Neither They Themselves Galatians 6:13 - Equipped for Battle

There is little in life that is more disgusting than a person who gives out rules and does not keep the rules him or herself. For example, let's think about the man who tells a young boy not to smoke while he puffs away on a cigarette, or the woman who tells the young girl not to drink while she chugs down another beer. It's inconsistent, capricious, incongruent and wrong. This is exactly what Paul the apostle was facing with the Judaizers who were false teachers in Galatia. They were great promoters of keeping the law, but they did not keep the law themselves. Paul wrote in chapter six and verse thirteen:

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

Let us remember that the Judaizers were Jewish believers who thought that salvation from God came not only through the grace of Jesus Christ, but also through keeping the ordinances of the law. Paul says, “For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law;” In other words, they are violators of the very law they promote. They were circumcised themselves outwardly, but inwardly they were the same as everyone else. So why would they promote such an idea?

Paul continues, “but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.” These Judaizers were advertising and pushing the outward ritual of circumcision. They believed that everyone who received Jesus as their Savior must also be circumcised to be a true believer in God. Paul says the reason for this was “that they may glory in your flesh.” In other words, they were going to feel themselves puffed up because they enforced the idea of circumcision. The outward, fleshly work of circumcision gave them a place to brag of their importance and their preponderance over others. They would be haughty, proud, and lifted up in their egos because they made such a significant difference in other's lives.

There is a tendency to attempt preeminence over a group of people whenever authority is given to do so. It is quite dangerous to believe that we are somehow better than others when we promote certain rules and regulations they must follow. One thing is for certain, if we take the time to examine our own lives to determine if we are keeping the very laws we promote, we will be steps ahead of these Judaizers. Perhaps that is where our meditation today should lead us, “Are my rules for others kept by me myself?”, and may the Lord Jesus reveal the truth to all of us who ask.

Next time we will see where Paul places his glory, so read ahead, and let us join together then.

Until tomorrow...there is more...

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