Cruicified With Christ
"But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? May it never be! For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor. For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; and 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 up for me." (Galatians 2:17-20 - New American Standard)
The question in verse seventeen is one that Paul was often asked by his legalistic opponents. Their argument is that if we are no longer under the law then we are free to sin. We will live wickedly and immorally. Therefore, Christ becomes a promoter of sin.
Paul, in meeting this question, rarely goes beyond dismissing it. Is Christ a minister of sin? Certainly not. No way. Not a chance. Those who believe in justification by faith follow a different principle than the law. This principle should keep us from a sinful life style. The principle is love. We are to love God. We are to love Jesus. We are to love other Christians. We are to love our families. We are to love our enemies. Love will keep us from sin.
If a person accepts the truth that the law can not justify them and trusts in Jesus to make them right with God, then they have destroyed the entire motivation for keeping the law. Paul says if after this, they return to keeping the law, this is a sin. In this case they are trying to rebuild what faith destroyed. Christ freed them from the law, yet they would be still living like slaves to the law.
Through the law, Paul found himself to be a sinner. Through Christ, he died to the law, that is, he was separated from its cruel mastery. Through Christ, he became alive to God that he might serve God in love.
In a mystical sense, when Christ died on the cross, every Christian was crucified with him. Our old sinful nature was put to death in Christ. We died to sin.
Christ, through His Holy Spirit, came to live in us and through us when we trusted in Him. Now we walk, not by sight, through keeping the law, but by faith in Christ. Our motive for living a pure life is simple: Jesus loved me and died for me. Our ability to live a pure life comes from the power of God’s Spirit within us.
Peter’s behavior gave the impression that Christians are still under the law. This went against the doctrine of freedom from the law in Christ. He did not believe it, but his actions gave the wrong message.
The question in verse seventeen is one that Paul was often asked by his legalistic opponents. Their argument is that if we are no longer under the law then we are free to sin. We will live wickedly and immorally. Therefore, Christ becomes a promoter of sin.
Paul, in meeting this question, rarely goes beyond dismissing it. Is Christ a minister of sin? Certainly not. No way. Not a chance. Those who believe in justification by faith follow a different principle than the law. This principle should keep us from a sinful life style. The principle is love. We are to love God. We are to love Jesus. We are to love other Christians. We are to love our families. We are to love our enemies. Love will keep us from sin.
If a person accepts the truth that the law can not justify them and trusts in Jesus to make them right with God, then they have destroyed the entire motivation for keeping the law. Paul says if after this, they return to keeping the law, this is a sin. In this case they are trying to rebuild what faith destroyed. Christ freed them from the law, yet they would be still living like slaves to the law.
Through the law, Paul found himself to be a sinner. Through Christ, he died to the law, that is, he was separated from its cruel mastery. Through Christ, he became alive to God that he might serve God in love.
In a mystical sense, when Christ died on the cross, every Christian was crucified with him. Our old sinful nature was put to death in Christ. We died to sin.
Christ, through His Holy Spirit, came to live in us and through us when we trusted in Him. Now we walk, not by sight, through keeping the law, but by faith in Christ. Our motive for living a pure life is simple: Jesus loved me and died for me. Our ability to live a pure life comes from the power of God’s Spirit within us.
Peter’s behavior gave the impression that Christians are still under the law. This went against the doctrine of freedom from the law in Christ. He did not believe it, but his actions gave the wrong message.
posted by David Frank Wilson | 11:00 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home