Galatians 6:15–16

In the cross these old outward forms and ceremonies all passed away. They were nothing. In themselves they were absolutely useless. As a sign of trusting to the law, they could only bring the law's curse. But what does matter is new creation. This word "new" means something fresh, that we have not had before.

Then, with the law, the flesh and the world set aside, we bring in Christ, the Spirit and New Creation. Christ takes the place of the law as the rule of life (Gal. 2:20); the Spirit takes the place of the flesh (Gal. 3:3; Gal. 5:16-25); and New Creation takes the place of the world (Gal. 6:14-15). The principles of the present world must not govern us. The rule of New Creation must.

It is not the old life whitewashed, as hypocrites claim. It is not the old repaired and decorated, as moralists would have it. It is not the fine garment of self-righteousness that a man works out on earth and others would hand to us. It is not even the old changed and made over by the Holy Spirit, as some say. No; it is what the word of God declares, "new creation." (Gal. 6:15.)

The first man is a ruin beyond repair. The proof is the coming of a second Man. Why a second, if anything could be made of the first? If our old Adam nature was in any way capable of being improved, there was no need of something new.

To speak merely of being crucified to the world would not have been enough. There is more than that in Christ. People may boast about their forms, or about having no forms. But whatever it is, it is all wrong unless you have real, solid blessing from God… As a Christian, I belong to a system already set up in Christ, in the presence of God. I know what my new nature is when I think of Christ. I see Him risen from the dead and in glory… The Christian has the new creature in perfection in Christ. It is called "new creation" here because it is not simply life found, but life set in contrast with the old, which had to do with the world.

Every true Christian is part of that new creation, as the fruit of God's workmanship (see Eph. 2:10), and the great thing is to walk by it. The Galatians, as we have seen, had fallen into treating the law of Moses as the rule of their life, and living under it. No, says the apostle, the true rule of the believer's life is new creation. We do not walk as servants under a code of rules imposed from outside. We walk as sons of God, a new creation in Christ Jesus, indwelt by the Spirit of God's Son.

There is a rule by which we are to walk here, and that is the rule of the new creation (Gal. 6:15-16). Right now we are still in earthly circumstances. Yet God has given us all we need, so that we may pass through them in a heavenly manner. So let me ask you, my reader, in all affection: is everything about you suited to that heavenly scene — the training of your family, the conduct of your business, the doing of your duties, the use of your time, the furniture of your house, the clothes you wear, your friendships?

The Greek word kanon meant a rod or rule for testing things. Paul uses it this way in Galatians 6:16 and Philippians 3:16.

He pronounces peace and mercy upon as many as walk by this rule. What rule? The rule of new creation. There is a certain walk, then, for those who grasp their place in the new creation, and a rule for it.

To walk according to this rule — the rule of new creation — is to respond in faith to the grace that has called us. It is to walk in a way that matches that grace, as dead to the law, the flesh, and the world (Galatians 2:19; 5:24; 6:14). There will be peace and mercy for such people on their path through this world — not only for the Gentile believers, such as the Galatians, but also "upon the Israel of God."

The word means to walk in line... We might say, "As many as keep step by this rule"; to them the Apostle says, "Peace on them and mercy." The law can only bring trouble and a curse. These law teachers had brought trouble; in contrast, the Apostle sends a message of peace to those who walk by the rule of the new creation. Greetings to an assembly do not usually include mercy — only greetings to a person do. But in Galatia there were true ones in the assemblies, and in this time of trouble they needed mercy. This is probably the only case where he wishes mercy on assemblies.

God has neither peace nor mercy for a wilful walk. While that walk continues, it interrupts true fellowship with the Father of our spirits, and so interrupts all personal blessing. There is mercy in store, and peace at the end, for all who truly are "of God," while there is anger in present judgment for those who provoke Him by their ways.

Here "Israel of God" seems to mean not every saint in general, but the believing ones in Israel — those Jews who had rejected their own works and found shelter only in Christ Jesus. Paul names two parties, not one. "All who walk by this rule" points mainly to the Gentile believers. The "Israel of God" are the Jewish saints — not literal Israel as such, but "the Israel of God," the true Israelites whom grace made willing to receive the Saviour.

Peace and mercy are on all such and on the true Israel — at present, of course, found within the church of God. We believe the apostle puts it this way to pour contempt on the Judaizing teachers. They were pushing a counterfeit.

Scripture uses this expression once, and it has no possible connection with the millennial state at all. It appears in Galatians 6:16. There, after false teachers had tried to bring Judaism in among Christians, the apostle says, "as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God" — clearly in contrast with the Judaism of the flesh, which the false teachers were trying to introduce.