Sermon, 15th Sunday after Trinity, 2026
The closing words of Galatians expose a temptation that reaches far beyond the dispute over circumcision. The teachers troubling the Galatian church wanted converts they could count as evidence of their own success, while also hoping to avoid persecution. St. Paul sees the danger in measuring faithfulness by the number of people who agree with us. Even the desire to stand apart from the crowd can become another form of pride. Christ’s warning about the narrow way calls believers to examine what actually governs their convictions.
Paul’s answer is to glory in the cross of Christ. A resilient Christian faith must be formed by God’s truth and remain steady through approval, opposition, and difficulty. Holy Scripture is the final authority, read within the faith handed down by the Church through the ancient Creeds and the witness of the Church Fathers. This calls for careful study and regular worship, along with generosity toward others within the bounds of orthodoxy. The task is to receive that inherited faith thoughtfully and live it with genuine obedience to Christ.