September 21, 2008
“Getting to Heaven God’s Way”
Galatians 2:14-21
Christianity is not a list of rules! Christianity is different from all other religions. In all other religions men pretend to reach up to God, only in Christianity does God reach down to man.
I. Neither Jew nor Gentile will be saved by keeping the law - :14-16
1. This is Paul’s argument against Peter, the Jews had great advantages over the Gentiles, yet they still needed to be justified by faith – Romans 9:3-5; Galatians 2:14-16 (Why take the Gentiles back to the law?)
2. This is the obvious teaching of Scripture, by keeping the law no flesh will be justified – Galatians 2:16b; Romans 3:10-11
II. Paul’s opponents argued he was promoting sin by opposing the law as a way of salvation, yet to Paul the law was taken care of on the cross upon which he had already died with Christ, there is no need rebuild that instrument of death - :17- 20
III. Paul argues we are dead to the law, because we have been crucified with Christ - :19-21
“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 and captive under the yoke of slavery.” John Calvin
At least four different entities were nailed to Christ’s cross:
1. Christ’s physical body – John 19:18
2. The sign that said “King of the Jews” – John 19:19
3. The debt believers owed because of sin – Colossians 2:13-14
4. According to Galatians 2:20 we who are believers were also “crucified with Christ” meaning when Christ died, He died paying the penalty of sin for us all!
IV. If we have been crucified with Christ then we are also risen with Christ, our LIFE is based on our union with Him, not on our personal obedience to the law apart from Him / we should be careful not to “set aside the grace of God” – Galatians 2:20-21
1. It is not what you do that saves you, but WHO you know – John 3:36
2. Our continued walk with God, our life right now is a life of faith, of abiding in Christ – John 15:5
3. We trust in what He has done for us, not in what we do for ourselves to get us into Heaven!
This is a great verse to memorize –
Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
