The Cross

The Debt of Sin is Paid

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The King Paid the Debt of Sin

Book of Matthew Chapter 27 Verses 26-31, 39-44, 46-50

Just so we know, for Jesus Christ to be crucified, He was nailed to the cross as it lay flat on the ground.

Each hand was extended, and stretched as far as they could be stretched.

Both feet were pulled together and stretched and one nail through both feet.

The cross was then raised up and thrust into the hole that was prepared with a violent shock, with the intent of causing the joints of the body to become dislocated.

The whole weight of the body hung upon those three nails.

The pain was tremendous and lasted until death, which in most cases was not very long.

In mockery, a mixture of true wine and gall was offered to help with the pain, but the death was real.

This type of punishment was used only by the Romans, and only upon slaves and the vilest of criminals!

The Lord Jesus Christ was tried for treason against the Roman government, and even Pilate knew He was innocent of this crime.

Barabbas was found to be guilty of sedition and murder and kept in prison to be crucified on the day that Jesus took his place.

A great lesson it itself and a great type in the Bible.

The Lord Jesus Christ died for the vilest of sinners!

The guilty was set free, while the innocent was slaughtered upon a cruel Roman cross.

*Mat 27:26 Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

Barabbas was guilty of all charges brought against him and was guilty of much more that was not known.

The purpose of the scourge was to weaken the body of that person, who would then be crucified so that they would not live through the next day.

In fact, hundreds of them did not live through the scourging.

The Roman scourge was not an ordinary whip, but had at least eight leather thongs added to it and they loaded with lead and armed with sharp bones and spikes.

Every blow cut deeply into the flesh causing intense pain.

Our Savior was stripped of His clothes and wrapped around a pillar and His back suffered tremendously.

Isa 50:5 The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.
Isa 50:6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
Isa 50:7 For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.
Isa 50:8 He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.
Isa 50:9 Behold, the Lord GOD will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.

It is after this that the soldiers took Jesus into their own common hall and mocked Him.

*Mat 27:27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers.
Mat 27:28 And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.

We now see Our Lord Jesus in the hands of cruel wicked Roman soldiers.

We see Satanic hatred of the Messiah.

Scarlet colored robes were worn by superior officers and this robe may even have been a worn by Pilate.

Such a robe would have been cherished by his private guards.

After these Roman soldiers had their mockery of the Lord Jesus Christ, He was sent to Herod where Herod’s soldiers would not be out done by the Roman soldiers.

Here the Lord wore a purple robe. Those in power of the Jews and their soldiers clothing had to be distinguishable so there would be no confusion of the people.

Then Herod’s soldiers place on our Lord Jesus a purple robe of the type kings wore.

Luk 23:11 And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate.

Joh 19:5 Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!

The robes of Christ Jesus are a great Bible study!

Add this one:

Rev 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

Rev 19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

This is the robe our Lord Jesus will wear when He returns to “Judge” this world!

Just a robe was not enough to satisfy these wicked Satan inspired men.

*Mat 27:29 And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!
Mat 27:30 And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.
Mat 27:31 And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.

Mockery is a shameful act for anyone to take part in.

The Lord Jesus had already said he had not come to be the King of this world and at this time He was certainly no rival to Caesar as these things are still in our future.

A crown of thorns was a painful thing, but we can be aware that when the Lord Jesus sees us now, He sees us through the blood that poured from His head down to His eyes.

Heb_9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

When the Lord Jesus Christ returns, He will be much more than just King of the Jews!

Then these cruel men took it upon themselves to beat the Lord Jesus on His face and spit upon Him.

To a Jew being spit upon was a matter of great reproach.

This gives us an idea of how the Roman government felt about the Jews and much of the world today still feel this way.

Our Lord Jesus never said a word.

Isa 50:6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

It was only after all these things that our Lord Jesus was sent to that cruel cross.

*Mat 27:39 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,
Mat 27:40 And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

You know, the mockery of the Lord Jesus Christ did not cease at His death, it is alive and well today.

Today you cannot bash the so-called transgender people.
You cannot bash the so-called gay movement.
You cannot bash the BLM movement.
You cannot bash Antifa.
You cannot bash the abortion industry.
But the bashing of the Christian is allowed and even encouraged!

So be it, bash me if you will, just remember the Word of God is the truth and the truth will always be the truth!

Prophecy reads:

Psa 22:6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
Psa 22:7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,

Golgotha was near a road that saw much traffic, and passersby were numerous without counting those who just wanted to see our Lord suffer.

The fact remains that most of those who passed by did not know why the Lord Jesus Christ was even crucified, and just trusted the government that He was guilty of something when He was totally innocent.

We cannot always trust what our government is doing to be the right thing to do, especially today!

We can trust that all those mocked the Lord are now wishing they had not!

Psa 109:25 I became also a reproach unto them: when they looked upon me they shaked their heads.

As far as power goes, the Lord Jesus Christ could have saved Himself at any time.

As far as prophecy goes, the Lord Jesus Christ was committed to saving my soul and the soul of every believer.

Jesus Christ seemed to have failed in His mission.

Satan was feeling great confidence.

The Jews, the hypocritical religious leaders, were now confident they would keep Rome’s affection.

God was laughing at these foolish people.

The Lord Jesus Christ was carrying the sin of the world to Hell where it belonged, and Satan will one day soon join that sin and burn with it!

The Lord Jesus Christ claimed a great success!

His purpose for coming to this earth was being fulfilled and in about 40 days, the Church would be born with 11 disciples and 109 Jews who loved the Lord enough to serve Him.

The enemies of the Church mistook a minor victory, in their view, for a complete and total failure!

Jehovah God cannot be defeated!

You see the enemies of the Church were never satisfied with the death of Jesus Christ, they were filled with hatred and revenge and abuse, when true criminals were not even noticed.

We can see that these things have not changed today!

The Lord Jesus Christ had not claimed to be King, He will upon His return!

He did claimed to be the Son of God and He had proved that over and over again with the miracles and the other things He had accomplished and when He rose from the dead, He set this world on fire with the “gospel”!

Remember the Lord Jesus had fulfilled every prophecy that had been written of the Messiah up until the day of His death and He will fulfill all the Bible written about Him because all the Bible is written about our Messiah and King.

*Mat 27:41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,
Mat 27:42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.
Mat 27:43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.

First, we would think that men of such high office whether they be religious or government officials, would be above this sort of behavior, but it is not surprising as it still goes on today even more so.

Our own government leaders have sunk to new lows. It makes me wonder how in the world they were elected in the first place.

We must remember that being a part of the unbelieving crowd, they seem to lust after shameful things.

The Lord Jesus Christ is our Savior!
The Lord Jesus Christ will return as King of this world and even now is our Spiritual King!
The Lord Jesus Christ was that 100% Son of Man, and He did trust God perfectly!
The Lord Jesus Christ above all is the Son of God!

These foolish men could not humiliate the Lord Jesus, He had already accepted how He would be treated and asked our Heavenly Father to forgive them.

Luk_23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

It was God who hung upon that Cross and He had fulfilled what He came to do.

1Ti 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
1Ti 1:16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
1Ti 1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

The Lord Jesus Christ was all He claimed to be!

He was the Savior!
He was the King!
He was the Son of Man!
He is the Son of God!

All these who hated the Lord Jesus were just foolish men with no power at all.

They were just doing that the Lord knew they would do, just as today.

The rulers of this world are doing exactly what the Lord knew they would do.

In their ignorance they are doing what God expects them to do.

They only difference is that our Savior has given them all room to repent!

Joh 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

If the wicked men and women of this world think they are a challenge to the almighty God, they are thinking far above their knowledge and just fueled by Satan’s hatred!

If the Lord Jesus Christ had used the power that He did have to save Himself, we would still be lost in our sin!

“Elected officials who walk with the lawless and the wicked” just show that their morals are non-existent, and they are not worthy to hold public office.

This would also include religious officials who stand with those who oppose the Word of God. They are just servants of Satan!

The criminals on each side of the Lord joined in at this time, but one would repent later.

*Mat 27:44 The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

What we witness once a mob gets started, people will just join in not even understanding what is happening.

These two criminals had never met the Lord Jesus Christ until this moment when He was crucified with them.

Mat 27:38 Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.

One of those thieves realized that Christ Jesus was innocent.

Luk 23:39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
Luk 23:40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
Luk 23:41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.
Luk 23:42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
Luk 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

You see just realizing the truth of the Lord takes the pain of death away!

Without a Baptism and with a simple plea of faith this one thief became a saint of God!

As death came unto the Lord, even God’s creation began to mourn!

*Mat 27:45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.
Mat 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

We sometimes get confused with Jewish timekeeping, but it is really not that hard.

We what had the Lord said?

Joh 11:9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

Mat 20:3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
Mat 20:4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
Mat 20:5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.

The time of reckoning always began at six in the morning so to the Jew the seventh hour was then the first hour.

The sixth hour would then be noon.

When the Sun was the highest darkness came upon Jerusalem and the darkness remained until three o’clock in the afternoon.

This was a terrifying darkness not like a solar eclipse.

It was sudden and it was real!

Our Lord Jesus had taken all the darkness of sin upon Himself, and He would be the payment for all that sin as a Holy God required a blood sacrifice.

Heb_9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

It was at this point when our Savior cried out knowing that He had been forsaken for the first and the only time.

God’s only begotten Son, the Sovereign Lord of all beings, both visible and invisible was at the point of a real physical death!

Col 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Col 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Col 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

It is easy to say the Lord Jesus was bearing all our sins and the sin of all humanity, but He was also bearing the wrath of God that was against us!

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

You see this is the gift that we so easily take for granted!

Jesus Christ was dying my death and the death for all humanity! This is only affective for those who believe the Lord did this thing!

The Lord Jesus Christ was doing all that was necessary to free all humanity from the penalty of sin, the death of sin, and the judgment of sin so that we may live forever.

This is the free gift we have been given!

Rom 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
Rom 11:34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
Rom 11:35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
Rom 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

The Apostle Paul was a great preacher because he understood all these things and has passed this things on to us.

Those that stood by watching for His death never understood what the Word of God was teaching them.

*Mat 27:47 Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.
Mat 27:48 And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.

Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?

Psa 22:1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Again, we see that these who caused the Lord Jesus to be crucified, did not know the Scriptures.

All through His time upon this earth Jesus was called the son of David because, by inheritance Jesus was in-line to the throne of Judah.

Psalm 22 was a Psalm of David.

Almost every one of us have reached a point in our lives when we thought we were forsaken.

The Lord Jesus Christ was standing in His Father’s Judgment Seat and facing the wrath of God because He bore the sin of the world.

God, in the Hebrew, El, is pronounced Ale.

The Lord Jesus was definitely calling out to Jehovah God!

The Lord Jesus was not calling out to Elijah!

These people had their theology so messed up they had missed the Messiah.

Earlier the Lord Jesus was offered vinegar mixed with gall and He had refused to drink it.

Mat 27:34 They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.

At this time Jesus was offered vinegar.

Roman soldiers that travel from nation to nation could not take of the water from place to place no more than we can today until our bodies have had time to adjust.

Vinegar is the last stage of the grape juice when it is sour and when mixed with water it allowed the soldier to stay healthy without the effects of the water alone.

This time the Lord Jesus accepted this drink.

His task was over. He had given His life for my sin and for your sin!

*Mat 27:49 The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.
Mat 27:50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, “yielded up the ghost”.

“It was finished”

Mar 15:37 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and “gave up the ghost”.

Luk 23:46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost”.

Joh 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, “It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost”.

You can read all four of these Scriptures and you will see that this is something that we cannot do.

Oh, we can commit suicide, but we cannot give up our soul at death.

God takes our soul because it returns to Him to do with it as He pleases.

This is why it is so important to have our name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life!

The Lord Jesus Christ held the power to His own death.

Joh 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
Joh 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

This power only the Lord Jesus has!

Rev_3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Rev_20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Rev_22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

The Lord Jesus gave up His Spirit!

The Lord Jesus Christ willingly died for me and for you!

What did the Lord Jesus do after His death upon the Cross?

1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
1Pe 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

After His death.

Eph 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
Eph 4:9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
Eph 4:10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

The Lord Jesus Christ died so that we can live!

Amen

Glory In The Cross

/ Bobby Mayfield / 4 Comments

Glory In The Cross

Galatians 6:11-18

Crucifixion was the most painful and the most degrading form of capital punishment to have ever been used.

It is the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on Calvary’s Cross, that is governing principle of all our salvation!

It was the Cross by which Jesus became the atoning sacrifice for the sins of all mankind!

It is the Cross that is also become the symbol of the sacrifice of each of us in the service to Our Lord Jesus.

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Just as the Lord Jesus was a living sacrifice we must also become living sacrifices for our Lord!

It is the Cross that is the symbol of denying our own flesh and walking in God’s Holy Spirit!

Mar 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Mar 8:35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.
Mar 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

It is the Cross that is the symbol of our own salvation, so if we are to have any glory then let our own glory be in the Cross by which our Saviour caused the death of all our sin!

It was the Cross that broke down the partition between our sinful selves and our Holy God so our prayers can reach into Heaven!

Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Eph 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Eph 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

It is the Cross that represents our complete surrender to God!

Luk 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

SO, as we come to the end of this great book of the Bible and the foundation of the early Church, let us glory in the cross that Jesus bore in our names!

*****Gal 6:11 Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand.

We should not forget, men whose intent was to destroy the Church had made their rounds through all the churches in Galatia.

They had taught a false version of Judaism rather than the truth of Christianity.

The Apostle Paul under the guidance of the Holy Spirit had written this great book of the New Testament.

Understanding the Book of Galatians means we must have a clear understanding of the message of the “Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ”!

The “Gospel” is the “Good News” of salvation.

The “Gospel” is not preached for us to consider if it is true because it’s truth cannot be denied.

The “Gospel” is preached so that we can immediately accept it’s message and be saved from “all” our sins!

Evidence teaches us that Paul dictated his epistles to a scribe on most occasions, one reason is that Paul was in prison when many of his epistles were written.

Another reason may have been that Paul’s eyesight was failing him.

This was probably not the case in this letter at least in these last few scriptures.

These final words of Scripture to the Galatians were so important that Paul took the pen and wrote in his own hands.

Some 15 times the Lord Jesus used the phrase “He that hath ears let him hear”.

In a sense this is exactly what the Apostle Paul is doing here.

By using large letters Paul wanted these Galatians to know without a doubt that it was Paul who had written to them and not someone impersonating him, as some had!

By using large letters Paul wanted to emphasize the importance of this great Book of the Bible!

The lesson we can learn from Paul is, that we need to give the utmost attention to what is said in these Scriptures!

Paul said it’s all about the Cross!

*****Gal 6:12 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.

To the Jew, his sign of faith was in his circumcision.

To the Christian it is something entirely different!

Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

These false teachers hated the “Gospel” and they hated the Apostle Paul.

These false teachers were all about religion and not about the truth.

These false teachers made legalism necessary for salvation, a lie from Hell.

These false teachers saw a means to fill their pockets and avoid the persecution of the Jews.

Those like Paul who preached the truth were ridiculed, mocked, abused, and rejected by society and beaten or killed.

Those that preached salvation as the free gift of God, through the cross of Jesus, were thought to be destroying religion by destroying the Laws of Moses.

It was easy to say you preached the truth and avoid persecution by just adding legalism to the truth of God.

These false teachers sought to make a good showing by boasting how many of these Galatians had been circumcised.

Remember the Jew were circumcised on the 8th day after their birth.

These men of Galatia were grown men. This was a mockery in itself!

It took real courage to stand for the truth of God and preach the truth and it still does today!

Something these false teachers did not have was courage, they were only full of deceit.

These false teachers sought recognition by the growth of their false ministry.

As we can see there are many of these false teachers still around today, who do not glory in the cross but only in their own false doctrine.

How do they get away with it?

People are easily impressed with numbers added to congregations.

People are easily impressed with magnificent worship centers.

SO, What is the truth?

Being impressed will not get you saved!

Paul told the Philippians, who struggled with this same false doctrine, let me impress you:

Php 3:2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
Php 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
Php 3:4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
Php 3:5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
Php 3:6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
Php 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

Paul said these false teachers only glory in your flesh, or in your pocketbooks!

Paul said, I have spent my life doing these things of legalism and they did not get me one step closer to God!

Paul all these things that are counted as gain to the Jew are just losses in serving Jesus Christ!

*****Gal 6:13 For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.

It was a big deal to go back to Jerusalem and boast how many Christians had converted to Judaism.

And today it is a big deal today for ISIS to brag about how many Christians were murdered or how many Christians were converted to Islam.

Just in the past few days, it was also a big deal in the American networks to boast about how many so-called Christians are departing from the ‘Faith”.

What is the truth?

There are more Christians murdered in our world everyday simply because they glory in the cross of Jesus Christ!

Christians are to be Baptized after accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior.

Church attendance is important.

Bible study, Church programs, Church activities are important!

BUT, if we cannot glory in the cross, and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation, we have missed the most important point in becoming a Christian!

*****Gal 6:14 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.

What does the false preacher glory in?

He glories in the size of the church!

He glories the number of converts to his own agenda!

He glories in himself!

He glories in the flesh!

Though the world be blind to the truth of Jesus Christ, as believers we must glory in the cross of Jesus Christ!

It is only by the cross on which Jesus Christ bore all our sins that we can be saved.

If there is one main thing the modern day church has gotten away from. it is glorying in the cross!

It is not the cross that is to be worshiped, it is the Lord, but it was by the cross that be are washed in the blood of Jesus!

The work that Jesus Christ did to get us saved is the work that we could never have done for ourselves.

Rom 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Rom 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
Rom 3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

Propitiation means that it was the work of Jesus Christ on the cross that was the only acceptable means of paying my sin debt and your sin debt!

The propitiatory is the same as the “Mercy Seat” which was the blood sprinkled lid on the Ark of the Covenant!

It was the “Mercy Seat” where God met with Moses and it is “Mercy Seat”, the Cross that Jesus bore, where God will meet with every believer!

It is only at the Mercy Seat, the Cross, where mercy and truth come together!

It is only in Jesus Christ, that God rests His lawful case against us!

Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Remember what God said to Moses:

Exo 12:13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and “when I see the blood, I will pass over you”, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

God said for it is the blood that maketh atonement for each soul!

Lev 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: “for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul”.

At the time of Christ, the cross was the worst of deaths.

It is by the worst of deaths that Jesus Christ has destroyed all kinds of death for all those that believe!

Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Since there is no other approach to God, God will only accept those that come by the way of the cross and every individual from all walks of life stand on level ground at the Cross!

Nothing else in this world is as important as the salvation work of the Lord Jesus Christ!

*****Gal 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

What is the truth?

Circumcision or uncircumcision are nothing because these are things that a man can do, but only God make make a new creation!

It is at the foot of the cross where God creates the new man!

There is absolutely nothing that can make any human being acceptable to God beyond Jesus Christ and the work He did on the cross!

In fact we would not have any contact with God at all without Jesus Christ paving the way!

Joh 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Joh 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

Why is the world going to Hell? The world refuses to approach God through Jesus Christ!

And you cannot just mention His name as many others believe.

Jesus Christ is so much more than just a good prophet as many say He is!

Just using words, or just using a false profession of faith in the name of Jesus will get you nowhere with God!

God cannot be deceived!

And God will not be mocked!

Jesus Christ did not come to this earth “to preserve life”!

Jesus Christ came to this earth to “give life” beginning with His own!

When any of us are sincere in our belief, God will then and only then, give that person a new spirit, which is a newly created spirit!

That person is spiritually “Born Again”!

2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
2Co 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
2Co 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

This is the truth of the “Gospel”!

Anything else is as nothing and will not get you one step closer to the Almighty Living God!

This is the one rule and the ONLY MEANS to approach God!

*****Gal 6:16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

So who can experience the “Peace” and the “Mercy” of God? Only those that walk by the “rule of the cross”!

We must first have “peace with God” before we can have the “peace of God”!

Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”:

Php 4:7 And “the peace of God”, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds “through Christ Jesus”.

They both come by the cross of Jesus Christ!

These are not hard words and they are easily understood but this is still the stumbling block of our world.

The “Mercy” of God comes only by the cross!

That new creation of God will experience the forgiveness of all sins before and after salvation!

That new creation of God will be given perfect assurance of eternal life in the New Heaven!

That new creation of God will be forever under God’s care!

The sign that began the nation of Israel was circumcision first performed by Abraham.

Gen 17:10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.

This was a fleshly sign and Israel will still inherit the promises of God to David.

The Jews of the Nation of Israel still expect the fulfillment of these promises because they take God at His Word!

Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Isa 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

This is therefore the Israel after the flesh!

Who are the Israel of God?

Not the Israel of the flesh but the Israel of Faith! The spiritual children of Abraham by “Faith”!

Rom 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

The Israel of God are the ones in whom God will fulfill all His promises!

It is not the Israel of the flesh that bear the scars of Jesus Christ, it is the Church that bears the scars of Jesus Christ and is the Israel of God!

*****Gal 6:17 From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.

Just as Jesus Christ suffered for us all, we must be just as willing to suffer for Him!

In the time of Jesus Christ, certain branding marks were placed on slaves to designate their owner.

We as the Church are the blood bought slaves of Jesus Christ!

As tribulation leaves it’s many marks on us, these are the marks that prove our slavery to Jesus Christ!

If we pick up our own cross daily and die to ourselves daily, we will also bear the marks of the cross.

What is the truth?

You will be made fun of by those in this world, just because you claim to be a Christian!

Your job will always be in jeopardy in this world, just because you claim Jesus Christ as your Savior!

You will be talked about behind your back and be the topic of jokes, if you claim to follow in the ways of Jesus Christ!

And if you are willing to turn the other cheek to avoid confrontation, you will certainly be struck on that other cheek, if you claim that Jesus Christ is the one and only way to get to Heaven.

It is even in all these things that prove that God is right and the world is wrong!

Scars are just the marks on the outside because we choose to carry the truth of God on the inside!

2Co 4:10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
2Co 4:11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

But to deny Jesus Christ will certainly bring eternal death!

Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Who are the blessed?

Mat 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Mat 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

And all the rewards for serving the Lord Jesus come only by the “Grace of God”!

*****Gal 6:18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

“To the Galatians written from Rome”.

The Apostle Paul was in Rome when He wrote this Epistle to these Galatians.

Through all of this letter to these Galatians, Paul never forgot that these were his brothers and sisters in Christ.

It is a fact that we will make mistakes while walking in the Holy Spirit!

It is also a fact that we cannot lose our salvation because of that mistake!

We are saved by Grace!

We are being saved daily by “Grace”!

And in the end it is “Grace” that will lead us home!

We are still a foolish people if we allow false teachers to come into the Church.

If we take the time to read and study the Scriptures ourselves, we will not be fooled when we hear someone speak lies and try to lead God’s people away from the truth.

What is the truth? We can trust the Word of God!

What are our choices?

We can either choose a life that is bound up in laws and legalism or we can choose Christian Liberty, bound up in the truth of the “Grace of God”!

Amen!

Amen still means, let God’s Word be established in your heart.

Questions?

Let’s Pray!