OUR FATHER WHOSE SON LOVED US AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR US

Paul, in Galatians chapter 2 verses 11 - 21, records an intense friction point that occured because of the lack of conviction regarding the ultimate source of righteouness. Under contention was whether it came from following the law or if it came solely through faith in Christ. 

Even though the original disciples like Peter and James were living in grace among the gentiles, their conduct was being influenced by the presence of the Jews who were equating adherance to the law as the final source of righteousness. As such, Peter would withdraw from associating with the gentiles when Jewish contingencies came into their midst so as not to draw their ire for breaking the commandment to keep separate from the Gentiles.

Paul, observing this conduct, directly confronted Peter by asking if it was reasonable to ask the Gentiles to live as Jews under the jewish law when those who were actually born under the law were not compelled to live under the law because it had been understood that no one could be justified under the law.

Paul presses further by asking if those who had been justified in Christ were found to be sinners and in need of the law to provide righteousness, was Jesus Christ now to be understood as a minister of sin?

The clarification of the matter comes in the last part of this passge: A believer in faith is crucified with Christ and it is no longer the believer who lives but Christ who lives in him.

The life of the flesh is now lived by faith in the the Son of God who loved each believer and gave Himself for us. Paul declared that at no time did he set aside the grace of God because if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ would have died for nothing. If the righteousness under the law was all that was needed to fulfill all righteousness, then men could have just worked to fulfill the law and be declared righteous based on that.

But the law cannot save because it is designed to administer death and in the context of Christˋs work on the cross, once faith in Christˋs salvation is gained, it is the law that is employed to administer the sentence of death to the flesh.

11 Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; 12 for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.

14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews? 15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

17 “But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19 For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. 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. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

Amen.

10