The New People of God

Meditations on Galatians

November 23, 2021

The New People of God

What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God.

Galatians 6:15b-16

Read: Galatians 6:11-18

In this closing passage, Paul takes the letter from his scribe, who had been writing the letter as Paul dictated it, and he adds his own postscript. Paul’s passion for his friends in the Galatian churches is clearly evident, and I suspect they were warmed with Paul’s affection for them as they saw Paul’s own handwriting at the end of the letter.

Paul makes one final appeal for his friends to not get caught up in the rule-keeping ways of the Judaizers. For Paul, it doesn’t matter how well we are doing in rule-keeping. “What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation” (Galatians 6:15b). Those who have thus been set apart as the new people of God will carry the scars of faith, not circumcision. Paul’s closing words are very reminiscent of his words in Romans 8 and Philippians 3 where he teaches us that,

“together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering” (Romans 8:17b Emphasis mine) and,

“I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death” (Philippians 3:10 NRSV Emphasis mine).

My Takeaway: Paul carried the scars of the persecution he suffered for the cause of Christ. He also carried scars from his daily affirming in his own life, not his will, but God’s will be done. So it is for all the fully-devoted followers of Jesus seeking the life in Christ as their way of life.

“May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God” (Galatians 6:16).

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2021 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.