Freed in Christ, But I still struggle
Notes
Transcript
Handout
INTRO:
Recap:
- Freed in Christ
Freed from the righteous requirement of the law
The battle Paul was facing with the church of Galatia
turned away from legalism and trying to earn right standing before God
18 For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
18 For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God.
VS. 18
VS. 18
What did Paul tear down?
the need for the law for righteousness
Big deal (Paul zealous for the Law)
14 And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.
Paul’s message now:
Christ is sufficient for salvation - accomplishes what the law requires
10 The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. 11 For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. 12 So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.
“If I reject the law as the means by which I can have right standing before God for my sin and embrace Christ; then reject Christ and try to earn righteousness by doing the law, I am reveal that I wasn’t justified to begin with.”
ILLUS: Fixer Upper
VS. 19
VS. 19
18 For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God.
10 The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. 11 For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. 12 So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.
You can’t keep the law
Christ fulfills all the law requires and died in your place and gives you His righteousness (so that I may live to God)
4 Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. 5 For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. 6 But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.