To Be Crucified With Christ

Galatians 2:11-21

INTRODUCTION: In our series of messages on Galatians I skipped verses 17-21, one of the richest sections in the book, in order that I might focus upon it with you after we had considered most of chapter 3. This morning we return to chapter 2 verses 17-21.

When I was a younger pastor, I use to get angry and frustrated at people for their lack of response to the Word. Then I realized that the problem was more me than them. I was attempting to motivate people by guilt, by law rather than by grace. Many people will change their behavior for a time if you motivate them by guilt but it is God’s love, God’s grace which transforms us, not God’s law.

THESIS: God’s grace alone transforms our lives.

FIRST, recall Peter’s practice, which compromised the Gospel of Grace (Verses 11-16)

· Peter refused to eat with the Gentile Christians when Jews from Jerusalem came to Antioch (Gentiles were unclean according to O.T. ceremonial law).

· Peter’s hypocrisy influences other Jews - including Barnabus

· Peter had no problem eating with Gentiles, he was merely acting hypocritically to stay on the good side of the Jerusalem Jews.

· The basis of salvation was the issue--is salvation through Christ alone, or does it come through Christ 'and' adherence to the law?

Remember I made this point, We must be careful by associating with groups who have distorted the Gospel. In so doing, we are making a statement about our faith, our theology, our confession of Christ. There can be much good in cooperating with other branches of the Church but when we are willing to set under the preaching or teaching of liberals and heretics, we are saying that the Gospel is compatible with all these distortions.

By his actions, Peter was making a statement about the Gospel, about purity, about the Christian life….

SECONDLY, we find the chief exception that is taken by those who are afraid of Grace (Verses 17-19)

· Some assume….Justification by Faith Alone promotes sin, since people are forgiven without keeping the law…Some will think they can sin as they please since they are forgiven by grace.

· Romans 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: [KJV]

· Romans 6:1-2 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? [2] May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? [NASB]

· Paul’s consistent point is that grace brings with it a spiritual transformation – a transformation, which leads us to holiness and willing obedience….

So many do not understand this….Yes, they say, you are saved by grace but you have to live a holy life to be saved….This is true if you mean, You are saved by grace, and that grace (supernatural, God sent, totally unmerited by my own power, but itself powerful, effectual) moves us toward holy obedience. Where there is real grace from God, there is the accompany life of obedience to the Lord

This is not so if you mean, by my law keeping, by my obedience, by my effort, I earn and contribute to my salvation. God saves me by his work with mine…THIS IS ENTIRELY FALSE…

THIRDLY, We see that the transformation of our lives is by a relationship to Christ (Verses 20-21)

· Verse 20 - I have been crucified with Christ. By faith Paul was crucified at his conversion, crucified in the flesh, died to the old life with Christ. Now he lives, or rather,
Christ liveth in him. The old life is laid aside, and the new life is a Christlike life, due to the spirit of Christ. He is now merged in Christ.
Live by faith. Faith is the bond that binds him to Christ and enables him to live the new life.

· Verse 21 - He would frustrate or literally set aside God’s grace if he went back to the law as his hope of salvation.

Paul- What do you mean you are crucified with Christ? You look alive enough to me!

WHAT DOES HE MEANS HE IS CRUCIFIED….

· Federally, by faith, Christ’s death is my death his resurrection is and will be my resurrection…His sacrifice is my sacrifice, His life is my life…Christ represented me on the Cross like the priest in the Old Testament represented his people on the day of Atonement

Hebrews 9:7 but into the second only the high priest enters, once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance. [NASB]

Hebrews 9:14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? [NASB]

CHIRST WAS MY COVENANT HEAD, MY COVENANT REPRESENTATIVE, HIS CRUCIFIXTION IS MY CRUCIFIXION…

· Mystically, by relationship of love Christ’s death is my death his resurrection is and will be my resurrection …I live in a bound and relationship to Jesus Christ…”He Lives in our hearts by faith…We are connected to him by love and relationship… 2 Cor. 5:17-19 Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. [18] Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, [19] namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. [NASB]

THE LIFE THAT I HAVE IS BASED ENTIRELY UPON MY RELATIONSHIP TO JESUS CHRIST NOT ON MY RELATIONSHIP TO THE LAW…

When death came to a known gangster, mob boss and killer in New York City…his coffin was being carried in a hearse to the cemetery, his mourners passed some of the places he had formerly frequented. First they drove by a tavern where he had spent much time and squandered much money, but the old temptation to indulge in alcohol no longer enticed him. A few blocks down the street they came to a racetrack where he had lost thousands of dollars "on the horses," but the urge to gamble was no longer felt. A little farther on, the procession went by a theater he had often attended, but the vulgar titles on the marquee and the suggestive pictures plastered around the entrance had no effect on him now. None of these vices and allurements could attract him, for he was dead to them all!

APPLICATION: The reality of our new relationship to Christ (federal and mystical) changes everything, Sin’s power is broken, we are freed to live holy lives by grace rather than by mere law keeping…

God saves us! God saves us lovingly by grace…

.Bryan Chapel tells of a teenage daughter whose mother gave her a new hair drier. But, when she gave it she said, “Your father and I have given up so much so that you will have things like this to enjoy.” She knew everytime she would use the dryer she would feel so guilty for having to accept a gift that was so begrudgingly given her. She cut her hair so short in response that she did not have to use it at all.

Christians sometimes live their lives in such a way as to punish themselves to get rid of their guilt…Self hate, legalism, compulsive personality disorder, workaholics, depression, etc…attempts to earn salvation by inflicting pain on ourselves for what they assume is God’s begrudging gift of his son….

No! Christ died willingly, lovingly…and saves graciously, freeing us to live for him out of love, appreciation and gratitude.

CONCLUSION:

IT IS God’s grace alone transforms our lives…IT IS GOD’S GRACE which saves us

Legalism will not transform us, only grace…abundant and free.….