Galatians 6:14: “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”

The cross is not simply a historical curiosity nor simply a symbol of Christianity. The cross is not simply a piece of jewelry to hang around our necks. The cross is the central thing in the Christian religion. It is the crucial act of God for our salvation. Songs of the church throughout the centuries reflect this truth.

In the first phrase of Galatians 6:14, Paul teaches that the cross is our source for boasting because the cross is our only basis for acceptance by God. The cross directly tackles the heart problem and ushers in spiritual transformation for all who bow before it and glory in it. Everything you treasure and everything you boast in is owed to the death of Christ. And as Oswald Chambers says, “[When] I dwell on the cross of Christ... I become strongly focused on Jesus Christ’s interests.” 

This verse concludes by saying that the world, as it stands in opposition to righteousness, has been dealt the deathblow. The world has no power over me nor any attraction to me. I am dead to the enticements and cravings of the world because Jesus is my Savior.  

Remember, the cross is not only a past event but a present reality. May the cross be our highest and noblest thought and deepest passion. As the hymn writer put it, “Nothing in my hand I bring simply to your cross I cling.” Put another way, I bring nothing to God including my own righteousness, but simply wrap my mind, arms, and heart around your cross. Thank you, Jesus, that you loved me and gave your life for me. Yes, it is all about the cross!