Martin Luther on Galatians 6:13

Verſe. 13. For they them ſelues that are circumciſed doe not keepe the lavv: but they vvould haue you circumciſed, that they might glory in your flesh. Is not Paule here worthy to be called an heretike? For he ſayth, that not onely the falſe apoſtles, but all the nation of the Iewes which were circumciſed keepe not the law, but rather that they which were circumciſed, in fulfilling the lawe fulfill it not. This is againſt Moiſes, who ſayeth that,Gen. 17.10 14. to be circumciſed is to keepe the lawe: and not to be circumciſed is to make the couenaunt voide. Gen. 17. And the Iewes were circumciſed for none other cauſe but to keepe the lawe,Gen. 17.1[illegible: 1 letter]. which commaunded that euery malechild ſhould be circumciſed the eight day. Hereof we haue before entreated at large, and therfore we neede not now to repeate the ſame againe. Now, theſe things ſerue to ye condemning of the falſe apoſtles, that the Galathiās may be feared from hearing of them. As if he ſhould ſay: Behold, I ſette before your eyes what maner of teachers ye haue. Firſt they are vaineglorious men, which ſeeke nothing but their owne profite,Phil. 2.21. and care for nothing but their owne bellie. Secondly they flie the croſſe: and finally they teach no truth or certaintie, but all their ſayings and doings are counterfet and full of hypocriſie. Wherefore although they keepe the lawe outwardly: yet in keping it they keepe it not. For without the holy ghoſt, the law can not be kept. But the holy Ghoſt can not be receaued wtout chriſt: and where ye holy ghoſt dwelleth not, ther dwelleth an vncleane ſpirit,The lavv is not accomplished vvith outvvard vvorkes. that is to ſay, deſpiſing god, & ſeking his owne gaine and glory. Therfore al that he doth as touchīg ye law, is mere hypocriſie & double ſinne. For an vncleane heart doth not fulfill the lawe, but only maketh an outward ſhew thereof, and ſo is it more confirmed in his wickednes and hypocriſie. And this ſentence is diligently to be marked, that they which are circumciſed keepe not the lawe: that is to ſay, that they which are circumciſed are not circūciſed.Rom. 14.2[illegible: 1 letter]. It may alſo be applied vnto other workes. He that worketh, prayeth, or ſuffereth without Chriſt, worketh, praieth & ſuffereth in vaine: for all that is not of faith is ſinne.VVorks done vvithout faith are ſinnes. It profiteth a man therefore nothing at all to be outwardly circumciſed, to faſt, to pray or to doe any other worke, if he be within a deſpiſer of grace, of forgeuenes of ſinnes, of faith, of Chriſte, &c. and be puffed vp with the opinion & preſumption of his owne righteouſnes: which are horrible ſinnes againſt the firſt table: and afterward there folow alſo other ſinnes againſt the ſecōd table, as diſobedience, whoredom, furiouſnes, wrath, hatred, and ſuch other. Therfore he ſaith very wel, that they which be circumciſed keepe not the lawe, but onely pretend that they keepe it. But this counterfetting, or rather hypocriſie is double wickednes afore God. What meane the falſe apoſtles whē they would haue you to be circumciſed? Not yt ye might become righteous: although they ſo beare you in hand, but that they may glory in your fleſh. Now, who would not deteſt this moſt peſtilēt vice of ambition and deſire of glory,The peril that follovveth ambition and vaine glory. which is ſought with ſo great perill of mennes ſoules? They are (ſayth he) diſceitfull, ſhameles and vaine ſpirites, which ſerue their owne belly and hate the croſſe. Againe (which is worſt of all) they compel you to be circumciſed according to the lawe, that they may therby abuſe your fleſh to their owne glory, & in the meane ſeaſon they bring your ſoules into daūger of euerlaſting deſtruction. For what gaine ye elſe before God but damnation? and what elſe before men, but that the falſe apoſtles may glory that they are your teachers, and ye their diſciples? and yet they teach you that which they them ſelues do not. Thus doth he ſharply reproue the falſe apoſtles. Theſe wordes: That they may glory in your flesh, are very effectuall. As if he ſhould ſay: they haue not the word of the ſpirit: therfore it is impoſſible for you to receaue the ſpirite by their preaching. They do but onlyThat is, they do but kepe your flesh in a ſeruile and ſlauish exerciſe. exerciſe your fleſh, making you fleſhly Iuſticiaries or iuſtifiers of your ſelues. Outwardly they obſerue dayes, times, ſacrifices and ſuch other things according to the lawe, which are altogither carnall, whereby ye reape nothing elſe but vnprofitable labour and damnation. And on the other ſide, this they gaine thereby, that they boaſt that they are your teachers and haue called you backe from the doctrine of Paule the heretike, vnto their mother the Synagoge. So at this day the Papiſtes bragge, that they call backe thoſe to the boſome of their mother the holy church, whom they deceaue and ſeduce. Contrariwiſe, we glory not in your fleſh, but we glory as touching your ſpirite, becauſe ye haue receaued the ſpirite by our preaching, Galath. 3.2.