Now, after my previous post on justification and righteousness let's finish off chapter 2 with this final paragraph.
Paul has been writing, vv. 15-16, that in Christ we are already justified (made right with God). But, we know, at least I hope we do, that in our lives we continue to sin. This appears a serious objection to Paul's understanding of justification. If we sin how can we be justified, does justification become a hope stored up for us in glory? Or, if we sin does that make Christ, to whom we are united, a sinner or servant of sin? 'Certainly not!' isn't really strong enough for Paul's rejection of this error.
Christ dies for us and God accepts the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf. On this basis alone we are justified, made righteous before God.
This is what God, through Christ, has done for us.
I however, continue to live in sin. V. 18 is a very vivid picture of my rebuilding walls of sin which Christ has torn down. Christ destroys sin, if it is rebuilt or continues in my life that is up to me.
Why do we continue to sin?
Paul seeks to address our minds, our understanding of who we now are in Christ.
v. 19 - if I have died to the law I am no longer bound to the law but am set free to live to God.
v. 20 - on the cross Christ died to sin and rose again to a new life. United to Christ, 'in Christ', I share in his death to sin and also share in his rising to a new life. Everyday I live now, I live as one united to the Son of God and sharing his life, or knowing his life powerfully within me.
These verses describe a change, a change that has taken place within us. We can choose, it would appear every day, whether we will slip back into the old life or vigorously enter into the new life. In the weakness of our flesh (to use a loaded Pauline term!) we cannot but fail to live this new life and constantly fall back into the old life of sin and death.
This does not in any way diminish the reality, the fact of the cross and what God has achieved for us in Christ. This does not allow us to settle for sin and condone sin, rather we are to 'endeavour' (v. 17) to live in Christ, to enjoy the new life of those justified, made right with God through the cross of the Lord Jesus.
How can we encourage ourselves and others to live as those already justified? What role does faith play in this?
Showing posts with label Gal 2. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gal 2. Show all posts
Friday, 19 February 2010
Justification, Righteousness and Gal 2:17 and 21
Galatians is one of the main text over which the battle for justification has been, and is again being fought.
The word 'justified' in v. 17 comes from the same root word which at other places in English versions is translated 'righteousness. For example, 'righteousness' in v. 21 is from the same root as 'justified' in v. 17. Justified sounds quite different from righteousness, but the two are very closely related. I think the idea behind these words, or this word group if you prefer, is being made right with God.
So v. 17 would become something like (and this is very inelegant English):
'But if, in our endeavour to be made right with God in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not!'
And v. 21:
'I do not nullify the grace of God, for if being right with God were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.'
Two comments arise here.
1) It is God who is the object of justification/righteousness. We find ourselves in a condition of not being right with God and need to be made right with him. Righteousness or justification is not something we need to live in this world as godless humans, but if we desire to live together with God we must be first made right with him. This is the work, which God achieves for us, that is described by these two terms righteousness/justification.
2) These verses Gal 2:17 and 21 make it clear that our being justified or made righteous involves Christ. The 'in Christ' from v. 17 tells us that only united together with Christ can we be made right with God. And v. 21 adds the specific note that the death of Christ, rather than the law, achieves our being right with God, otherwise Christ's death is pointless. It is as we understand Christ's death to achieve our being made right with God that we see this work as not ours but God's, in Christ or through Christ, on our behalf.
These verses say nothing about a transfer of Christ's righteousness to us, nor offer any idea as to how the death of Christ might have achieved this great blessing for us. It is always good, indeed I would say vital, to stop where the bible stops and say nothing more. Now it may be that other passages add to Gal 2, but this post is on these verses not an attempt to offer a full description of justification and righteousness.
Does it make any difference to connect the words 'justified/justification' with the words 'righteous/righteousness'? What does it mean for us and our lives that God has achieved our justification/righteousness through the death of Christ?
The word 'justified' in v. 17 comes from the same root word which at other places in English versions is translated 'righteousness. For example, 'righteousness' in v. 21 is from the same root as 'justified' in v. 17. Justified sounds quite different from righteousness, but the two are very closely related. I think the idea behind these words, or this word group if you prefer, is being made right with God.
So v. 17 would become something like (and this is very inelegant English):
'But if, in our endeavour to be made right with God in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not!'
And v. 21:
'I do not nullify the grace of God, for if being right with God were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.'
Two comments arise here.
1) It is God who is the object of justification/righteousness. We find ourselves in a condition of not being right with God and need to be made right with him. Righteousness or justification is not something we need to live in this world as godless humans, but if we desire to live together with God we must be first made right with him. This is the work, which God achieves for us, that is described by these two terms righteousness/justification.
2) These verses Gal 2:17 and 21 make it clear that our being justified or made righteous involves Christ. The 'in Christ' from v. 17 tells us that only united together with Christ can we be made right with God. And v. 21 adds the specific note that the death of Christ, rather than the law, achieves our being right with God, otherwise Christ's death is pointless. It is as we understand Christ's death to achieve our being made right with God that we see this work as not ours but God's, in Christ or through Christ, on our behalf.
These verses say nothing about a transfer of Christ's righteousness to us, nor offer any idea as to how the death of Christ might have achieved this great blessing for us. It is always good, indeed I would say vital, to stop where the bible stops and say nothing more. Now it may be that other passages add to Gal 2, but this post is on these verses not an attempt to offer a full description of justification and righteousness.
Does it make any difference to connect the words 'justified/justification' with the words 'righteous/righteousness'? What does it mean for us and our lives that God has achieved our justification/righteousness through the death of Christ?
Thursday, 18 February 2010
Gal 2:11-16
The discussion about the inclusion of the Gentiles in the church without submitting to Jewish customs is earthed in a painful episode at Antioch where Paul challenges Peter on his behaviour.
Peter has come to Antioch and joins in with Paul, Barnabas and the Gentiles in sharing Christian fellowship around the meal table. Some men come down who are described as coming from the circumcision party, from James in Jerusalem. Peter withdraws to eat with them to the exclusion of the Gentiles and draws others behind him.
In what ways do we value the example of other Christians? How should we reflect upon the importance of our example in our daily living as an encouragement to other Christians, and non-Christians?
Paul challenges Peter as he sees the gospel at stake in this exchange.
In the gospel all are welcomed on the condition of faith in Christ Jesus. Faith in Christ Jesus does not save, does not achieve forgiveness of sins: the death of Christ on the cross and his glorious resurrection do that. Faith is that gift of God which unites us to Christ and by which God exercises the benefits of Christ in our lives.
To impose any other requirement upon anyone is to add to Christ's work something not done by Christ but done by humans.
The works of the law may be those things done by humans aiming to achieve reconciliation with God by our own effort, or they may be those deeds proudly worn as badges which identify us as members of this or that group. It comes to the same thing, we are not made right with God by anything other than Christ and his work for us.
What do we do in our attempt to make ourselves right with God by our own efforts? On what basis do we welcome others into Christian fellowship with us?
Peter has come to Antioch and joins in with Paul, Barnabas and the Gentiles in sharing Christian fellowship around the meal table. Some men come down who are described as coming from the circumcision party, from James in Jerusalem. Peter withdraws to eat with them to the exclusion of the Gentiles and draws others behind him.
In what ways do we value the example of other Christians? How should we reflect upon the importance of our example in our daily living as an encouragement to other Christians, and non-Christians?
Paul challenges Peter as he sees the gospel at stake in this exchange.
In the gospel all are welcomed on the condition of faith in Christ Jesus. Faith in Christ Jesus does not save, does not achieve forgiveness of sins: the death of Christ on the cross and his glorious resurrection do that. Faith is that gift of God which unites us to Christ and by which God exercises the benefits of Christ in our lives.
To impose any other requirement upon anyone is to add to Christ's work something not done by Christ but done by humans.
The works of the law may be those things done by humans aiming to achieve reconciliation with God by our own effort, or they may be those deeds proudly worn as badges which identify us as members of this or that group. It comes to the same thing, we are not made right with God by anything other than Christ and his work for us.
What do we do in our attempt to make ourselves right with God by our own efforts? On what basis do we welcome others into Christian fellowship with us?
Tuesday, 16 February 2010
Gal 2:1-10
At its simplest, Gal 2 can be divided into two sections:
2:1-10 and 2:11-21
Sometimes the first part is divided, 1-5 and 6-10, and the second part can be divided 11-16 and 17-21.
A big picture view of Galatians could take 1:11-2:14 as a unit in which Paul defends the independence of his gospel.
2:1-10
There is a high degree of uncertainty about what Paul was doing for the 14 years mentioned in verse 1. Paul's point is that he was not learning the gospel from the Jerusalem apostles. As Paul received the gospel by revelation, so it is important for Paul to mention that when he goes up to Jerusalem he goes in obedience to revelation.
What do you think Paul means by revelation? Why is it important for us, 2,000 years later?
Paul does not yield his understanding of the gospel, or his practice of Christian living to anyone. I think we must imagine that some have tried to force Titus to submit to circumcision, but Paul has not yielded and Titus could not be forced. In this Paul sees himself as preserving the truth of the gospel.
There are many issues on which Christians may disagree, how can we discern those few areas where we must not yield? What do you think these non-negotiable issues might be?
Paul mentions three pillars of the church: James, Cephas and John, only to tell his readers that they approved of his gospel ministry and this publicly in the giving of the right hand of fellowship. I'm struck that the one positive gospel issue named in these verses is care for the poor. (Not being circumcised is a gospel issue but not a positive one). Too often we omit care for the poor from our top line gospel issues. We may feel willing to stand firm and not yield on the deity of the Lord Jesus, God having spoken in Scripture, forgiveness through the cross - but do we always include care for the poor?
What do we learn about the importance of Christian fellowship from these verses? What is it about the gospel that should impress caring for the poor upon us as a foundational way of Christian living?
2:1-10 and 2:11-21
Sometimes the first part is divided, 1-5 and 6-10, and the second part can be divided 11-16 and 17-21.
A big picture view of Galatians could take 1:11-2:14 as a unit in which Paul defends the independence of his gospel.
2:1-10
There is a high degree of uncertainty about what Paul was doing for the 14 years mentioned in verse 1. Paul's point is that he was not learning the gospel from the Jerusalem apostles. As Paul received the gospel by revelation, so it is important for Paul to mention that when he goes up to Jerusalem he goes in obedience to revelation.
What do you think Paul means by revelation? Why is it important for us, 2,000 years later?
Paul does not yield his understanding of the gospel, or his practice of Christian living to anyone. I think we must imagine that some have tried to force Titus to submit to circumcision, but Paul has not yielded and Titus could not be forced. In this Paul sees himself as preserving the truth of the gospel.
There are many issues on which Christians may disagree, how can we discern those few areas where we must not yield? What do you think these non-negotiable issues might be?
Paul mentions three pillars of the church: James, Cephas and John, only to tell his readers that they approved of his gospel ministry and this publicly in the giving of the right hand of fellowship. I'm struck that the one positive gospel issue named in these verses is care for the poor. (Not being circumcised is a gospel issue but not a positive one). Too often we omit care for the poor from our top line gospel issues. We may feel willing to stand firm and not yield on the deity of the Lord Jesus, God having spoken in Scripture, forgiveness through the cross - but do we always include care for the poor?
What do we learn about the importance of Christian fellowship from these verses? What is it about the gospel that should impress caring for the poor upon us as a foundational way of Christian living?
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