A new study on Paul's first letter to the church at Corinth is available at http://paultocorinth.blogspot.com

As for those who will follow this rule—peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. From now on, let no one make trouble for me; for I carry the marks of Jesus branded on my body. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters.* Amen. (Galatians 6: 16-18)

The rule - kanon or principle - is to avoid the distraction of various legalisms and to fully accept the liberty of Christ crucified.

In his incarnation and crucifixion Jesus Christ demonstrates the purpose and power of self-sacrifice or - perhaps better - self-emptying.

From the gospels we know that Jesus was patient and forgiving of every human weakness except that of spiritual pride.

For Paul the Galatians are on the edge of choosing a path that ends in spiritual pride. Perhaps it is a path that begins with spiritual pride.

This is a profoundly dangerous path. Every other sin can - and often does - intersect with the path of righteousness.

Many sins may actually bring us - finally - closer to God. But spiritual pride leads us farther and farther away.

The laws of Moses - circumcision and more - can be beneficial in understanding what it means to love your neighbor as yourself.

But the laws are dangerous if they tempt us to focus on our own righteousness instead of the need to empty ourselves and thereby participate in the righteousness of God.

The laws are perverted and even satanic if they lead us to judge others rather than love others.

Jesus fulfilled the laws by emptying himself on the cross. We are called to fulfill the law's true purpose by giving ourselves fully to Christ.

Above is Paul in Prison by Rembrandt.

See what large letters I make when I am writing in my own hand! It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh that try to compel you to be circumcised—only that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. Even the circumcised do not themselves obey the law, but they want you to be circumcised so that they may boast about your flesh. May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything; but a new creation is everything! (Galatians 6:11-15)

Circumcision was intended to symbolize the relationship between God and his people.

Instead it had too often become a source of spiritual pride and racial separation.

The law was intended to show the way to God.

Instead it had too often become a distraction of ritual and regulation.

So often - and easily - I can pervert God's gifts to my own narrow purpose.

The distinctions that seem so important - circumcision or uncircumcision - are distractions.

All that truly matters is to accept and abide within the new creation.

Three closing verses remain. I will be offline until May 29. When I return a review and some final thoughts on Paul and his letter to the Galatians.

Those who are taught the word must share in all good things with their teacher. Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow. If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit. So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith. (Galatians 6:6-10)

For the ancient Greeks chaos was unorganized - and therefore unrealized - potential.

There is a natural ecology of human life. It is, I perceive, a chaotic system or what some call a complex adaptive system.

Within very broad boundaries the system allows for - encourages - diversity, individuality, and randomness.

But in its fundamental origins the system is orderly and perpetually renewing. In chaos theory the system organizes around "strange attractors of meaning."

Each of us will achieve our unique potential by organizing our choices around a search for the Other, serving others, and working for the good of all.

My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Take care that you yourselves are not tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ. For if those who are nothing think they are something, they deceive themselves. All must test their own work; then that work, rather than their neighbour’s work, will become a cause for pride. For all must carry their own loads. (Galatians 6: 1-5)

Paul does not so much place flesh and Spirit in contention as he contrasts the work of the flesh with the work of the Spirit.

If our object is to satisfy the flesh - a narrow and lonely aspect of the self - our work will produce nothing of value.

But if our effort is guided by the Spirit - the self in relationship with others and with God - we can co-create profound value.

Above is Paul visiting Peter in Prison by Filippino Lippi.

By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, competing against one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5: 22-26)

In giving ourselves to Christ we are transformed. Our preoccupation with the self is turned around. Instead of looking in, we look out. The works of the flesh become unsatsfactory. We find pleasure in how we relate with others.

Love - agape - fully recognizing the value of another.
Joy - chara - gladness in greeting another.
Peace - eirene - harmony between individuals.
Patience - makrothumia - persistent, constant, and longsuffering.
Kindness - chrestotes - to treat others in a fit and useful way.
Generosity - agathosune - honorable dealing with others.
Faithfulness - pistis - reliable and trustworthy.
Gentleness - prautes - attentive to the needs of others.
Self-control - egkrateia - temperate, having power over the self.

I do not read Paul as despising the flesh. But I do hear him insisting the Spirit must guide the flesh. Through the Spirit we find purpose, order, direction - and transcendent pleasure.

Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5: 19-21)

The work of the flesh - the ergon - outcome, output, or consequence of the body acting alone is:

Fornication - porneia - prostitution, especially as a form of worship.
Impurity - akatharsia - unclean, especially in regard to religious ritual.
Licentiousness - aselgeia - shameless lust for another.
Idolotry - eidololtreia - worship of false gods.
Sorcery - pharmakeia - the making of illusory cures.
Enmities - ecthra - acting in a hostile manner.
Strife - eris - contentious wrangling.
Jealousy - zelos - to be heated or angry.
Angry - thumos - uneven and repeating anger.
Quarrels - eritheia - partisan intrique and courting distinction, electioneering.
Dissensions - dicostasia - divisive behavior.
Factions - hairesis - choosing one over another.
Envy - phthonos - a corrupting and destructive attitude toward another.
Drunkeness - methe - intoxication.
Carousing - komos - a riotous procession associated with worship of Bacchus.

When the body is out of relationship with the Spirit it is self-asserting, delusional, oppressive, and divisive.