Galatians 2:17-21

 

Rachel Workman: ¹⁷ But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! ¹⁸ Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. ¹⁹ For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. ²⁰ My old self has been crucified with Christ.^[e] It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. ²¹ I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.

Paul knew where it was at. I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God. When we trust in God, we become more open to God using us. When we are busy conforming and stressing and trying we are unable to be used by God. Simply because we don't trust him. Trusting Christ doesn't mean happy times and smooth sailing. It means trusting him enough for the suffering along with the blessings.

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John Burnett:  But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? [a]Far from it! 18 For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a wrongdoer.  Paul is talking about destroying our sinful self and if we rebuild our sinful nature, we will be wrong.  19 For through [b]the Law I died to [c]the Law, so that I might live for God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and [d]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. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through [e]the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”  We are saved completely by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone, as it is written in the scriptures alone, for the glory of God alone.  If a person thinks that one thing they do, like quiet times, reading the Bible, feeding the poor, or going to church every time the doors open has anything to do with their salvation, they do not understand the law nor the gospel.  The only purpose of the law is to show us how short we fall to God's standards and that we must fall on the grace provided by Jesus's death and resurrection and his righteousness that is imputed to us.   

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Monday’s reading for Galatians 3:1-5

3 Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross. ² Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. ³ How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? ⁴ Have you experienced^[a] so much for nothing? Surely it was not in vain, was it?

⁵ I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ.