Galatians 2:17-21 Did Christ die for no purpose? “Crucified with Christ…Live by Faith in The Son of God”.
Galatians • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 3 viewsNotes
Transcript
Galatians 2:17-21 Did Christ die for no purpose? “Crucified with Christ…Live by Faith in The Son of God”.
Intro and recap. Slides: Where, who, what, Paul Writing to the Galatians, he is very concerned that other teachers are drawing the Galatians away from Jesus, by preaching a different gospel. (One of works – following the OT law, becoming a Jew for salvation).
Paul is and has been explaining why justification can’t be by the law, but is only by faith in Jesus as Christ. and (His work, life, death and resurrection and coming back and that he is the Christ – Messiah). Jesus is alive, not death.
The gospel explained in the intro of the letter God the father that raised Christ from death. Jesus that gave him self up for our sins to deliver us according to the will of God our father.
In verse 17 A question raised is if we rely on Jesus for our justification, but we are found to sin or be sinners, is Christ then serving sin? Paul: States Certainly not!
In verse 18 Paul uses a metaphor from building, I found that hard to understand, why tear something down and rebuild it? PPT I this case it showed, sin, first Paul and Peter and the others believed in Jesus by faith, and trusted in him, but now some of them rebuild the wall of the law, that was torn down by Jesus, - and their faith was in Jesus works and not the law.
But as earlier all need salvation and it does not come from the law so what is the solution? Death… What do you mean?
Then in verse 19.Paul writes that he died through the law and therefore died to the law.Then therefore he is not trusting in the law for justification, but instead the law made sin visible, and the law could not bring salvation and justification, so we/ Paul said he died to the law, so he could live for God.
Well, how did that work? I mean Paul is alive and writing.
Verse 20 Paul will now explain; the believer is crucified with Christ. Wow, reflect and think about that… I am dead, I died with Christ on the cross, I am dead. (I don’t have to worry about death, what people say and think about me, about all the laws demands, all the out and should, all the expert and political advice, fads and trends etc. I am dead, I can live with out fear and in freedom because I am dead).
It is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me. (I have died to the law, and trust in Jesus’ work for justification, I died to the law, and Christ is the one who lives in me, his work trusting in him).
How does that work? The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the son of God. And Paul stated that Jesus loved him, and gave himself for him. Wow, what joy to be death to the law and the flesh, to know Jesus the son of God by faith, and know that Jesus loved me and gave himself for me. (Paul is explain how much greater God’s grace is in Justifying us by Jesus works and not the law). (A works would never do, only Gods grace in Jesus).
Verse 21. Therefore Paul argues that it is not that sin is not there, as before gentiles and Jews were sinners with and with out the law, the law just made it easier to see, but faith and justification was not found in the law, no it was found in the grace of God that Jesus died with a purpose to justify people where the law could not. It was Gods grace that makes it possible, and Paul is saying I don’t want to nullify Gods grace, and return to try to be justified by the law, because If I do Christ did for no purpose.
Okay what about you and me?
Verse 17. Well, we are sinners no matter baground and we need jusfication. But we are sinners so how would that work? Does Jesus serve our sin, does Jesus die so we should sin more? Or have our sin, I Pauls words is Jesus Christ a servant of sin. No, he is not. Jesus does not die to serve sin or to give us our sin, but that we might be set free from our sin to freedom in Jesus. The positive side of seeking justifation in Jesus is that we admit we need a savior, that we are not going to save our self by our works or obeying religious rules. Even if we sometimes fall back and think that is how we get right standing with God. Rebuilding the wall. Do you do that?
If you trust in Jesus Christ as lord God and savior and by faith trust in him for right standing with God, - then why rebuild the wall? And what is the wall I / you rebuild. When we don’t trust in Jesus for justification, my performance, my good works, the amount of my prayers and giving, reading the bible, or what other things makes us depart form Jesus Christ to trust in that for our right standing with God. And why would we even do that? Trust is hard, works is sometimes easy.
How can we stop this tendency?
Paul points to the cross, and said I have been crucified with Christ, (He is death – in Christ we are also death on the cross with Jesus, by faith) So then death with Christ is freedom from trusting in the law, and my works to save and justify me. Then what does that mean? You are death, in Christ? Freedom? A death person stops trying and rely on Jesus instead.
I don’t live but Christ lives in me… Death to sin and the law, I can rely on Jesus Christ and not myself… But then how do I live in this world. Paul adds: The life I now live in the flesh, (the body), how does he live? He lives by faith in Son of God, Jesus Christ.
And what did Christ do for him and us? He loved me and gave his life up for me. (I was annoyed about the Jesus loved me song, but here is the proof). What does that do in your heart and mind? That Jesus loved and offers of his life for whoever will believe? (We might conclude that is a much better offering for Justification that whatever we could bring).
God showed his love for people by sending his son John 3:16. Jesus showed us his love by giving his life for people to be saved.
Then if we continue in wanting to justify ourself, we show we have misunderstood the gospel og Jesus Christ. And we nullify the grace of God and we say with our actions that Jesus died for no purpose. This is the very thing Paul wants the Galatiens not to do, but instead, trust in Jesus, that loved, died, to bring them to God. The same goes for us… We can do many things, but nothing to get our own justification, right standing with God. And I think the more we trust we are death, with Christ the more we can live our life with Christ in this life, and the more we are seeking to obey out of love and the mercy we have received the more we will serve and live in and for Jesus Christ. By the power of his Holy Spirt.
Deeply practical – what we know, truly know we life out… The more we trust in Jesus Christ the more we are free to live in him.