For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation 16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. 17 From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. 18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
In Christ nothing avails, but a new creation. The New Creation is the new thing that the Lord has done, as recorded in Is 43. The New Creation of the Spirit producing a whole new man in the earth, not someday, but presently because of the resurrection of Christ, He who was the firstborn among many. In the New Creation, we find true unity, the unity of the faith that Ephesians 4:13 mentions. Here is revealed the purpose of what Christ came to do, create a whole new man in His image. The new man is made up of Jew and Gentiles. The new man is made up of bond and free and made up of male and female. It is Christ in us the hope of glory.
I cannot emphasize enough that the New Covenant is about a New Creation of the Spirit. It is not life as usual, but a new life in the resurrection of Christ, a life that is new as a result of the regeneration power of the Holy Spirit.
Let us take a few minutes to consider how Paul addresses the new life in Christ as he writes to his fellow laborer Titus: “Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.
3 For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.
(Titus 3:1-5 NKJV)
We need to continually be reminded about the life in the Spirit because the flesh is constantly seeking to take back control of the life of the believer. The first instruction given by Paul is how the believer is to regard rulers and authorities. Obey rulers and authorities, be ready for every good work, speak evil of no one, be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility, and to all men.
Here is the new creation in action.
Rulers and authorities: Hebrews 13 gives to the believers many instructions that a believer is to practice. One is regarding leaders in the church. Verse 17, “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls. Let them do so with joy and not grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.”
A few things to remember, the writer of Hebrews is speaking about leaders who know you and you know them. Those directly engaged with you and your life. Notice the attitude is one to encourage the leaders in the responsibility of looking out for your soul. Another critical point is that a leader is also accountable to other leaders. The New Testament knows only leaders that they also are accountable to someone. That should be one’s first question to a New Testament leader, to whom are you accountable?
Obey rulers and authorities: Obedience to leadership and authorities is a key to an ordered life. Christians should be known as “keepers of the laws in society.” Today that would include driving habits, paying one’s fair share of taxes, paying your bills on time. We don’t have time to look at all the scriptures that relate to these instructions.
Be ready for every good work: We have addressed this subject in the past. Hebrew 12 begins with this kind of instruction. Let brotherly love continue. “Do not forget to entertain strangers. Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated” (Verse 1-3). James speaks to this also, “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27).
Do not speak evil of any person: Now, this is a hard one. Many do evil themselves. Many people do not hold our biblical values or worldview? Politicians are an excellent place to start. Not all, but many are liars. There is no problem calling out a politician for falsehoods. Still, it is another factor when you speak evil of them because they are not representing your particular party and political view. Christians can be one of the worst offenders in this area. When we allow our flesh and human nature to define us, most of the time it’s mixed with a lot of fleshly attitudes and emotions.
Remember, brother and sister, we are the circumcision representing God in the Spirit and not in the flesh.
“Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, . . .”
Philippians 3:2-4 NKJV
Back in Titus 3:2, Paul says that the nature of Christ in the believer is peaceable and merciful. We are to be gentle and from that gentleness flow’s humility. Of course, you could say the “humility leads to a gentle attitude.”
Show humility: Is that how people think of you? It is good to know how others perceive us.
Throughout Paul’s writing, he makes the lifestyle of humility a goal for all people.
We are still working with Titus 3, verse 3 says, we are to remember our past life: In so many ways, it was a life of foolishness. A life of Disobedience, especially as it relates to God’s Word and instructions in the light of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection along with the giving of the Holy Spirit to empower us to walk in obedience to God’s holy Word.
Deceived – most lived a life of deception so others would not know the natural person and their hidden sins. Sins that fall into the category of the following statement by Paul, Serving various lusts and pleasures. Lusts and pleasures come from the base nature centered in the individual without regard to the damage done to others. Today, one of the most known is Pornography. It is going to the deep area of our lusts and causes some of the most significant damage, not only in the life of the sexual addict but family members and others that are not aware of the bondage. When others discover the person’s bondage, trust and confidence are broken. Separation happens, and relational damage ensues. Unfortunately, this lust is in the lives of many believers, including leaders.
Malice can be defined as a bad will or the desire to do bad things to another person. An example of malice is when you hate someone and want to seek revenge. The state of mind of one intentionally performing a wrongful act. Intention to harm or deprive in an illegal or immoral way.
Envy: Speaks of painful or resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by another joined with a desire to possess the same benefit.
These works of the flesh, the corrupt nature leads to “Hateful” attitude and the hating of one another. All these things have no rightful place in the life of a believer.
The rest of Titus 3 reveals the tremendous kindness and love of God toward man appearing in our Savior toward man. His regenerating power and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ, our Savior. We are justified by His grace, causing us to become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.
BACK TO GALATIANS 6:16-18
16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. 17 From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. 18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
Notice that Paul uses the word “rule” in verse 16. The rule is the “lifestyle of humility” revealed in readiness for every good work. Walking in the Holy Spirit will produce peace and mercy upon the Israel of God. His church was made up of Jews and Gentiles. Made up of what is declared in Revelation 7:9-10, “After these things, I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no man could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:9-10)
As we close and finish the Epistle or letter to the Galatians, please note Paul’s closing comment, “upon the Israel of God.” In Context: And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. 17 From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. 18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
Paul understood what Christ had come to do, that is, to redeem Israel. In the New Covenant, a new Israel was rising, not a replaced Israel as some teach, not a revived natural Israel as others teach, but a “redeemed Israel” that has received her Messiah and His sacrificial life that brought forgivenss for Israel’s sins, but also the sins of the world. The church began with Jews being converted in Acts 2, and it grew seeing the Samaritans added to the growing redeemed Israel as seen in Acts 8. Then the mystery held in the Old Testament of the Gentiles coming into the community of God as Ephesians 2 describes in detail.
Paul ends by saying, “From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. Paul is saying, I am through arguing my case. What I have suffered for Christ is all that is need to prove what I have taught and lived.
18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. Paul’s last declaration towards these believers. “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
