the far door and men's through the double door.

When we leave this morning, we can leave either through the fire exit down there,

or the fire exit down here.

And our encouragement is to just congregate outside the door, just behind that wall.

There's a nice green area outdoors.

We can catch up, we can chat, find out how each other is doing, and encourage one another.

I'm not sure if the coffee guy is there this morning.

There was a coffee seller there last week.

So you can even do him a good turn and buy yourself a cup of coffee and chat with people.

So my encouragement as we begin is to turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 1.

1 Corinthians 1 · chapter mention

1 Corinthians chapter 1.

1 Corinthians 1 · chapter mention

So this is just going to be helpful for us as we set our theme and our focus this morning.

So 1 Corinthians chapter 1.

1 Corinthians 1 · chapter mention

What we're going to do is I'm going to read some verses,

and then we're going to play a song which the words you will see on the screen,

and the encouragement is just to listen to the song, reflect on the words and meditate.

We're not going to be singing this morning,

but just to use those words to help us focus our hearts and our minds upon the Lord Jesus.

So 1 Corinthians chapter 1 and verse 26.

1 Corinthians 1 · chapter mention

So our question this morning as we gather is,

what are you boasting in?

Where's your confidence and where's your assurance?

Verse 26.

Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called.

So it's saying think about what you were before Christ enabled you

to turn to him in faith and repentance.

Well, not many of you were wise by human standards.

Not many were influential.

Not many were of noble birth.

We were just ordinary, everyday kind of people.

Verse 28.

But God chose the lowly things of this world

and the despised things and the things that are not

to nullify the things that are

so that no one may boast before him.

Verse 31.

Therefore, as it is written,

let the one who boasts,

boast in the Lord.

It's not about us today.

It never is.

It's all about the Lord Jesus Christ,

his death for us,

his resurrection from the grave,

defeating death,

giving us a new life,

a new creation,

and a new eternal destiny in his kingdom.

We gather together today

because the Lord Jesus has enabled us to do so.

And we boast in him

that joyful confidence

in all that Christ is.

So, we're going to play a song now.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus.

Let's use this song.

Meditate on the words.

Think about it.

Reflect.

As we focus our minds and our hearts to him.

Amen.

Amen.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus.

Look full in his wonderful face.

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of his glory and grace.

Turn your eyes to the hillside

Where justice and mercy embrace

There the Son of God gave his life for us

And our measureless death was erased

Jesus, to you we lift our eyes

Jesus, our glory and our prize

We adore you, behold you

Our Savior ever true

Oh, Jesus, we turn our eyes to you

Turn your eyes to the morning

Turn your eyes to the morning

And see Christ the lion away

What a glorious dawn

What a glorious dawn

Fear our death is gone

For we carry his life in our veins

Jesus, to you we lift our

Jesus, to you we lift our eyes

We adore you, behold you, our Savior ever true.

Oh Jesus, we turn our eyes to you.

Oh Jesus, we turn our eyes to you.

Oh Jesus, we turn our eyes to you.

Oh Jesus, to you we lift our eyes.

Jesus, our glory and our prize.

We adore you, behold you, our Savior ever true.

Oh Jesus, we turn our eyes to you.

Oh Jesus, we turn our eyes to you.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Let's pray together.

Father, as we gather together as your people today,

we want to turn away from all pride,

from all notions of self.

And we look afresh as we have just been reflecting and meditating upon the Lord Jesus.

We thank you that because of him, we can come to you as our Father.

We can gather together as your people, united together through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thank you that in him, because of his death for us, our sin is dealt with.

All our past, all our guilt and shame, all our concerns for the future,

everything has been paid for and dealt with once and for all.

There is nothing left for us to do except to boast in the Lord Jesus Christ,

to say thank you for his work on our behalf,

living the perfect life for us,

dying our death for us,

rising again from the grave,

ensuring our eternal destiny is secure.

that eternal kingdom, the new heavens and the new earth,

where everything will be put right.

Father, we thank you so much for all that you have done for us in Christ today.

And we ask that as we humbly turn from ourselves and turn to you,

that you would pour out your Holy Spirit upon each one of us today.

that you would speak to us afresh through the words we hear as we read,

as we listen,

and as later we reflect and think upon the Lord's death for us as we celebrate the Lord's Supper.

That you would use all of these things,

engage all of our senses,

so that we may understand better

who you are,

what you have done,

and what it means to follow you.

Father, we are grateful,

we are thankful

for you today.

Thankful for one another,

for our brothers and sisters in Christ.

So help us today.

We pray for those of our church family who can't be with us.

Father, encourage them as they later listen to the recording of this gathering,

that they would be blessed,

and they would be built up,

and in no sense, Father,

will they feel distant,

but be part of your church family today.

Father, we pray that you would help us as a church

to love one another well in these days.

to find good ways to encourage and to support.

We thank you, Father,

for the love that is shown.

We thank you for the way in which people

are encouraging

and looking out for each other.

And we pray that this will continue

in greater measure

as we spur one another on

to love

and good deeds.

So we thank you

for today.

Thank you for your blessings.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

Well, the children are going to leave

in just a minute

for those who are going to Sunday school.

Before you do,

what you're going to do is

you're going to just move

to the nearest blue area

and then you're just going to walk

nice and slowly

round to the back

and to the door

where you will go

to Sunday school.

But before you go,

just a reminder at the end

so that the children can come out

if the ladies are needing the loo.

If you could just hold on

for a minute more

and let the children out

and then you can use the loos

if you need to.

And we're going to pray for you now

for the little ones.

So let's pray for them

as they go to their class.

Let's do that now.

Our Father God,

we thank you again

for the family of your church,

for your people gathered here today.

We pray for the little ones amongst us.

We know it's been a hard time

and a difficult number of weeks

and months missing friends,

missing being able to go out

and see people and play.

That's been hard.

And so we pray today

that you would encourage them

to see that in you, Father,

you are unchanging.

You are always with us.

No matter what we may go through,

no matter what we feel in our hearts,

even the things we can't explain

or understand,

you know and you understand.

and you give us the help

that we need

because you are a big,

great and mighty God.

I pray that you would help the children

as they go to their class,

that they'll listen well

and that they will hear great truths

about the Lord Jesus

and that it will encourage them

to fix their eyes,

their minds and their hearts

upon him today.

So bless them as they go

and bless us

as we remain here.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

Okay, children,

so just to one side

and then Cherry will be

helping you out.

So as they do that,

let me encourage you please

to turn to Galatians chapter 6

Galatians 6 · chapter mention

in our Bibles.

Galatians chapter 6.

Galatians 6 · chapter mention

We're going to read God's word

before Ralph comes and speaks.

So Galatians chapter 6.

Galatians 6 · chapter mention

Verse 6 to the end of the chapter.

So you've been following online.

We've been working our way

through this great letter

to the Galatians

and we come to the end,

to a conclusion

and Ralph is going to wrap

everything up for us.

Going to teach us this morning.

So we're going to read

and then hand over to Ralph.

So let's hear God's word to us

this morning.

Galatians 6 starting at verse 6.

Nevertheless,

the one who receives instruction

in the word

should share all good things

with their instructor.

Do not be deceived.

God cannot be mocked.

A man reaps what he sows.

Whoever sows to please their flesh

from the flesh

will reap destruction.

Whoever sows to please the spirit

from the spirit

will reap eternal life.

Let us not become weary

in doing good

for at the proper time

we will reap a harvest

if we do not give up.

Therefore,

as we have opportunity,

let us do good

to all people,

especially

to those who belong

to the family

of believers.

see what large letters

I use

as I write with you

with my own hand.

Those who want

to impress people

by means of the flesh

are trying to compel you

to be circumcised.

The only reason

they do this

is to avoid

being persecuted

for the cross of Christ.

Not even those

who are circumcised

keep the law.

Yet they want you

to be circumcised

that they may boast

about your circumcision

in the flesh.

May I never boast

except in the cross

of our Lord Jesus Christ

through which

the world

has been crucified

to me

and I to the world.

Neither circumcision

nor uncircumcision

means anything.

What counts

is the new creation.

Peace

and mercy

to all

who follow this rule

to 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 and sisters.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Thank you Johnny.

It is good to

be back with you

all this morning.

We had a good run

in the book room

at our house

for a few months

joining my

to the church.

But it's much better

with all of you.

I can tell you that.

No offense Johnny.

I'm just going to turn

to the book of Galatians

myself here.

Galatians chapter 6

Galatians 6 · chapter mention

and just make sure the...

Nope.

Sorry, I can't see what's...

I'm going the wrong way, aren't I?

That's right, isn't it?

Yeah, okay, thank you.

So just as we begin, I'm just going to ask for the Lord's help

and the enabling of the Spirit this morning.

Our Heavenly Father, we thank you that we are gathered here this morning

as your people, the Israel of God,

those who come to worship you,

those who love you,

because we have been loved by you.

We are the new creation.

And so, Lord, we ask for your help now

that we would hear from your word,

that your Spirit would be at work in our hearts.

And, Father, give me strength for the task at hand.

Amen.

Amen.

Oops.

I'm still going the wrong way, aren't I?

Okay.

A large-scale public health crisis

reveals much about a culture and a society.

We like to imagine all things about Ireland and being Irish,

but when pressure is applied to everyone

and to everything at once,

cracks can begin to appear.

Our now former teacher,

Leo Varadkar,

in one of his many speeches,

he said these words,

good words,

I believe we need to maintain social solidarity,

unity,

and a sense of community in this time of trial.

And on the other hand,

he was ready to enact draconian laws

to lock us all down,

stop us in our cars,

curtail our freedom to meet people.

The call to solidarity

and community on one hand,

the power of the state

and of the law in the other.

And I wonder,

which one does Leo really think

if either of them gets a country through a pandemic?

Why the need for both solidarity

and the force of the law?

Why both?

Well, there's no guarantees over the long term

about countries.

We know that kingdoms and countries rise and fall,

pandemics, wars, upheavals,

natural disasters have wiped out

and dismantled countless empires,

let alone think about little, little Ireland,

just a hundred years old.

Communities and societies that seem to us invincible,

think of the Soviet Union,

can fall away very rapidly.

Communities can just collapse.

We find the church community

under the same external pressures

that our country is under.

Our society, our way of life

as the Christian community

goes back 2,000 years to Jesus Christ.

And even further,

when we consider the beginning of humanity,

there has always been the people of God,

those who worship God,

those who love God,

those who are called by God.

So the church,

God's people,

is an enduring community,

surviving and growing

over thousands of years.

So what is it that will keep

this church going?

Or what is it that will keep the church going?

Do we need Leo's playbook?

The call for community in one hand

with the law book in the other,

and we just, you know,

a little,

Christian life is really need

a little bit from like column A

and a little bit from column B

and you mix them together

and that's how you keep

the community going.

That's how you keep the lights on.

I'm going to have to remember,

I'm going to do really bad on the slides.

Two paths.

Well, there are indeed two paths

for church communities to walk.

Two ways to try and keep it all together.

And we see that in this passage.

Paul has pleaded at each step

through this letter to the Galatians

that we follow the means of grace.

Follow the means of grace

to keep the church community,

to keep us on the path,

to keep us on the journey.

Follow the means of grace,

which he calls in some places

the means of the Spirit

or the way of the Spirit

or living by the Spirit.

The same thing.

Grace and Spirit go together

from start to finish.

The other path

is the means of law-keeping

to impress others,

which is the same as the means

of the flesh.

So law-keeping to impress others

and the flesh

or we have the means of grace,

which is the means of the Spirit

and life by the Spirit.

And Paul talks in this section

about sowing and reaping

to make the differences

really clear for us.

So let's look again

at the passage in verse 7.

Do not be deceived.

God cannot be mocked.

A man reaps what he sows.

Whoever sows to please their flesh,

from the flesh will reap destruction.

Whoever sows to please the Spirit,

from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

We all have two ways to live,

two ways to sow,

and two ways to reap.

We all have fundamental commitments

in our lives.

And those fundamental commitments

are either, Paul says,

ultimately to the flesh

or ultimately to the Spirit.

What we sow to

is what we will reap from.

And as the church community,

as the church,

our commitment must be

to grace

and to the Spirit

on our journey together.

Look back, as I said,

this is all through the book

and as we finish Galatians,

it's good to see that thread

that runs all through.

If you turn back with me

to chapter 3 and verse 3.

Galatians chapter 3 and verse 3.

Galatians 3 · chapter mention

Paul, speaking to the church

and maybe rightly frustrated,

he says,

are you so foolish?

After beginning by means of the Spirit,

are you now trying to finish

by means of the flesh?

You've started with the Spirit

and now you're trying to finish

with the flesh.

Or turn over the page

to chapter 5 and verse 7.

This is how he describes

what was happening.

You were running a good race.

You were running a good race.

Who cut in

to keep you from obeying the truth?

Verse 16 in the same chapter,

chapter 5.

So I say,

live by the Spirit.

Live by the Spirit

and you will not gratify

the desires of the flesh.

And again we come to chapter 6.

verses 7 and 8.

Do not be deceived.

God cannot be mocked.

A man reaps what he sows.

Whoever sows to please their flesh,

from the flesh will reap destruction.

Whoever sows to please the Spirit,

from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

Do not be deceived.

God cannot be mocked.

We are all investing

all the time.

We are all sowing

all the time.

And we sow with our time

somewhere.

What we do with our time,

what we're sowing that

somewhere.

We plant our hours

and our days

as we walk

through this life

into what we value.

From cradle to the grave,

we're making those decisions

all the time

with our time.

We're sowing it somewhere.

And we're sowing our money

and our finances

and our gifts

to something.

We're buying the things

that please us.

We are sowing

and we are reaping.

We are sowing

and we are reaping.

We are sowing

and we are reaping.

To something

or somewhere.

to either the flesh

or to the spirit.

To either self

or Christ.

Listen again

to the two paths.

Whoever sows

to please

their flesh

from the flesh

will reap destruction.

Whoever sows

to please the spirit

from the spirit

will reap eternal life.

And so

when the pressure

comes on

as it has done

in these past months

we are

revealing

our heart

commitments

to God.

And we're revealing

them to one another

in this community.

And we're revealing

them to a watching

world.

And God

cannot be mocked.

There's a

givenness.

That's what that means.

There's a givenness

to the way

God's world

works.

Even with all

of the sin

and anti-God

things

there's still

a givenness

to how the world

works.

Because

as you sow

you will reap.

There is a

cause

and an effect

element.

Our sowing

and our reaping

will show us

where our hearts

lie

and the path

that we are on.

Firstly

the path

of the flesh

says

whoever sows

to please

their flesh

from the flesh

will reap

destruction.

Now the word

flesh

is a very

flexible word

in the Bible.

I don't know

how many times

you come across

and you're like

ah what does it

mean here?

Well just to explain

flesh can literally

mean skin

and bones

you know

just literally

as we think

of the flesh

or the meat

almost

the body.

It's also

sometimes used

as a way

of saying

that someone

is a human

being

they're of

the flesh

the flesh

of Adam

they're a human.

It can also

be used

to refer

to the part

of us

as Christians

that is prone

to still sin

so we can talk

about battling

the flesh

as a believer.

And so we need

to look

very carefully

when we see

the word flesh

to try and

understand

from how

it's used

in context

to what it

means.

And here

I think

it's primarily

it's being used

in another way.

I think the

best way

to understand

flesh here

is an

individual's

settled

opposition

to the

way of

Christ

as they

live for

themselves.

An

individual's

settled

opposition

to the

way of

Christ

as they

live

for

themselves.

Because

Paul is

drawing a

very strong

distinction

isn't he

between

sowing to

the flesh

and reaping

destruction

or sowing

to the

spirit

and reaping

eternal

life.

It's

flesh

versus

spirit

is

really

self

versus

God.

And

Paul

spells

out

what

flesh

living

looks

like

in

the

church

in

verse

12

and

13.

Those

who

want

to

impress

people

by means

of the

flesh

are

trying

to

compel

you

to

be

circumcised.

The

only

reason

they

do

this

is

to

avoid

being

persecuted

for

the

cross

of

Christ.

Not

even

those

who

are

circumcised

keep

the

law.

Yet

they

want

you

to

be

circumcised

that

they

may

boast

about

your

circumcision

in

the

flesh.

The

path

of

flesh

is

the

path

of

impressing

others.

People

are

big

and

God

is

quite

small.

On

the

path

of

the

flesh

what

others

think

is

our

first

thought

of

any

sign

of

controversy

or

pressure.

Verse

12

we see

that in

the

church

in

Galatia

what

this

looked

like

because

you

could

impress

others

by

compelling

people

to be

circumcised.

Joe

over

there

never

been

circumcised

calls

himself

a

Christian

comes

every

Sunday

but

he's

never

had

the

snip.

I'm

not

impressed

with

Joe

really

doesn't

seem

to

live

for

Jesus

completely

avoids

the

topic

of

circumcision

when

he

comes

up

not

even

sure

he's

a

Christian

or

a

believer

really

he

really

doesn't

get

it

does

he

do

you

know

what

we

really

should

set

up

a

Bible

study

series

again

on

circumcision

and

make

sure

somewhat

ridiculous

doesn't

it

to

our

ears

in

these

days

thinking

about

circumcision

like

this

because

as far

as I

know

no one

here

is

insisting

that

all the

men

need

to be

circumcised

in order

to say

that

we're

a

faithful

church

but

we

each

have

things

that

we

insist

on

we

each

have

things

that

we

insist

on

Sheila

Sheila

doesn't

give

10%

of her

income

to the

church

a

little

bird

he

told

me

it's

in

the

Bible

you

know

it's

in

the

Bible

can't

believe

she's

not

doing

it

I

mean

what's

she

playing

at

the

rest

of

us

have

to

carry

the

burden

it's

a

disgrace

if I'm

honest

quite

selfish

really

brings

her

whole

church

down

and I

can't

even

be

convinced

or

sure

that

she's

a

Christian

when

she

doesn't

do

that

I'm

going

to

have

to

bring

it

up

so

that

we

can

bring

her

in

line

with

church

practice

outside

pressure

can

come

on

churches

to

conform

to

avoid

persecution

and

improve

our

standing

with

the

world

and

the

community

outside

we

shift

whole

churches

and

denominations

can

compromise

on the

Bible's

teaching

Julie

still

thinks

women

shouldn't

have

the

right

to

choose

well

I'm

glad

our

church

came

out

in

support

of

the

abortion

referendum

if

Jesus

was

here

today

he'd

campaign

for

it

he'd

campaign

for

the

very

same

very

sad

that

Julie

is

arguing

on

this

doesn't

she

know

that

churches

change

over

time

we

gave

up

slavery

nobody

argues

on

that

anymore

we've

caught

up

on

this

whole

women's

rights

thing

finally

but not

Julie

still

insists

that

abortion

is

wrong

and

both

these

examples

of

insisting

on

say

an

internal

matter

like

tithing

within

the

church

or

insisting

that

we

move

our

views

and

say

that

killing

the

unborn

is

right

they're

both

ultimately

a form

of

people

pleasing

whether

it's

inside

or

outside

the

church

people

are

big

in

our

view

what

they

think

ultimately

matters

but as

it says

here

verse

13

it's

a

fool's

errand

to

chase

popular

opinion

like

this

not

even

those

who

are

circumcised

keep

the

law

yet

they

want

you

to

be

circumcised

that

they

may

boast

about

your

circumcision

in

the

flesh

people

pleasing

becomes

hypocrisy

whether

that's

the

internal

church

law

keeping

or

conformity

to the

world

there's

there's

no

end

to

either

on this

path

of the

flesh

because

we will

inevitably

fail

to keep

somebody's

rules

and there's

no grace

there is

no grace

with

there is

only

people

pleasing

and

law

keeping

there is

no grace

to be

found

when you

finally

fail

what do

you seek

to enforce

and this

is

this is

speaking

to me

what is

it that

you seek

to enforce

on others

in the

church

this past

week

talking about

your brother

or your

sister

your

Christian

brother

or sister

in the

privacy

of your

own

home

what do

you say

if only

they

and fill

in your

blank

what did

you

criticize

them for

this week

thinking

not very

Christian

not a

good example

not a

good witness

and we

may even

rightly

perceive

some

sin

tendency

in what

we're

saying

as Sam

reminded us

so well

last week

but we

fail

don't we

into that

temptation

from those

verses

that temptation

to impress

others

with our

own

self-appointed

idea of

how

everyone

should be

more like

me

watch out

watch out

don't

don't boast

as it says

here

don't

don't

don't boast

in your

victory

to make

a fellow

sister

a fellow

brother

in a church

family

be like

you

you're not

impressing

God

you're

impressing

yourself

and others

we

fail to

even

keep

all of

our

own

appointed

laws

don't

rejoice

when you

compel

others

to be

like

you

Paul

tells us

where this

leads

back in

verse 8

whoever

sows to

please

their flesh

from the

flesh

will reap

destruction

sow

your

energy

time

and money

to this

Paul

says

and you

will reap

destruction

in the

church

family

and are

in danger

yourself

of being

on the

path

to your

own

destruction

please

pray

for

your

leaders

in this

please

we seek

to walk

and sow

in the

spirit

yet we

fail

at times

as elders

as deacons

as fellow

sisters

and brothers

among

you

our

position

is

perilous

apart

from coming

each day

and each

moment

to Christ

because we

are

definitely

tempted

to confuse

our own

standards

for those

of Christ

himself

as we

meet

and as we

discuss

and as we

disagree

and as we

come to

agreement

and we

seek to

lead

I know

that I

am tempted

to use

the tools

of this

world

the means

of the

flesh

to bring

about my

desired

outcome

I

super

spiritualize

my

preferences

and say

you know

if only

if only

it was like

this I

think it

would be a

better

witness

if only

it was

like

this I

think

it would

be better

for the

church

and be

more

Christian

pray

that as

leaders

we would

seek to

conform

people

to the

image

of

Christ

and stay

far away

from compelling

others

to fit

into our

own

mold

what

hope

what

what

hope

well

Galatians

Galatians 1:13

chapter 1

verse 13

I think is a

reminder to

the hope

that we

have

Galatians

Galatians 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1

and verse 13

Paul very

early on in

the book

speaks of

his own

hope

for you have

heard of my

previous way of

life in

Judaism

how intensely

I persecuted

the church of

God and tried

to destroy it

I was advancing

in Judaism

beyond many of

my own age

among my

people and

was extremely

zealous for

traditions of

my father

possibly the

best three

verses in

the whole

book

but

when

God

but

when

God

it's

Paul's

testimony

but

when

God

God

intervened

he showed

Paul that

the cross

of Jesus

Christ

he showed

him that

the cross

of Jesus

Christ

crucifixion

of self

crucifixion

of self

not

circumcision

of the

outward

flesh

but

crucifixion

of self

was what

really

mattered

what really

counted

and so

we can

go back

to

Galatians

6

and verse

14

and Paul

says

may I

never

boast

except

in the

cross

of our

Lord

Jesus

Christ

through

which

the world

has been

crucified

to me

and I

to the

world

that's

the key

that's

the key

but when

God

showed

us

the cross

of Jesus

the gospel

begins

and it

centers

and it

ends

on our

Lord

Jesus

Christ

and at

the cross

we find

him to

be

our

Lord

and

Savior

the world

Paul told

us earlier

is made

up of the

weak and

miserable

forces and

principles

the idea

of living

to self

insisting

we are

right

impressing

others

boasting

in our

victories

over

others

that's

the world

and it's

miserable

and weak

principles

there's only

one solution

and it's

at the

cross

put

to death

the world

and the

flesh

we must

die to

those

principles

of the

world

and the

world

must die

to us

not

death

for the

sake

of

death

but

death

so that

we may

be

reborn

verse

15

you see

neither

circumcision

nor

uncircumcision

means

anything

what counts

is the

new

creation

oh

what

what

glory

it is

only of

the

Lord's

design

and good

purposes

that

we come

to the

cross

and we

think of

the cross

we

die

at the

cross

in sin

and self

and we

are

raised

to

righteousness

we're

born

again

by the

spirit

of

God

we

give up

one

path

sowing

to the

flesh

and we

embrace

another

path

sowing

to the

spirit

and it's

crucifixion

it's not

it's not

circumcision

and rule

keeping

or

uncircumcision

and looking

to the

world

but

crucifixion

that brings

about a

new

creation

why the