Daily Bread 2011 - Galatians 2
Daily Bread 2011 – Galatians 2
15 “We who are Jews by birth and not ‘Gentile sinners’ 16 know 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! 18 If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker. 19 For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 I 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. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”
What Does This Mean?
Paul continues to lift up the issue that had beset the Galatian church of trying to syncretize being “saved by grace alone” with a “works righteousness” doctrine. This is a good definition of something that would happen throughout the church ages called “syncretism”. “Syncretism” is when you combine two systems of belief together. Meaning you take one tenet of one belief system and mix it in with one tenet of another system. Is this case it is adding/mixing “man can be justified by observing the Law” (in the specific case of circumcision) with “man is justified by faith in Christ”.
These are no opposite systems of justification. They are mutually exclusive. You can’t mix and/or add them together. It would be like saying 2+2=4, and also 2+2=5. Paul makes it very clear at the end of the verse that by doing this it is affront to God’s grace. Meaning if God has given us this incredible gift, it is actually quite arrogant and prideful for us to set it aside and add to it our own justification. In summary Paul concludes his defense of the true Gospel by stating, “If righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”
What Does This Mean For Us?
Interestingly we see in this chapter that this issue was so pervasive in the Church that Paul even had to confront the apostle Peter on it. Peter was eating with Gentile believers, then quickly acting like he didn’t know them when some members of the circumcision group came. Paul said that even Barnabas (his good buddy and partner) got caught up in this hypocrisy. Wow! If these legendary pillars of the church can so easily get caught up in this false teaching, we better be sure we are watching our own life and doctrine closely so we don’t fall into this trap!
Gracious God, thank you for the pure gospel that has been recorded for us in the bible. When we are tempted to add or subtract from it convict us with Your Holy Spirit so we might not confuse people. Thank you so much that there is nothing we can do to be saved other than to accept the free gift you have offered to us through Christ by faith. Amen.
15 “We who are Jews by birth and not ‘Gentile sinners’ 16 know 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! 18 If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker. 19 For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 I 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. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”
What Does This Mean?
Paul continues to lift up the issue that had beset the Galatian church of trying to syncretize being “saved by grace alone” with a “works righteousness” doctrine. This is a good definition of something that would happen throughout the church ages called “syncretism”. “Syncretism” is when you combine two systems of belief together. Meaning you take one tenet of one belief system and mix it in with one tenet of another system. Is this case it is adding/mixing “man can be justified by observing the Law” (in the specific case of circumcision) with “man is justified by faith in Christ”.
These are no opposite systems of justification. They are mutually exclusive. You can’t mix and/or add them together. It would be like saying 2+2=4, and also 2+2=5. Paul makes it very clear at the end of the verse that by doing this it is affront to God’s grace. Meaning if God has given us this incredible gift, it is actually quite arrogant and prideful for us to set it aside and add to it our own justification. In summary Paul concludes his defense of the true Gospel by stating, “If righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”
What Does This Mean For Us?
Interestingly we see in this chapter that this issue was so pervasive in the Church that Paul even had to confront the apostle Peter on it. Peter was eating with Gentile believers, then quickly acting like he didn’t know them when some members of the circumcision group came. Paul said that even Barnabas (his good buddy and partner) got caught up in this hypocrisy. Wow! If these legendary pillars of the church can so easily get caught up in this false teaching, we better be sure we are watching our own life and doctrine closely so we don’t fall into this trap!
Gracious God, thank you for the pure gospel that has been recorded for us in the bible. When we are tempted to add or subtract from it convict us with Your Holy Spirit so we might not confuse people. Thank you so much that there is nothing we can do to be saved other than to accept the free gift you have offered to us through Christ by faith. Amen.
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