The Offense of the Cross: Then and Now – Galatians 5:7-11

by Jamie Pantastico | Nov 17, 2025 | Pauline Theology | 0 comments

Galatians 5:11 – The Offense of the Cross

Before Paul makes his thunderous statement in Galatians 5:11, he walks the Galatians through a series of spiritual diagnostics in verses 7–10. Each verse builds toward one unavoidable conclusion:

Someone has pulled them away from the truth—and it was not God.

Let’s follow Paul’s inspired reasoning.

Galatians 5:7 — “You Did Run Well…”

“Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?”

Paul begins with a reminder:

“You started well. You believed the gospel. What in the world happened?”

Paul knew exactly what happened, but he asks the question the same way Jesus often did—not because He needed information, but because questions force the listener to face what they already know.

Paul’s question exposes the problem:
 

Somebody had stepped in and cut them off from the truth of grace.

These believers had been running the race of faith with joy and freedom (Galatians 5:1)—and now they were bogged down in law-keeping, rituals, and performance-based salvation.

Galatians 5:8 — This Didn’t Come From God

“This persuasion cometh not of Him that calleth you.”

Paul says bluntly:

“This message didn’t come from the Holy Spirit.”

If the Spirit of God didn’t persuade them to abandon grace, then what spirit did?

There are only two spiritual influences in the world:

• The Holy Spirit, who leads us into truth
• The evil spirit, Satan, who leads into deception

Legalism never comes from God.
 

Works-based salvation never comes from God.

The pressure to earn what Christ already accomplished never comes from God.

The same evil spirit who once held them in paganism was now trying to pull them into legalism.

Satan doesn’t care which ditch you fall into—just so long as you leave the gospel of grace.

And he never, ever gives up.

Galatians 5:9 — Leaven Always Spreads

“A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.”

Leaven is yeast—and yeast does not partially spread.

It permeates everything.

Legalism works the same way. So does false teaching. So does moral compromise.

What begins as “just a small doctrinal adjustment” becomes a complete takeover.

Paul’s warning is prophetic.

Look at Christendom today:

• The world knocked on the door of the Church.
• The Church cracked the door open.
• A little more world came in.
• The door opened wider.
• Now you can hardly tell the Church and the world apart.

A little leaven leavens the whole lump.

And legalism is the most destructive leaven of all.

Galatians 5:10 — Paul’s Confidence (and His Warning)

“I have confidence in you through the Lord…”

Paul hasn’t given up on them.

He refuses to throw these believers to the wolves.

He trusts that the Lord will bring them back to the truth of the gospel of grace.

But then comes one of the most severe warnings in all of Paul’s letters:

“…but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.”

Paul doesn’t care who the false teacher is:

• A scholar
• A philosopher
• A trained theologian
• A respected rabbi
• A man from Jerusalem
• An apostle’s acquaintance

It doesn’t matter.

They will bear judgment.

And we’re not talking about earthly consequences. Paul is referring to the future judgment of the lost:

The Great White Throne.

🔥 BOLD. EMPHATIC. NON-NEGOTIABLE.

“…he that troubleth you—
with his false teaching—
SHALL BEAR HIS JUDGMENT, whosoever he be.”

There is nothing more serious than corrupting the gospel.

Teachers who mislead people—pastors, influencers, theologians, seminary-trained wolves—
will occupy the hottest place in the lake of fire.

Handling Scripture is a fearful responsibility.

Now the Explosion: Galatians 5:11 — “The Offense of the Cross”

After examining the spiritual sabotage in verses 7–10, Paul asks the decisive question:

“And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased.”

Here’s Paul’s point:

If I preached what the Judaizers preach, I would not be persecuted.
 

• Nobody would hate me.
• Nobody would beat me.
• Nobody would try to kill me.
• Nobody would slander me.

If Paul preached:

• Law-keeping
• Circumcision
• Works
• Performance
• Effort
• Human righteousness

Then the offense of the cross would disappear.

Because the cross is offensive for one reason:

It tells every human being that they bring NOTHING to the table.

The cross is offensive because it strips away:

• Boasting
• Merit
• Ritual
• Pride
• Personal contribution

The cross says:

“You are helpless.
Christ did everything.
You add nothing.”

The self-righteous despise that message. Their in opposition to God’s grace.

The Parallel Today—Nothing Has Changed

The Galatians faced false teachers from Jerusalem.

Today’s believers face false teachers from pulpits.

Then it was circumcision and law-keeping.

Today it is:

• “Faith plus repentance.”
• “Faith plus baptism.”
• “Faith plus holiness.”
• “Faith plus fruit.”
• “Faith plus endurance.”
• “Faith plus obedience.”
• “Faith plus doing your part.”

Different vocabulary.
 

Same leaven.
Same deception.
Same bondage.

Paul faced it 2,000 years ago. Believers face it today.

And the same gospel Paul defended is the same gospel the world hates:

Grace without works.
Christ without additives.
Salvation without human contribution.

Paul Never Compromised—And Neither Can We

Paul could have ended all persecution by compromising.

By saying, “You guys are right—faith alone is too simple.”

But he didn’t. Not once. Not ever. Why?

His gospel came directly from the risen, glorified Christ.
—Galatians 1:11–12

He refused to surrender to Judaizers then.

‘to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.’ Galatians 2:5

We refuse to surrender to modern Judaizers now.

The offense of the cross has not ceased. And it will not cease—because grace will always offend works.

This is why Paul warned the Church for three years with tears that wolves would come (Acts 20:29–30).
 

And they did. They always do.

Most of Paul’s congregations eventually abandoned Paul’s message, not Paul himself.

And today, 95% of Christendom has done the same.

But the truth stands:

‘In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation;

in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, ‘

Ephesians 1:13

Salvation is by grace through faith alone in the finished work of Christ.
Not of works.
Lest any man should boast.  Ephesians 2:8-9