Galatians 2
Daily Bread
Galatians 2
Paul Opposes Peter
11When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. 12Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.
14When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?
15"We who are Jews by birth and not 'Gentile sinners' 16know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.
17"If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! 18If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker. 19For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"
Observation:
One of the things that Paul had to confront in the early church was a kind of legalism that looked at externals rather than the internal condition of the heart. One of the legalisms in the early church was forcing some of the Gentiles to become circumcised so they would become more like the Jewish believers.
Paul points out that we are not justified (or made right with God) by observing the law, for if we could be made right with God by observing the Law then Jesus died for nothing. Paul points out that he had to “die” to the law, so that he might live for God. Paul was a Pharisee of Pharisees, he knew the law. But he also knew it could not bring life it could only kill.
Then, in a classic verse (v.20), Paul says he has become crucified with Christ, and the life he now lives, he lives by faith in the Son of God who loved him and gave himself for him. Does Paul mean this literally? No, Paul wasn’t crucified for the sins of the world, but he did have to crucify his flesh, which was always trying to justify itself. As Paul died to trying to make himself right before God, he found a new power at work him, which was born of faith in Jesus’ and His love for him.
Application: In what ways are you still trying to justify yourself before God? What do you need to die to in order to find new life in Christ? Have you crucified your old self and found new life in Christ through faith in the Son of God?
When we try to live a good life and think it will be good enough to make us right with God, we are in effect nullifying the grace of God and saying our works are more important than His work on the cross. If someone were to ask you why you are going to get to heaven, how would you answer?
Would you say because I am a good person? Or would you say, I have been crucified with Christ and the life I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me!
Prayer: God help us to die to the flesh which is always trying to justify itself through works. May we die to all the ways we think we are good enough to make it into your kingdom. Thank you for Jesus who provided us with the way, the truth and the life. Apart from His grace we can do nothing. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Galatians 2
Paul Opposes Peter
11When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. 12Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.
14When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?
15"We who are Jews by birth and not 'Gentile sinners' 16know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.
17"If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! 18If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker. 19For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"
Observation:
One of the things that Paul had to confront in the early church was a kind of legalism that looked at externals rather than the internal condition of the heart. One of the legalisms in the early church was forcing some of the Gentiles to become circumcised so they would become more like the Jewish believers.
Paul points out that we are not justified (or made right with God) by observing the law, for if we could be made right with God by observing the Law then Jesus died for nothing. Paul points out that he had to “die” to the law, so that he might live for God. Paul was a Pharisee of Pharisees, he knew the law. But he also knew it could not bring life it could only kill.
Then, in a classic verse (v.20), Paul says he has become crucified with Christ, and the life he now lives, he lives by faith in the Son of God who loved him and gave himself for him. Does Paul mean this literally? No, Paul wasn’t crucified for the sins of the world, but he did have to crucify his flesh, which was always trying to justify itself. As Paul died to trying to make himself right before God, he found a new power at work him, which was born of faith in Jesus’ and His love for him.
Application: In what ways are you still trying to justify yourself before God? What do you need to die to in order to find new life in Christ? Have you crucified your old self and found new life in Christ through faith in the Son of God?
When we try to live a good life and think it will be good enough to make us right with God, we are in effect nullifying the grace of God and saying our works are more important than His work on the cross. If someone were to ask you why you are going to get to heaven, how would you answer?
Would you say because I am a good person? Or would you say, I have been crucified with Christ and the life I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me!
Prayer: God help us to die to the flesh which is always trying to justify itself through works. May we die to all the ways we think we are good enough to make it into your kingdom. Thank you for Jesus who provided us with the way, the truth and the life. Apart from His grace we can do nothing. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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