Of all the different rooms in your house, which one do you and your family use the most or spend most of your time in and why?
Like your home has different rooms, your faith has many important truths, but ALL of them revolve around one key: the cross. Without the cross, there is no Christianity.
False teachers make a really big deal about other truths, but neglect the one important truth. They want you to major on the minors, and forget what Paul described as the “most important” thing… The cross of Christ.
The Apostle Paul had to deal with this same issue in his day… The false teachers wanted people to be really big on circumcision, not on the cross:
Those who are trying to force you to be circumcised want to look good to others. They don’t want to be persecuted for teaching that the cross of Christ alone can save. And even those who advocate circumcision don’t keep the whole law themselves. They only want you to be circumcised so they can boast about it and claim you as their disciples.
-Paul, Galatians 6:12-13 NLT
What do you think tends to motivate false teachers today?
How might the gospel be compromised by teachers who are overly concerned with how their ministry appears to others?
How is justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone contrary to the false teaching in so much of The Church today?
Are there certain areas of Christian freedom that you tend to be more strict about than others? How can we guard our hearts against hypocrisy?
As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died. 15 It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. 16 May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God.
-Paul, Galatians 6:14-18 NLT
17 From now on, don’t let anyone trouble me with these things. For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus.
18 Dear brothers and sisters, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
What motivated Paul’s life and ministry (v. 14)?
Why does Paul say that neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything (v. 15)?
Have you ever bragged to someone about your spiritual growth or service in the church? How might bragging about those things actually point people away from Christ?
Most, if not all, false teaching encourages us to spend our lives earning God’s approval and boasting in our efforts. How is such a life a wasted life? Why is boasting in Jesus’ work not a wasted life?
Why does a life committed to earning God’s favor through works keep us from experiencing every good thing God wants to give us in Christ?