Beyond the Crossroad

WORTHY (Romans 1:32)

Leviticus sets s*xual standards for God’s Elect. There are several reasons for these standards. Marriage and family were crucial to establishing inheritance; therefore, marriage and child-bearing had to be protected from confusion and perversity. A man was expected to take a wife and make children. A woman was expected to take a husband for the same reason. Both had been equipped by God for God’s purpose of seeing mankind ultimately establish their inheritance with Him. Any s*xual act outside of a covenant of marriage challenged God’s purposes for men and women.

Leviticus 18:22 ‘Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.’ ‘Abomination’ translates a Hebrew word meaning abhorrent, disgusting and idolatry. Why is s*x between the same s*x idolatry? Because it attempts to create a moral order based on our pride rather than upon God’s decrees. S*x with the same s*x attempts to glorify mankind (and womankind) at the expense of God.

Some might object saying this verse does not say there is a death penalty for such conduct. Leviticus 20:13 ‘If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.’ In case someone objects that s*x with the same s*x is being singled out, they need to read Leviticus 18: 8-23 and Leviticus 20:1-21. S*x with the same s*x is given no different punishment than would be given for adultery, in**st or be******ty. Why is the punishment the same? Adultery, in**st and be******ty make a mockery of marriage, family and proper inheritance among God’s Elect.

Paul lists offenses that anger God in Romans 1:18-31. Among them we find: Romans 1:26-27 ‘For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.’

Again, if we read all of Romans 1:18-31 we learn the behavior of verses 26-27 are not treated any differently from any other sin. Romans 1:32 ‘Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.’ Leviticus 20:13 established a legal standard for improper s*xual behavior. However, Paul is not citing Lev. 20:13 for that reason. He has another reason for pointing out there are behaviors worthy of death.

Romans 2:1 ‘Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.’ Don’t look at the person to your right or left, or in front or behind you. Go look in a mirror. Paul’s point is sin is sin. Lying is a sin. Murdering is a sin. Dishonoring parents is a sin. Paul adds other offenses in Romans 1:18-32.

Paul is explaining original sin. Everyone is a sinner, and God is just ordaining death for all of us. This is where enemies of the Christian faith miss the mark. They think Christians make themselves out to be better than everyone else. Unfortunately some do, but scripture puts all of us in our place, and that place is worthy of death. No? What is going to happen to everyone at the end of their life? They cannot avoid it, and that is proof of God’s justice over sinners, all of us.

The road to faith begins with conviction and confession. It begins with humility, not pride. No Christian was ever validated for who they are, sinners No one demanding validation for their sin will ever come to faith, because faith begins with conviction of their sin, confession of it and repentance from it.

Pride must be destroyed in the human heart, because pride in ourselves as sinners is worthy of death.

JOB’S TEMPTATION (Job 7:14-15)

Mom tells the child to stay out of the cookie jar. The child begins thinking how good a cookie would be. The child contrives all kinds of scenarios to get a cookie without facing the wrath of mom, but in the end the child does not get a cookie without mom’s permission.

Some people mistakenly think being tempted to sin is as bad as sinning. Such people contrive all kinds of excuses to claim they are not tempted; and by doing so prove they are tempted. Temptation is a powerful tool in the hands of Satan, but it is only a means to an end. Satan’s intention is for us to act on our temptation.

Job is in deep distress having lost family and possessions. Added to his misery is a body covered in boils and sores. His wife, who has somehow survived, doesn’t help: Job 2:9 ‘Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.’ Job’s wife tempts Job. First, to curse God for his condition. Second, to put an end to it all by death. The second temptation implies su***de.

Several chapters later, Job is responding to his friends saying: Job 7:13 ‘When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint;’ Job mistakenly comforts himself he will find rest by lying down to sleep. He thinks his couch will ease his suffering. Some translators interpret the second clause to say ‘my couch shall burn.’ If we take the interpretation this way, then all Job will find when he lies down is burning. That may be literal from the sores all over his body; or it may refer to emotional, spiritual burning which is the result of anxiety and depression. It may mean both.

That is the context for: Job 7:14 ‘Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions:’ Job may hope sleep will bring sweet dreams. However, his torment will continue as his anxious mind continues his suffering. Satan is in the background making sure to make the dreams and visions even more terrifying.

Job then says: Job 7:15 ‘So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.’ Job cannot escape his misery, even in sleep. It is so bad he considers choosing ‘strangling.’ In our culture we might say he is tempted to hang himself. Job is tempted to take his wife’s advice by choosing death over life. What must be kept in mind is Job is trying to communicate the depth of his suffering to his friends. He is speaking these words to them. This is how bad it is. However, they would not know if Job had acted on his temptation. He is still there to tell them. Job 7:16 ‘I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity.’ Yes, Job loathes the state he is in. Who wouldn’t? Job even says life is a vanity, pointless. He says he does not want to live forever, but he does not say he is going help things along by su***de. Job questions his suffering, and laments over it, but he does not give in to the temptation to commit su***de.
Prophetic words are later uttered by Job: Job 19:24-26 ‘That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever! For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:’ The point is Job may be tempted by all kinds of terrifying thoughts, but he will not give in. He will not reach in the cookie jar.

Job knows God lives, and God has a plan to redeem Job from his suffering. Job knows God will stand upon the earth one day to prove His claim. Job knows he may suffer miserably. Job may even face death, but an eternal God will not let him remain so. Job knows one day he will be ‘in my flesh,’ and face God.

Tempted? Sure. Everyone is by all kinds of things. What matters is not the temptation, but the endurance, perseverance, courage and boldness not to give in to the temptation. To wait upon the Lord. Isaiah 40:31 ‘But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.’

SERVANT OF THE JESUS (Philippians 1:1)

We learn things about people by the priorities in their lives. What matters most to them? Paul opens his epistle to the church in Philippi: Philippians 1:1 ‘Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:’ Before greeting the saints, bishops and deacons in Philippi, Paul makes sure they know he and Timothy are ‘servants’ of Jesus Christ. The Greek word translated as servant means slave.

‘Saints’ means holy ones. It referred to believers made holy by the indwelling Holy Spirit. ‘Bishop’ translates a word meaning overseer or superintendent. They had some sort of authority in the congregation in Philippi. ‘Deacons’ translates a word meaning attendant, a waiter at a table, a servant or minister. This last word now refers to Christian teachers and pastors.

Paul was reminding the church in Philippi no matter the status of a person in the church, they are first slaves in service to their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. If Paul was free enough to confess this about himself, then everyone else should too. Paul’s intention was to remind everyone in Philippi to be humble. Do not become prey to pride that would have us elevate ourselves over others because of some title or job description.

Satan loves to play down to the pride in the heart of every sinner. Jesus warned: Matthew 10:24 ‘The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.’ The word for ‘servant’ is the same word used by Paul. Jesus went on to say: Matthew 10:25 ‘It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?’ Jesus intentionally mispronounces the name of the pagan god Beelezebul. By dropping the ‘l’ and adding the ‘b’ at the end, the word means ‘dung god.’ If people can make themselves slaves to false gods, then are not believers to make themselves slaves to the one true God, Jesus Christ?

What do we witness and testify about ourselves through our priorities? What or who do we worship? One way or the other, we are going to become slaves to something or someone. Is that going to be to Christ, or something else?

KOINONIA (1 Corinthians 1:9)

Before appealing for harmony among the congregation Corinth, Paul wrote: 1 Corinthians 1:9 ‘God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.’ ‘Fellowship’ translates the Greek word koinonia. Koinonia means partnership or participation in something together. It can mean those who share a gift granted. They communally own something or participate in something.

1 Corinthians 1:9 says the fellowship has something to do with the Son, Jesus Christ. What? How are believers drawn into such a fellowship? People share fellowship over lots of things. There is fellowship between old classmates at class reunions. There is fellowship between people who have served in the armed forces. There is fellowship between people who are fans of a sports team.

Koinonia is taken to a greater, more profound level among Christians. Paul uses the same word referring to Holy Communion: 1 Corinthians 10:16 ‘The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?’ The word ‘communion’ in this verse translates the word koinonia. Our fellowship is created by the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. We symbolically proclaim such a fellowship by sharing in the elements of Communion.

Such a fellowship transcends all the fellowships in which we might participate in the world. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit seals such an intimate fellowship among believers. We are convicted our fellowship makes us one Body, the Body of Christ.

Peter encouraged believers to obey authority when he said. 1 Peter 2:17 ‘Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.’ Peter says we are to ‘love the brotherhood.’ Love translates a Greek word meaning selfless, even sacrificial love for others at our own expense. We put others first, not ourselves. Peter says such love should exist among the ‘brotherhood.’ Brotherhood does not translate koinonia. It translates another word saying Christian relationship is to be like that between family members. We are the Family of God.

When we meditate upon the use of koinonia in scripture we understand it is a solemn, holy union of all believers made possible by the Blood and Body of the Son. It is an unbreakable bond among believers that lasts for eternity. We can say that because the eternal Holy Spirit lives in us.

Believers need to meditate deeply upon such a koinonia. The world is closing in around us. Opposition and hostility to the Faith increases day by day. Believes are tempted to compromise their fellowship and brotherhood with each other to ingratiate themselves to this world of sin and death.
James has a word for the fellowship of Jesus Christ: James 4:4 ‘Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.’ Were it not for the Blood and Body of the Son sacrificed to atone for our sin, we would be condemned to eternal death. James warns us that compromising our witness in any way makes us enemies of God. Our compromise is like committing adultery.

We are also the Bride of Christ espoused to our Bridegroom, Jesus Christ. What believer indwelt by the Holy Spirit would dishonor such a holy communion made possible by the sacrificial death of Christ?

Christian koinonia is tested by this world of sin and death. How do we measure up to this holy union of the Family of God?

THE BOWELS OF JESUS (Philippians 1:8)

Paul is writing about his prayers on behalf of the church of Philippi: Philippians 1:8 ‘For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.’ The word ‘record’ means ‘witness.’ God is Paul’s witness to what he says. Paul is in prison in Rome. He longs to be with those in Philippi.

How much does Paul long? Paul longs ‘in the bowels of Jesus Christ.’ ‘Bowels’ translates a word literally meaning intestines, but in context the word can also mean inward affection or tender mercy. We have a similar expression in our language. We say we feel something ‘in our guts.’ Does that mean our intestines have such feelings? No, but we all have had the experience of longing for something or someone feeling like an emptiness in our chest or abdomen.

If Paul is the one having such feelings, then why does he add ‘of Jesus Christ.’ We must remind ourselves Paul never misses an opportunity to teach. His teaching point is his longing is elevated by the inward Presence of the Holy Spirit. Paul longs for the welfare of Philippi as Christ does. Paul strives to identify with Christ in the grace and mercy he shows toward Philippi in his prayers.

Paul is telling the Philippians they should have such inward longing toward all believers. It is not enough for us to long for the welfare of others. We enhance and empower our longing by making it Christ’s longing at work through us by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Paul clarifies what he means at the beginning of the next chapter: Philippians 2:1-2 ‘If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.’ Our comfort and love are nothing compared to witnessing to the comfort and love Christ brings by the power of the Holy Spirit. If we have ‘fellowship’ with the Holy Spirit, then we will have ‘bowels’ full of the grace of God for others.

Paul desires Philippi be likeminded not so much with him as with the Holy Spirit they share. If they do, then they will all share in the ‘same love’ with love translating a word meaning selfless, sacrificial service to one another. We will do so not just individually, but will be united, ‘of one accord,’ of one mind.’ We will not be of one accord and one mind with Paul, but with the Holy Spirit living in all of us.

Colossians 3:12 ‘Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;’ God’s Elect share the same ‘bowels,’ or deep, inward feelings the Holy Spirit equips them to share.

Believers should be convicted by these verses. Who can say they have such a complete identity with Christ? We may desire such a complete identity, but we confess we fall short. Nevertheless, every believer should strive to love with ‘the bowels of Christ,’ because the Holy Spirit in us equips us to do so.

GNOSIS (Philippians 1:9)

Paul prays: Philippians 1:9 ‘And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;’ Our attention is on the word ‘knowledge.’ We see the word ‘knowledge’ and think of knowing about things. We get certificates saying we know how to weld, program computers and cook. We go to school to know about reading, writing and arithmetic. We go to college to know about engineering, medicine or any number of other things. We equate knowledge with certifications, diplomas or degrees.

Is this the kind of ‘knowing’ Paul is talking about? ‘Knowledge’ in Php. 1:9 translates a Greek word meaning full discernment. It gives the sense of being fully acquainted to the point we identify with something or somebody. The knowledge we have is an inward identification. The knowledge Paul prays the Philippians have is knowledge of Jesus Christ. Paul strives to identify with Christ (have knowledge of Him) to the point when people see Paul, they see Christ.

Paul is telling the Philippians, and all believers, that is what we should strive for in our walk of faith. It is not enough to ‘know about’ Jesus from a schoolbook. We must know Him inwardly to witness for Him in the world. Elsewhere, Paul spoke of such knowledge of Christ: Colossians 1:27 ‘To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:’ ‘Mystery’ misleads us. The word does not mean something unknowable, rather it means something revealed to us. The mystery revealed to Gentiles (Jews too) is Christ coming to live in us by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

We might think it is impossible to ‘know’ Jesus, but Gods’ grace toward us was to send the Holy Spirit of Jesus to live in our hearts. We can know Jesus inwardly in a way unbelievers cannot. They can ‘know about’ Jesus, but believers know Him to the point our walk through this world is a witness and testimony not about us, but about Him.

The world can see the glory of Jesus Christ through those who have such an inward identification with Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. Each believe should set their desires aside, and seek a life that reveals Christ to the world.

DISCERNING THE TIME (Eccl. 3:1)

People often speak of the ‘arrow of time.’ The expression implies time goes places, and has a purpose when it gets there. We read in scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1 ‘To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:’

We often forget this about time. We make it impersonal, and automatic. Time ‘passes.’ We may not see the purpose in the passage of time because of the distractions of life. The clocks run ‘tick-tock,’ but scripture tells us it runs for a reason, and the reason is a lot deeper than not letting us oversleep and be late for work.

Science tells us time is a dimension. Dimensions can change. Time speeds up or slows down. The faster an object travels, the slower time passes. If we reached the speed of light, time would stop. Time is not the same on Mars as it is on Earth. It is six minutes difference in time between Earth and Mars. We are in different places and times in the Universe. Light from the nearest star takes four years to reach us. When we look at the nearest star, we are seeing what it looked like four years ago. When we see a galaxy three billion light years from us, we are seeing what it looked like three billion years ago.

Does that mean we cannot depend on time? This is where we must make a distinction between time as a thing and time as a purpose. What is time’s ‘purpose under the heaven?’ This is where the expression ‘arrow of time’ takes on deeper meaning.

God’s Law is referred to in the Hebrew scriptures as ‘torah.’ It is applied to the first five books of the Old Testament, sometimes called the Books of Moses. What does ‘torah’ mean? It is based on another Hebrew word meaning to flow as water, to shoot an arrow, to point out, to instruct, to inform or to teach. In other words, God’s teaching is the target at which we aim. Time’s purpose is to be the ‘arrow’ we use to reach the target God wants us to reach.

I confess I don’t have as good an aim as I wish I had. The eyes aren’t what they used to be. That does not mean I do not try to see things properly. I strive to see them as clearly as I can. The purpose of our sojourn in this world is to apply our time aiming to hit the target of God’s purpose for us.

Has God left us without help in this regard? Jesus promised: John 14:26 ‘But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.’ John 15:26 ‘But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:’
The Holy Spirit equips us to discern the time and our purpose. How come we fall short? It is not because God has left us without help. It is because our sinful nature often fails to accept the help and guidance God provides. He wants us to discern the time and our purpose for which He put us in Creation. It is up to us. Paul said: Philippians 2:12-13 ‘Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.’

What is God’s pleasure? We take time to hit the target of His purpose for us.

SPARE THEM NOT (1Samuel 15:3)

God has Samuel tell King Saul: 1 Samuel 15:2 ‘Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.’ God was referring to Exodus 17:8-16 where the Amalekites had caused harm to the Hebrews on their approach to the Promised land. God judged the Amalekites: Exodus 17:14-16 ‘And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi: For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.’

God had Moses prophesy the day would come when God would ‘utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.’ Someday the Amalekites would be wiped off the face of the Earth. Until that day, there would be ‘war with Amalek from generation to generation,’ perpetual hostility between Amalekites and God’s Elect.

This is the context for God’s order to Saul: 1 Samuel 15:3 ‘Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.’ Saul was given the chance to fulfill the prophecy of Ex. 17:14.

Saul did not do that. Though he defeated the Amalekites in battle, he did not execute their king. Also: 1 Samuel 15:9 ‘But Saul and the people spared Agag [the Amalekite king], and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.’

The Lord spoke to Samuel again: 1 Samuel 15:11 ‘It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.’ Samuel sets out and finds Saul: 1 Samuel 15:14 ‘And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?’

Samuel goes on to remind Saul of God’s orders. Saul knew the history of the enmity between the Amalekites and Israel, but he tries to justify not doing God’s will. Saul blames the people for taking the animals for themselves by saying the people used the animals to make sacrifices to God. Speaking for God, Samuel says: 1 Samuel 15:22 ‘And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.’ God wanted obedience to His commands. Burnt offerings and sacrifices do no matter if the hearts of people are not obedient to God. Worse, in this case, the people were not really making a sacrifice in the sense of denying themselves. They gave up nothing to sacrifice what was not theirs in the first place.

1 Samuel 15:23 ‘For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.’ Saul fell short of obedience to God. People who presumed they were God’s Elect fell short as well. God demanded the extermination of the Amalekites. It was not the first time God had demanded the complete elimination of the enemies of God’s Elect. He had demanded such a summary judgment on the Canaanites. They Hebrews did not do it, and God would eventually judge them for compromising their obedience to God with worship of the false gods of the Canaanites.

King David would later fight the Amalekites. Apparently, Saul did not destroy all of them either. David would fail to eliminate the Amalekites (1 Samuel 30) and the prophecy of Exodus 17:14-16 would be left to be carried out someday.

How can we worship a God commanding the extermination of entire peoples? We might understand if we studied the practices of Canaanites. In the case of the Amalekites, they sought to prevent the Hebrews from entering the Promised Land. The Amalekites put themselves in opposition to God’s plans. It makes us meditate upon the legacy for the failure to carry out God’s commands. War and enmity generation after generation continues between Jews and their enemies.

THE WORLD IS CRUCIFIED UNTO ME (Galatians 6:14)

In his final warning to the Galatians about false teachers, Paul says: Galatians 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.’ The false teachers were people called Judaizers. They were spreading the false notion that Christ’s atoning work on the Cross was not enough for salvation.

Galatians 6:15 ‘For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.’ Getting circumcised did not save people. Not getting circumcised didn’t either. Any work a man does has no bearing upon his redemption from his sins. What does Paul mean by ‘in Christ Jesus?’ We go to Gal. 6:14. The only Person Paul glorifies for his redemption from sin is ‘our Lord Jesus Christ.’ How did Jesus accomplish Paul’s redemption? ‘In the cross,’ or by Christ’s atoning self-sacrifice of Himself for our sake. Jesus made the only blood sacrifice of atonement that can redeem us from our sins. None of us can do that, because we are by nature sinners, and no sinner can save himself. The sinner’s blood is not enough. Any sacrificial blood a sinner offers is not enough. Only the Blood of Jesus is adequate for salvation.

What does Paul mean by ‘the world is crucified to me?’ ‘The world’ is a euphemism for our sin nature. This world, and all us living in it, is a fallen world under a death sentence for the sin of Adam. Galatians 4:3 ‘Even so we, when we were children, were in bo***ge under the elements of the world:’ Ephesians 2:2 ‘Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:’

Jesus took the punishment of death for our sins by being crucified for our sakes. Paul’s sin nature has been crucified. That world of sin and death is now in the rearview mirror for Paul. It is another world from the new world Paul lives in. That is what Paul means by ‘and I unto the world.’ He no longer lives in the world of sin and death, rather he is a new creation living in the Kingdom of Heaven with the promise of eternal life. 2 Corinthians 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.’

Elsewhere, Paul said: 1 Corinthians 2:2 ‘For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.’ ‘Know’ can have a double meaning in this verse. On one hand, Paul has no need to ‘know’ another doctrine of salvation since only Jesus Christ saves by His atoning work on the Cross. On the other hand, by accepting on faith Christ’s sacrifice for his sake, Paul knows Jesus intimately by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. What other person or doctrine does Paul need to understand to be saved? Answer: Nobody and nothing.

That is what the false teachers were insinuating to the church in Galatia. They were claiming were other ways to be saved than by the blood of Jesus. Such false words are uttered from this world of sin under a death sentence. Paul has been crucified that world through the Blood of Christ.