Galatians 2 - How Can You Be Made Right With God?

Galatians 2 - NIV

Enduring Word Commentary

 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now 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!”

This is one of the most famous passages in the bible. I would strongly recommend you put it to memory. These two verses sum up what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ. But we might misinterpret it if we don't remember the context of this chaper and the rest of the letter to the Galatians. 

There were certain men of reputation who came from Jerusalem, who had infiltrated the church and presented a false gospel that newly converted Gentiles needed to be circumcised. So, when Paul was in Antioch, he had to confront Peter because he used to eat with Gentiles, but when these men came, he stopped. Basically he caved to peer pressure. 

This was a huge threat to the future of the gospel and mission of Christ. If Paul gave in to the pressure to go back to Jewish laws and customs, it would have caused a huge split between the Jews and Gentiles. Paul and Peter probably would have been caught in the division as well. 

But instead, Paul sees this as a massive opportunity to preach the true gospel of Christ. Paul starts by saying in verse 19, "Through the law I died to the law."

  

“To die to the law is to renounce it and to be freed from its dominion, so that we have no confidence in it and it does not hold us captive under the yoke of slavery.” (Calvin)

Paul was certainly familiar with the Mosaic Law. He was a Pharisee of Pharisees and trained under the famous rabbi, Gamaliel. But Paul realized the hard way that there was no way he could fulfill the righteous demands of the Law. This is why he says in Romans 7, 

"I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[c] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it."

In order to get sober people in 12 step programs have reach what they call, "a bottom". This is where they have to admit that they are completely powerless over alcohol (or other addiction) and their life is completely unmanageable. Paul had reached his own bottom in his sin addiction. He realized he was powerless over his sin and needed a power greater than himself to restore his life to sanity.

This is when Paul came to faith in Jesus. The chains of the Law, which he could never live up to, were broken. He was no longer a slave to sin, but by faith he was set free to live a new life. Though he still lived in an earthly body, his old sinful nature had been crucificed with Christ. This is why Paul says, 'I have been crucified with Christ".  What did this mean?

"Again, Paul anticipated a question from those who disagree with him. “Paul, when did you die to the law? You look alive to me!” Paul was happy to answer, “I have been crucified with Christ. I died to the law when Jesus died on the cross. He died in my place on the cross, so it is like it was me up on the cross. He died, and I died to the law when He died.”  (Guzik)

A life of faith starts with putting your trust in Jesus, who took your place on the cross, when he died for all of your sin. Your life of faith continues every day as you die to your sinful nature and live for Him. 

Paul concludes with a very logical statement. "If righteousness came through the Law, then Christ died for nothing!"

This is profound. Let me put it into simpler terms. If you could win God's approval by doing good works, then why did Jesus have to die for you? If Jesus died for all of your sin on the cross, and you try to earn your salvation through works, it is really a slap in his face.

It is like saying, "Jesus thank for dying for all my sins on the cross, but I am still going to try to do enough good things to justify myself!" 

Friends, have you come to trust in Jesus as your only source righteousness before God? Have you been crucified with Christ and admitted you were powerless over sin? 

If you have faith in Christ, you are set free to live the life you've always wanted. You are free from slavish obedience to the Law, and the constant guilt of never measuring up to God's perfect laws.

You are free from constantly focusing on yourself, so now you can focus on others. The time you spent wallowing in self-pity over your failed attempts at self righteousness, can now be spent offering our lives back to God in thanksgiving! You will not do good works to earn God's approval, but because you already have it! 

Jesus, thank you for giving us the gift of faith. As we trust in you to be our righteousness, we no longer need to try and earn the Father's love. Keep us from going back to the Law, which is our slave master. Keep our eyes on the cross where we were set free from sin, death, and the power of the devil.  Amen.