This morning, I’m chewing on five words in the fifth chapter of Paul’s letter to the Galatians. And, if I’m picking up what is being laid down, as much as we might try to respectfully and winsomely persuade others (2Cor. 5:11), or as prepared as we might be “to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope” that is in us and to do so with “gentleness and respect” (1Pet. 3:15), when it comes to the message of the cross, for some it’s just going to be offensive.

But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed.

(Galatians 5:11 ESV)

The offense of the cross . . .

All Paul needed to do, to be inoffensive, was preach a little “Jesus PLUS.” As in, Jesus’ finished work on the cross PLUS our finished work of observing the law, therein lies salvation, therein is our “hope of righteousness” (Gal. 5:5b).

A little Him, a little me . . . some of His work along with some of my worth . . . a blend of God’s freely offered grace supplemented by some of my merit worthy of forced divine obligation . . . three parts His righteousness imputed, one part my righteousness inserted . . . and what do you have? A comfortable cross.

Or, as Paul puts it, “this persuasion” is actually “a little leaven” which “leavens the whole lump” (Gal. 5:8-9).

This isn’t just some modified good news, it’s not good news at all. It’s not just a slightly different gospel, it’s a distorted gospel (Gal. 1:6-7). It’s not a variation to be accepted, it’s an out and out derivation to be accursed (Gal. 1:9).

So, why the temptation to mess with the good news by sprinkling in a bit of our own good works? Because of the offense of the cross. And none of us likes to be offended.

For those of us with an ego, for those of us who have found a standard next to which we can stand and find ourselves looking pretty good, for those of us who want to boast a bit in what we’ve become, to sing “Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to the cross I cling” (Rock of Ages) is kind of a gut punch. I bring “nothing?” Really? Nothing? Nada? Zip? Zilch? Bupkus?

Ouch!

No, not “ouch.” But “how dare you!” I’m offended!

Good. Now you’re getting it. Now let that offense morph into acknowledgement. And acknowledgment into contrition. And contrition into confession. And confession into desperation. And let that desperation lead you again only to the cross.

Not talking to unbelievers here. But brothers, sisters, I’m thinking about us. Let us beware of thinking that there is any place for any form of man produced “circumcision” in our gospel. We still have nothing in our hands to bring — nothing that Jesus hasn’t already placed in our hands and enabled us to carry. We still have only the cross to which we cling. For “if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” and “if we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us” (1John 1:8, 10 ESV).

Hmm . . . maybe that’s sounds a bit offensive. Good. It’s what qualifies it, in a sense, to be part of the good news — the good news that still proclaims . . .

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

(1John 1:9 ESV)

Oh, to embrace the offense of the cross. To know afresh the reality of its cleansing.

Only — yes, ONLY — by His grace.

Always for His glory.

Amen?