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Daily Devotions

Galatians

Galatians 
Day 
Day 86

"If you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing."

Text: Galatians 5:2b

THE DOCTRINES OF THE JUDAIZERS

The doctrines of the Judaizers slowly come to light in Paul’s letter to the Galatians.

1. They present their teachings as the gospel of Christ (Galatians 1:6-7).

However this was refuted and rejected by the apostle Paul. This was a different gospel. It was not authentic. It was in fact heretical.

2. They made a distinction between Jews and Gentiles (Galatians 2-3)

Paul rejected this as false and hypocritical. In Christ there is no distinction between gender or ethnic differences (Galatians 3:28-29).

3. They sought to bring people under the law (Galatians 4:21)

Paul argued that all who came under the law would be in bondage. Christ, on the other hand came to give freedom from the law, from sin and from the power of the Devil.

THE PRACTICE OF CIRCUMCISION

There was another doctrine that the Judaizers promoted actively. This has to do with the rite of circumcision.

Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised,
Christ will profit you nothing.

Galatians 5:2

1. “Indeed I, Paul”

a) Paul was going to stake everything he has on this statement he was going to make.
b) He would stake the following:-
i) His apostleship.
ii) His knowledge as a theologian-scholar.
iii) His relationship with the Galatians.

2. “If you become circumcised”

a) This was the lure that the Judaizers offered.
b) Circumcision was the sign of the Abrahamic covenant.
c) If a person was not circumcised he was excluded in the Abraham covenant (Genesis 17).
d) The concept of the circumcision was little understood by the Galatians and thus they fell victim.

3. “Christ will profit you nothing”

a) This was the key problem that the Galatians failed to comprehend.
b) The practice of the rite of circumcision as taught by the Judaizers was a yoke of bondage.
c) They used this teaching and practice to make adherents keep the whole law of Moses.
d) With Christ excluded how would they “profit” from His salvation and its blessings?