Making the cut (Galatians, again)

I read once (in Mad magazine, I think) that one's laziness factor is calculated by multiplying the amount of work one avoids by the amount of work done to avoid the other work. Reading Paul's epistles I see this idea crop up over and over again. Paul spent a great part of his energy battling the Judaizers. Some people of his time went around trying to convince the newly converted Gentile Christians that their salvation was incomplete or invalid unless they took upon themselves Judaism (expressed through circumcision) as well as faith in Christ. I sometimes wonder if these meddling Jews were the thorn in Paul's side as he had to contend with them and their teaching repeatedly and often.

Today we don't really have to deal with that specific set of troublemakers. Very few advocate for taking up the whole of Jewish law in order to be saved. For sure, there are those who think the law still a great idea and uphold as much of it as possible, but I don't know of any who set it as a barrier between individuals and salvation. We do, however, have a passel of folks who would set up other barriers. Some people can't ever accept that the work of Christ on the cross is sufficient for salvation. They demand some other work be added to the death of Christ to atone for sin. And they demand proof. In gaming terms, they tell us "screen shot, or it didn't happen." They want a detailed expense report to justify our justification. "Sure, Christ picked up the check, but you at least put something in for the tip? Right?"

I keep saying "they," but what I really mean is "we" and "I." If I read closely enough in Galatians, I can't help but find those timeless principles that are just as applicable with my own behavior as they were to those early Christians who were tempted to increase their laziness factor by working feverishly to avoid the simple task of believing. I must ask myself tough questions regarding this. I must ferret out the ways in which I spurn the great gift of love paid for by Jesus on the cross. When I look deep inside I see at the very core a disbelief in my own salvation. The old man protests against his death. I look into the depths of my sin and declare it greater than Christ. The real question is this: what am I having such a hard time believing?

The answer to the question, sadly, is that I don't believe the testimony about Jesus. I can give lip service to the gospel message, but just like the Judaizers of Paul's day, I stand looking at the cross of Christ and declare the work unfinished, contrary to Jesus' own utterance. According to them, the work of man in trimming off a bit of the flesh was required to effectuate salvation. In my own way I keep trying to cut off a little of my flesh rather than accepting that Jesus gave me a whole new life when he rose from the dead. By his death and resurrection all that flesh, the whole of the old man, is dead and buried and the new man given birth. I seem to have a hard spot with this idea. At least my behavior indicates as much.

For freedom Christ set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.

It is a yoke of slavery, one of my own making, and one I willingly submit to. Because of unbelief. I feel like the father of the demon possessed boy in Mark 9 who cried out "I believe; help my unbelief!" Indeed. Lord, help my unbelief so I can quit trying to make the cut.