After pointing out that the Judaizers wanted the Galatian believers to be circumcised so that they could boast in the flesh of the Galatians, Paul says, “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.” Instead of boasting in circumcision, Paul boasted in the cross of Christ. Circumcision is a shadow, but the cross is the reality. Whereas the Judaizers boasted in the shadow, Paul boasted in the cross through which the entire religious world—Judaism, the law, ordinances, and circumcision— was crucified to Paul. Furthermore, Paul could boast in the cross by which he had been crucified to the religious world.
In verse 15 Paul went on to say, “For neither is circumcision anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.” Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything to God. What matters to Him is a new creation. Through the cross of Christ the new creation was brought in. This new creation is the rule by which the believers should now walk (v. 16).
As we have already pointed out elsewhere, the world in verse 14 is primarily the religious world, as indicated by verse 15. Paul could say, “Judaism has been crucified to me, and I have been crucified to Judaism. On the cross of Christ, the law, circumcision, and all the Judaistic observances have been crucified. At one time, Judaism was my world. But through the cross of Christ this world has been crucified to me, and I have been crucified to it.” By the cross Paul was separated from Judaism. Therefore, he could declare that neither circumcision nor uncircumcision was anything. The only thing that avails is a new creation.
Paul’s mention of the new creation in 6:15 gives us the reason for sowing unto the Spirit. The result of sowing unto the Spirit is a new creation. Hence, we should sow unto the Spirit for the new creation. However, if we care for law-keeping and circumcision, we shall sow unto the flesh. Circumcision does not change the old creation, for it cannot change our nature. Circumcision cannot regenerate us, give us the divine life, or transform us. After a person is circumcised, he remains the old creation. But when we aim at the Spirit and sow unto the Spirit, the Spirit makes us a new creation.
We have seen that the phrase “unto the Spirit” means to aim at the Spirit and to take the Spirit as the goal of our living. Therefore, to sow unto the Spirit means that our life, living, and walk all must aim at the Spirit.
In 6:8 Paul charges us to sow unto the Spirit. Sowing involves all that we say and do and all that we are in our daily life. We should not think that after we say or do a particular thing there will be no consequences. No, whatever we say or do is an act of sowing that will eventually produce a harvest and be reaped by us. We Christians are sowing all the time, and we shall reap what we sow. Instead of sowing unto the flesh, we should sow unto the Spirit, with a view to the Spirit. This means that we should take the Spirit as the goal of our sowing. The Judaizers were absolutely for Judaism. They focused their attention on the law, circumcision, and dietary regulations. Their aim in life was to carry out the law, circumcision, the ordinances, the regulations, and the keeping of the Sabbath. Their goal was Judaism and nothing but Judaism. The Judaizers were exceedingly ambitious to keep the law, to practice circumcision, and to fulfill all the regulations and ordinances of their religion. They were absolutely for Judaism, even at the cost of their lives.
Paul’s aim was very different from that of the Judaizers. His goal was the Spirit, the all-inclusive Triune God. This was his only goal, and he was willing to forget everything else for it. Everything Paul did was unto the Spirit. What is the aim of your life? Can you say that you are aiming at the Triune God, or are you aiming at something else? How wonderful to be able to say that the Triune God is our goal, and we are aiming at Him.
In doing many different things we need to aim at the Spirit. Our goal should be to gain the profit which comes from aiming at the Spirit. To say that our goal is the Spirit means that our goal is the processed Triune God. In whatever we do, we should have the assurance that our goal in that thing is the Triune God. To sow unto the Spirit is to take the processed Triune God as our goal in life.
For us today, the Triune God is not merely objective. He is the Spirit as the aim of our daily living. For the Jews and even for many Christians, God is only objective. But to us, God is also subjective, for He dwells in our spirit to impart grace to us. Hence, our God is not merely the object of our worship; He is also the life-giving Spirit in our spirit. This indwelling One should be our goal.