20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and [t]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 [u]the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”

Galatians 2:20-21 (NASB) 中文

Pure Gospel of Jesus

Paul in this letter is strongly correcting a false gospel that teaches salvation by faith in Christ plus Jewish traditions and OT laws. Paul addresses this fatal failure sternly. In this history section of the letter, he shares his personal testimony as an expert in the law and traditions and former persecutor of the Way. This qualifies him to bring judgment on this false gospel. He adds details of his early ministry and intentional isolation from other leaders of the faith. This shows that his gospel was only from Christ; not influenced by men (Gal 1:12). He’s now completing the confrontation with Peter about his failure in this regard.

Who’s house?

In yesterday’s post I put a picture of a home that has been foreclosed indicating repossessed. I’d like to continue that analogy today. When we are born, we are given a house to live in, our body. We decide what this body will do and not do, how to satisfy it and take care of it. We are the owners of the house. When we become a Christian, when we die with Christ, our new spiritual man (being) evicts the old me (mind, emotions, will) and Christ comes in to rule the house. But as temptations, trials, worries come, we open the door to invite the old me to come back in!

Keep the new owner

So how do we keep the new owner as the owner? Paul recognizes that his old owner is dead; it died with Christ (baptism symbolizes that). Now he lives by faith in Christ. In faith, he considers, reckons (an accounting term) that he is dead (though he obviously is alive). By faith, he actively acknowledges Christ as dwelling in him. A moment-by-moment tactic he employs is what he wrote in 2 Corinthians 10:5: “We are destroying arguments and all arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,”. This is active. He actively destroys all contrary thoughts and takes captive all his thoughts to align them with the will of the Master.

Back to the theme

In v21 Paul re-states the theme of the letter: Righteousness (being right with God) comes not through the law but through faith in Christ only. “To nullify grace would be to put one’s trust, not in salvation as God’s free gift, but in one’s own efforts. To do this is to reject grace altogether, and relying on one’s puny effort means that one nullifies that grace.” (Enduringword.com quoting Morris)

Though this first part of the letter is mostly history, it does certainly, as today, contain theology. Next is the theology section (chapter 3, 4).

RЯeflection

• Who’s the owner (Lord) of your home? If it’s being shared by Jesus and your old self, take steps to “clean house”! It’s a daily, even decision by decision, temptation by temptation, test by test process called sanctification. 
• Are we, like Paul, taking all our thoughts captive to align them with the will of the Master?