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As we bear the brands of Jesus, we enjoy the grace of Christ—Gal. 6:17-18:
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Spiritually, the brands of Jesus signify the characteristics of the life that Paul lived, a life like the one the Lord Jesus lived on this earth; such a life is continually crucified (John 12:24), does the will of God (6:38), does not seek its own glory but the glory of God (7:18), and is submissive and obedient to God, even unto the death of the cross (Phil. 2:8).
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If we bear the brands of Jesus and live a crucified life, we will enjoy the grace of Christ as the supply of the life-giving Spirit in our spirit for us to minister Christ as God’s grace to God’s household—3:10; 2 Cor. 4:10-11; Eph. 3:2.
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The grace of the Lord Jesus dispensed into His believers throughout the New Testament age consummates in the New Jerusalem as the consummation of God’s good pleasure in uniting, mingling, and incorporating Himself with man for His glorious enlargement and expression—Rev. 22:21; Eph. 2:10.
Morning Nourishment
Gal. 6:17 Henceforth let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the brands of Jesus.Rev. 22:21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen.
It is important to know the reason Paul inserted a word [in Galatians 6:17] about the brands of Jesus between his mention of peace [in verse 16] and grace [in verse 18]…. As he was writing about peace and grace, he had the realization within him that he enjoyed peace because he was bearing the brands of Jesus….Through the enjoyment of grace, Paul was brought into a peaceful state. He was maintained in this peace by bearing the brands of Jesus. Bearing the brands of Jesus will also keep us at peace. But if we refuse to bear these brands, we shall be troubled, and our peace will disappear. Then, having lost our peace, it will be difficult for us to continue in the enjoyment of grace. (Life-study of Galatians, pp. 271-272)
Today’s Reading
The word brands in Galations 6:17 refers to the marks branded on slaves to indicate their owners. With Paul, a slave of Christ (Rom. 1:1), physically the brands were the scars of his wounds received in his faithful service to his Master (2 Cor. 11:23-27). Spiritually, they signify the characteristics of the life he lived, a life like that lived by the Lord Jesus when He was on this earth. Such a life is continually crucified (John 12:24), doing the will of God (6:38), seeking not its own glory but the glory of God (7:18), and submissive and obedient to God, even unto the death of the cross (Phil. 2:8). Paul followed the pattern of the Lord Jesus, bearing the brands, the characteristics of His life. In this he was absolutely different from the Judaizers. Paul had been wounded many times because of his faithfulness in service to Christ. In 2 Corinthians 11:24 and 25 he tells us that five times he received “forty stripes less one,” that three times he was beaten with rods, and that once he was stoned. Therefore, there were many scars on his body testifying of his years of service to Christ. These scars may also be considered the brands of Jesus.As we read the four Gospels, we see the portrait of a Man constantly living a crucified life. This kind of life is a brand. Thus, when the Lord Jesus was on earth, He bore such a brand. He was persecuted, ridiculed, despised, and rejected. However, He did not say anything to defend Himself. Instead, living a crucified life, He bore a brand to show that He belonged to God the Father. Paul followed the Lord Jesus to live this kind of life. In Philippians 3:10 he refers to “the fellowship of His sufferings.” As one who lived in the fellowship of Jesus’ sufferings, Paul bore the brands of Jesus as the sign that he lived a crucified life. When Paul was greeting the Galatians with a word of peace, he was reminded of the fact that it was the brands of Jesus that kept him in this peace. Because he was persecuted, despised, ridiculed, rejected, and condemned, he could truly say that he bore the brands of Jesus.
After referring to the brands of Jesus, Paul says, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen” [Gal. 6:18]. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ is actually the bountiful supply, the all-inclusive enjoyment, of the life-giving Spirit. On the one hand, we bear the brands of Jesus, are persecuted, and live a crucified life; on the other hand, we enjoy the grace of Christ and experience the bountiful supply of the Spirit. Oh, the rich and bountiful supply of the all-inclusive Spirit is with our spirit!
Paul was accused of being the ringleader of a sect, a cult, but he knew that he was living a new creation and was enjoying the bountiful supply of the all-inclusive Spirit in his spirit. As the book of Galatians indicates, if we bear the brands of Jesus and live a crucified life, we shall enjoy the supply of the life-giving Spirit in our spirit. (Life-study of Galatians, pp. 272-276)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1994-1997, vol. 1, “Crystallization-study of the Epistle to the Romans,” ch. 24