Galatians 2:20,21

TEXT 2:20, 21

(20) I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me. (21) I do not make void the grace of God: for if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for naught.

PARAPHRASE 2:20, 21

20 To prove that we die through law, I observed, that by the curse of law we are crucified together with Christ; Nevertheless we believers still live; only it is no longer the old man, with the affections and lusts, but Christ who liveth in us. For the life which we now live in the body, after the crucifixion of our old man, we live by that faith which is enjoined of the Son of God, who loved us, and gave himself to death for us, that he might rule us, and obtain pardon for us.
21 I do not, like the Judaizers, set aside the mercy of God in giving his Son, by teaching justification through works of law. For if righteousness is attainable through law, then certainly Christ hath died in vain. He need not have died to deliver us from the curse, and to obtain eternal life for us.

COMMENT 2:20

For I have been crucified with Christ

1.

Paul in Romans enlarges on this idea. We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death. knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin. Romans 6:4; Romans 6:6

2.

Too many in the church today are not crucified with Christ.

a.

Sample of ones not crucified:

TIRED CHRISTIANS: Will work if coaxed.
RE-TIRED CHRISTIANS: Believe they have done their share and sit idly by, exercising the right to criticize.
RUBBER-TIRED CHRISTIANS: Go along all right if the way is smooth and the way clear.
FLAT-TIRED CHRISTIANS: Once were closely affiliated with the Church but suffered a puncture of ego and have never recovered.
AT-TIRED CHRISTIANS: Go to church on Easter and other times to show off new clothes.
TIRE-LESS CHRISTIANS: Always on the job and fully consecrated to the Lord Jesus Christ.
WHAT KIND OF A CHRISTIAN ARE YOU?

b.

Typical Christians who are not crucified:

ONE CROSSNearly new. I cannot carry it and keep up with the world at the same time.
ONE TALENTUnused, but shelfworn. It has been hidden away for years.
ONE SET OF CHRISTIAN ARMORFive pieces. This set needs polishing, but there is not a scratch or scar on it.
ONE PRAYING KNEEWholly unused since the limb sprouted a dancing foot.
ONE BIBLEThe pages of the family record have been used, otherwise good as new.
ONE THOUSAND OPPORTUNITIESMost of these are gone, but there may be a few good ones left. These many articles are stored in my attic.

it is no longer I that live, but Christ that liveth in me

1.

He has been crucifiedyet he lives.

a.

He is yet a living person.

b.

He does not say that it ends his existence.

2.

He means that in this new life, one lives in Him.

a.

Christ lives in him as Saviour.

b.

Christ lives in him as a guide.

c.

Christ lives in him as one sensitive to sin.

d.

Christ lives in him as a strengthening one. Philippians 4:13

the life that I live in the flesh, I live in faith

1.

The Christian life is a believing life.

a.

Believing that I am saved. John 3:16

b.

Believing that God will care. To them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called. Romans 8:28

c.

Believing in a new body. 1 Corinthians 15:1-58

a.

A glorified body.

b.

An eternal body.

c.

A body without pain. Revelation 20:4

2.

Paul proved that a person in the flesh could live in the Spirit.

the faith which is in the Son of God

1.

Faith is in a personnot a law.

2.

Salvation is in Christ, not in observances.

who loved me

1.

Jesus had much to say about the Father's lovevery little of his own lovethus he gave the credit to God.

2.

John records Jesus-' references to His own love.

a.

A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; even as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. John 13:34

b.

Even as the Father hath loved me, I also loved you: abide ye in my love. John 15:9

c.

This is my commandment, that ye love one another, even as I loved you. John 15:12

d.

It was Jesus who spoke the message of love in John 3:16.

and gave Himself up for me

1.

Christ lived a life of love and compassion.

2.

He died for man as an indication of His love.

a.

Greater love hath no man than this. John 15:13

b.

And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God.

Ephesians 3:19

c.

And walk in love even as Christ also loved you and gave himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odor of sweet smell. Ephesians 5:2

3.

Do we practice what we sing? This will answer the question, What will we give up for Christ?

I Love to Hear the Story.
if it doesn-'t last over 20 minutes.
Take My Life and Let it Be,
Yes, let it be, dear Lord.
Sweet Hour of Prayer,
is wonderful, but I-'m really too busy.
I Love to Hear the Story,
but only in Church.
Have Thine Own Way, Lord,
with Mrs. Gray and Mrs. Black.
Lead Me to Some Soul Today,
but wait until I have a convenient time.
All I have is Thine Own,
but I hope that You don-'t mind that I have used it all
for something which I want.
If Jesus Goes with Me,
it may be embarrassing for both of us.

COMMENT 2:21

I do not make void the grace of God

(Catholic translationI do not cast away the grace of God.)

1.

This is a charge against Peter: You do by your action.

2.

But if it is by grace, it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. Romans 11:6

3.

The law was God's grace to bring us to Christ, who is God's complete demonstration of grace.

if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for naught

1.

Jesus just wasted His time if righteousness can be obtained some other way.

2.

Note how people think that they obtain righteousness today:

a.

Indulgences

b.

Masses

MIXING THE COVENANTS AND BAPTISM 2:21

Paul contends that righteousness is in Christ and not of the law. Many great religious reformers have not seen this truth. Calvin was one and he has had many followers.
Because Calvin drew no qualitative or essential difference between the old covenant of the law and the new covenant of grace, he continued to think of works in his legalistic framework of thought.
He was not consistent in his views and neither are his modern followers.
Modern Calvinists are unable to differentiate between the works of law for merit and the good works of a Christian compelled not for merit but out of faith. That's why belief and repentance are considered essential but baptism is viewed as merely works. Calvin's level Bible viewpoint, by which he arbitrarily put most Old and New Testament Scriptures on an equal level of authority, gave him a lot of the proof texts he needed to support his legal system.
Popular theology today disposes of baptism as a doctrine of salvation.

Ironically, Calvin insisted upon the sacrament of infant baptism. And he knew exactly what he meant by sacrament too. Our present crop of Calvinists doesn-'t think baptism has anything to do with salvation. They dare to contradict Peter in Acts 2:38, and Peter in 1 Peter 3:21, where he says, Baptism doth now also save us.

CHRIST IS DEAD IN VAIN 2:21

Righteousness is not obtained by following the ceremonies of the law of Moses. If so, Jesus died without a justifiable purpose.
Since faith came into our lives, we start with life, not with law. He that hath the Son hath life. You even start with eternal life, the life of God. As John wrote, This letter is to assure you that you have eternal life. It is addressed to those who give their allegiance to the Son of God. One who gives his allegiance to Jesus, and who has the life of God throbbing inside of him, is going to do always those things that please Jesus.
The good news is news of what God has done for us in Jesus. Our faith is the response to the news in absolute surrender and unreserved trust.
The law of Moses can not do what faith in Christ can do.
The faith is not Jesus pointing us to a book, but a book pointing us to Jesus.
Life comes not from giving assent to what the Book says, although that is very important. It comes from believing in Him who is the object of the testimony and of our faith. He is the pioneer and perfecter, the author and finisher of our faith.

STUDY QUESTIONS 2:20, 21

228.

What does Paul mean by crucifixion with Christ?

229.

In what way or ways are we no longer ourselves?

230.

Did Paul mean that he was no longer responsible for his life?

231.

How does Christ live in man?

232.

In whom is our faith?

233.

Is there a difference in faith in a person and faith in a law?

234.

How did Christ demonstrate His love for us?

235.

Is Paul insinuating that Peter made God's grace void, when he says that he doesn-'t?

236.

Would Christ's life have been necessary if grace were from any other source?

237.

What is meant by the word righteousness?

238.

By what means do people seek to obtain salvation today?