Boast in the Cross
Galatians 6:14: "Far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."
The shocking summons to boast in a manner of execution that was most horrific! In this regard, few verses in the Bible are more radical and sweeping and Christ-exalting than Galatians 6:14: "Far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."
Or to state it positively: Only boast in the cross of Jesus Christ.
This is a single idea. A single goal for life. A single passion. Only boast in the cross.
The word "boast" can be translated "exult in" or "rejoice in." Only exult in the cross of Christ. Only rejoice in the cross of Christ.
Paul says: let this be your single passion, your single boast and joy and exultation.
If you understand this—and I hope you will—you will know why the one thing that you cherish, the one thing that you rejoice in and exult over, be the cross of Jesus Christ.
For Paul to say that we should boast only in the cross of Christ is shocking for two reasons.
One is that it's like saying: Boast only in the electric chair. Only exult in the gas chamber. Only rejoice in the lethal injection. Let your one boast and one joy and one exultation be the lynching rope.
"May it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ."
No manner of execution that has ever been devised was more cruel and agonizing than to be nailed to a cross and hung up to die like a piece of meat.
It was horrible. You would not have been able to watch it—not without screaming and pulling at your hair and tearing your clothes. You probably would have vomited.
Let this, Paul says, be the one passion of your life. That is one thing that is shocking about his words.
The other is that he says this is to be the only boast of your life. The only joy. The only exultation. "Far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."
What does he mean by this? Can he be serious? No other boast? No other exultation? No other joy except the cross of Jesus?
What about the places where Paul himself uses the same word to talk about boasting or exulting in other things? For example,
Romans 5:2: "We rejoice in hope of the glory of God."
Romans 5:3-4: "Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope."
Second Corinthians 12:9: "I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
First Thessalonians 2:19: "What is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?"
So, if Paul can boast and exult and rejoice in all these things, what does Paul mean—that he would not "boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Gal. 6:14)?
Is that just double-talk? You exult in one thing but say that you are exulting in another thing?
No. There is a very profound reason for saying that all exultation, all reicing, all boasting in anything should be a rejoicing in the cross of Jesus Christ.
Paul means something that will change every part of your life. He means that, for the Christian, all other boasting should also be a boasting in the cross. All exultation in anything else should be exultation in the cross. If you exult in the hope of glory, you should be exulting in the cross of Christ. If you exult in tribulation because tribulation works hope, you should be exulting in the cross of Christ. If you exult in your weaknesses, or in the people of God, you should be exulting in the cross of Christ.
❤️❤️❤️