The Meat of the Issue (Galatians 2:15-21)

SCRIPTURE

Galatians 2:15-21
We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! For if I rebuild what I tore down, 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. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.

LANGUAGE

Vs 15  Gentile - a non-Jewish race
Vs 15  Sinner - devoted to sin, not free from sin, wicked, tax-collectors, heathen
Vs 16  Justified - rendered innocent (Same word used in Vs 17)

COMMENTS

So now we start to get to the meat of the issue Paul is addressing in Galatians. The Jews were God's chosen people, and the Gentiles were outside of a relationship with God, outside of His favor. By saying that a person is not justified by works of the law, I believe Paul is showing that the favor of God is not a matter of who you are or what you do, but in who do you trust. Paul has in many of his writings, stated this premise that it is faith that saves, and nothing else.

Faith in works is faith in self. Faith in the Jewish birthright is again, faith in self. But Christ's death overcame the law. It did not abolish it, but it rendered its power finished for those of faith. Even many Christians do not understand this, and would put us under a burden of having to obey some type of moral code. If that were the case, then why overcome one set of laws only to replace them with another?

Note that Paul uses the same word for sinner in verses 16 and 17. In speaking to those who would take the position that they need both, Paul calls them sinners too! So he calls the Jewish Christians heathen. They are in the same position as the Gentiles! Then verse 18, where Paul talks about us trying to fix ourselves becomes key. Me trying to save myself through any kind of work only goes to prove myself a sinner. My redemption from the law comes not in the form of more law, but in dying to the law and living to God. I think of the wise and foolish builders. Both houses look the same, but one has a foundation of sand, self, law, works. The other a foundation of faith in Jesus.

Verse 21 I believe speaks clearly for itself. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose. Sola Fide.