The Two Ways

The Way of The World/The Way of The Cross

Galatians 6:11-18

11Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand. 12As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

13For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh. 14But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

15For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. 16And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

17From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. 18Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

The same crossroads that mankind had to choose from in Paul’s day are still with us today. The world is standing at the crossroads today, Will people choose the path of human justification and self-righteousness or will they take the path of God’s mercy and grace?

There is no other option. There is no other road, which of this two roads will man choose? The way of the cross, or the way of the world?

1st of all, the path of human justification and self-righteousness appears appealing to lost mankind. They seem to think that they can pull themselves up by their own bootstraps, they think they’ll just Dig in and get the job done by their own effort, that some how they can Atone for your their own sins, they seem to think that if they try really hard to do right that they’ll be alright. After a while they even have their own self-believing it.

Let me remind us that Appearances are not always as they seem. Many choose the road of human justification and self-righteousness.

Many find this path satisfying and pleasing for a while, but they eventually realize that the road that they chose leads to destruction, absolute emptiness, and heart breaking despair.

· But then there is the other fork in the road—the way of the cross. This path

does not gleam with the glitter of fame or accomplishment, or a rising self-esteem. This path is splattered with the blood, sweat, and tears of Another.

It appears to be the path of defeat and surrender, not victory and valor. On this path there is no room for pride or arrogance.

There are no class distinctions that walk this path. No self-satisfied soldiers who claim the victory. All of those who travel this path know their absolute spiritual bankruptcy, they are all too familiar with their depravity, and they are well acquainted with their moral degeneracy.

Those who travel the path of human justification believe that they can fill their emptiness with their own efforts.

Those who travel the path of mercy and grace know that they have no power and no hope of every filling their emptiness unless they drink of the Living Waters that flow from the Father’s fountain of mercy and grace.

One man said “Those two approaches to salvation are the only two that exist, the only two forms of religion that man has ever known.

There is grace/faith/Holy Ghost religion, known as Christianity, and there is law/works/flesh religion, which identifies all the rest.

God’s way is the way of grace, that works through man’s faith in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ and the sustaining power of the Holy Spirit.

All other ways, no matter how seemingly different, are an attempt at salvation by fleshly works of the law.

It is as if, on the market shelf of world religions, there are hundreds of attractive packages, with a great range of shapes, sizes, labels, claims, and prices. But inside all of them is the same tasteless, nutritionless sawdust of works-righteousness.

*But there, standing alone, unattractive and repulsive to the natural man is the gospel, which alone contains real food.”

Paul’s letter was written to friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, and he urged them to reject the path of human justification and self-righteousness, and continue on the path of mercy and grace, to walk in the Spirit.

11Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand.

12As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

13For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.