Scripture Reading: Gal. 6:17-18
In the foregoing message we considered Paul’s word in 6:15: “For neither is circumcision anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.” The new creation is altogether different from any kind of religion. Religion is part of the old creation. All the practices of today’s religion are, therefore, of the old creation. Only that kind of living and walk which is by the Spirit is part of the new creation. In order to be the new creation, we must enter into an organic union with the Triune God. Everything outside this union, whether religious or nonreligious, is part of the old creation.
In this message we shall consider the brands of Jesus (6:17) and the grace of Christ (v. 18). It is rather strange that, at the end of this Epistle, Paul inserts a word about the brands of Jesus between the mention of peace and grace. In verse 16 he says, “And as many as shall walk by this rule, peace be upon them and mercy, even upon the Israel of God.” But instead of following this immediately with a word about grace, Paul refers to bearing in his body the brands of Jesus. Then he says, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers” (v. 18).
It is important to know the reason Paul inserted a word about the brands of Jesus between his mention of peace and grace. When we write a letter, we express the concept, feeling, or sense we have within us. Likewise, when Paul wrote to the Galatians, he was expressing the concept and feeling within him. As he was writing about peace and grace, he had the realization within him that he enjoyed peace because he was bearing the brands of Jesus. The brands of Jesus kept him in a peaceful condition. Through the enjoyment of grace, Paul was brought into a peaceful state. He was maintained in this peace by bearing the brands of Jesus.
In order to understand Paul’s concluding word, we need a certain amount of spiritual experience. As he was drawing this Epistle to a close, he greeted his readers with peace and grace. As he was extending this greeting to them, he spontaneously had the realization that he could enjoy peace because he was bearing the brands of Jesus. It seems as if Paul were saying, “Brothers, I am at peace. I am maintained in this peaceful condition because I am bearing the brands of Jesus. Let no one trouble me.” Not to trouble a person means not to disturb him, not to deprive him of peace. The word trouble in verse 17 stands in contrast to peace in verse 16. After saying that peace should be on all those who walk by this rule, Paul asked that no one trouble him, for he bore the brands of Jesus. This indicates that Paul’s peace was maintained by the brands of Jesus he was bearing in his body. Therefore, Paul could say, “Since I am bearing the brands of Jesus, I am at peace. Let no one bother me.” Paul knew that the Judaizers and the persecutors could not take away his peace. Not even the whole system of Satan could trouble him, for he was bearing the brands of Jesus. However, if he cast away these brands, refusing to bear them any longer, he would have immediately lost his peace. Then he could have been troubled by anything or anyone. But because he was enjoying peace through bearing the brands of Jesus, he could say, “Let no one trouble me.”
In principle, our situation is the same as Paul’s. Bearing the brands of Jesus will also keep us at peace. But if we refuse to bear these brands, we shall be troubled, and our peace will disappear. Then, having lost our peace, it will be difficult for us to continue in the enjoyment of grace.
The word brands in verse 17 refers to the marks branded on slaves to indicate their owners. With Paul, a slave of Christ (Rom. 1:1), physically the brands were the scars of his wounds received in his faithful service to his Master (2 Cor. 11:23-27). Spiritually, they signify the characteristics of the life he lived, a life like that lived by the Lord Jesus when He was on this earth. Such a life is continually crucified (John 12:24), doing the will of God (John 6:38), seeking not its own glory but the glory of God (John 7:18), and submissive and obedient to God, even unto the death of the cross (Phil. 2:8). Paul followed the pattern of the Lord Jesus, bearing the brands, the characteristics of His life. In this he was absolutely different from the Judaizers.
Paul considered himself a slave of Christ. Just as a slave might bear a brand mark testifying that he belonged to a certain owner, Paul bore in his body the brands of Jesus. It was as if the name of Christ had been branded upon him again and again as a testimony and declaration that Paul belonged to the Lord.
Paul had been wounded many times because of his faithfulness in service to Christ. In 2 Corinthians 11:24 and 25 he tells us that five times he received “forty stripes save one,” that three times he was beaten with rods, and that once he was stoned. Therefore, there were many scars on his body testifying of his years of service to Christ. These scars may also be considered the brands of Jesus.
As we have already indicated, the spiritual significance of the expression “the brands of Jesus” is that Paul lived a crucified life. When the Lord Jesus was on earth, He took the lead to live such a crucified life. As we read the four Gospels, we see the portrait of a Man constantly living a crucified life. This kind of life is a brand. Thus, when the Lord Jesus was on earth, He bore such a brand. He was persecuted, ridiculed, despised, and rejected. However, He did not say anything to defend Himself. Instead, living a crucified life, He bore a brand to show that He belonged to God the Father. Paul followed the Lord Jesus to live this kind of life. In Philippians 3:10 he refers to “the fellowship of His sufferings.” As one who lived in the fellowship of Jesus’ sufferings, Paul bore the brands of Jesus as the sign that he lived a crucified life. When Paul was greeting the Galatians with a word of peace, he was reminded of the fact that it was the brands of Jesus that kept him in this peace. Because he was persecuted, despised, ridiculed, rejected, and condemned, he could truly say that he bore the brands of Jesus.
Although we do not presume to classify ourselves with Paul, we can say truly that, at least to some extent, we also are bearing the brands of Jesus, for we are ridiculed, mocked, despised, criticized, and condemned. Many evil things are written about us and spoken concerning us. As long as we continue to take the way of the cross, we shall be opposed in this way. If we are faithful to live a crucified life, opposition will rise up again and again. In Galatians 4:29 Paul said, “But as then he that was born according to flesh persecuted him that was born according to Spirit, so also it is now.” This word indicates clearly that those who are according to the flesh will persecute those who are according to the Spirit. Just as the Lord Jesus and Paul were persecuted because they lived a crucified life, the same will happen to us if, by the Lord’s mercy and grace, we follow their footsteps to live such a life. When we are despised, rejected, condemned, ridiculed, and mocked, we bear the brands of Jesus. However, because we bear these brands, we enjoy peace, and we are not troubled by any situation or circumstances.
I believe that as Paul was writing about peace, he had the sense deep within that he was maintained in peace because he bore the brands of Jesus. In principle, our experience today is the same. I do not think that those who criticize, persecute, and ridicule us have peace deep within. But the Lord can testify for us that, in spite of opposition and ridicule, we enjoy a deep inward peace, the peace which comes with the assurance that we are taking the way of the cross. This kind of persecution is an indication that we are those born according to the Spirit, not according to the flesh. Those who persecute others and mock them surely are children according to the flesh. We should have a positive outlook concerning the persecution which comes because we take the way of the cross. When we are persecuted, we should praise the Lord and thank Him. We are not Ishmael mocking Isaac; we are Isaac being mocked by Ishmael. We are accused of being a cult and of propagating heresy. Many false accusations have been made against us in print. However, I can testify that in the midst of all this, I am at peace and sleep well every night. Bearing the brands of Jesus keeps us in a peaceful condition. Furthermore, this opposition and persecution indicate that we are on the right track with the Lord.
If you check with your experience, you will see that the more you are persecuted for following the Lord Jesus, the happier you are inwardly. According to Acts 5:40 and 41, the disciples rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for the name of Jesus. Persecution gives us the assurance that we are taking the right way. Therefore, as Paul says in Galatians 6:16, there should be peace on all those who walk by this rule. How do we know we are walking by this rule? We know it by the fact that we are persecuted. If we were not walking by this rule, there would be no reason for persecution to come. Even though Paul did not offend anybody, he was persecuted. Persecution came simply because of Christ and the cross. The persecution Paul faced was a sign that he was in the center of God’s economy and that he was one with the Lord Jesus, the persecuted One. Therefore, he could have assurance and enjoy peace.
After referring to the brands of Jesus, Paul says, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.” The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ is actually the bountiful supply, the all-inclusive enjoyment, of the life-giving Spirit. On the one hand, we bear the brands of Jesus, are persecuted, and live a crucified life; on the other hand, we enjoy the grace of Christ and experience the bountiful supply of the Spirit. Oh, the rich and bountiful supply of the all-inclusive Spirit is with our spirit!
As God’s chosen people, we are sons of God, and the processed Triune God has been wrought into our being. Because we are sons of God with the Triune God wrought into us, we are despised and persecuted. Some even regard us as a cult. Paul endured a similar kind of attack. Acts 24:5 says, “For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.” To this charge Paul replied, “But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call a sect, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets” (Acts 24:14, Gk.). Paul was accused of being the ringleader of a sect, a cult, but he knew that he was living a new creation and was enjoying the bountiful supply of the all-inclusive Spirit in his spirit. As the book of Galatians indicates, if we bear the brands of Jesus and live a crucified life, we shall enjoy the supply of the life-giving Spirit in our spirit.
The spirit in 6:18 is our regenerated spirit indwelt by the Spirit, who is the focus of God’s promised blessing stressed so much throughout the book of Galatians. It is in this spirit of ours that we experience and enjoy the Spirit as the focal blessing of the New Testament. Hence, we need the grace of the Lord, which is the bountiful supply of the all-inclusive Spirit, to be with our spirit.
Christ, the Spirit, the new creation, and our spirit are the four basic things revealed in this book as the underlying thought of God’s economy. Christ is the center of God’s economy, and the Spirit is the reality of Christ. When Christ is realized through the Spirit in our spirit, we become the new creation. Thus, our spirit is vital for us to live the life of the new creation for the fulfilling of God’s purpose.
The book of Galatians places a strong emphasis on the cross and on the experience of crucifixion. Then, on the positive side, this book reveals Christ, the Spirit, the sons of God, the heirs of promise, the household of faith, the new creation, and the Israel of God. As we have seen, in 6:18 Paul refers to our spirit. On the negative side, the book of Galatians speaks of the law, the flesh, the “I,” the religious world, slavery, and the curse. However, the three main items of the negative things dealt with in Galatians are the law, the flesh, and religion. These three things go together. When we are under the law, we are involved with both the flesh and religion. The religion in Galatians is the highest religion, the Hebrew religion formed according to God’s oracle. Nevertheless, even this religion is related to the law and the flesh. By the cross we are set free from the law, the flesh, and religion, and we have Christ, the Spirit, the new creation, and our regenerated spirit. If we see this vision, we shall praise the Lord for the cross. Because of the cross of Christ, the law, the flesh, and religion have all been terminated. But through the cross of Christ we have the Spirit, the new creation, and our spirit. Now, by the Spirit, who is the realization of Christ in our spirit, we may live the new creation. Living the new creation, we bear the brands of Jesus and enjoy the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ in our spirit. With Paul we can say, “Let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the brands of Jesus.” Then we shall know that the grace of Christ is with our spirit. This is the way Paul concludes the book of Galatians.
At the end of verse 18 Paul uses the term brothers. Although Paul had rebuked the Galatians and called them foolish (3:1), he had already used this intimate term to address them a number of times (1:11; 3:15; 4:12, 28, 31; 5:11, 13; 6:1). At the close of such a severe, rebuking, and warning Epistle, the Apostle Paul used this loving term again, especially placing it at the end of the sentence, to express his unchanging love toward them and to assure them that they were still his brothers in the household of the faith (6:10).
