When morning guilds the sky
A mighty fortress is our God
O for a thousand tongues to sing
Praise the Lord, his glories show
Blessed Assurance
Take the name of Jesus with you
Glory be to the Father
Scripture - Galatians 2:15-21
17 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! 18 For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. 20 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. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.
Some see God only as loving.others see themselves and say I am not so bad.
But we need to ask: how do I know if I am right with God.?
That was the point of the reformation. How we can know we are right with God.
Today's bible is all about that. How we are justified.
Things were overall okay. Peter was socializing, eating and drinking with the gentiles. Until some Jewish believers came and so don't do this you are making it hard for us. Peter therefore withdrew from all activities with the gentiles. Paul corrected him. We are not justified by our birth as Jews, we are justified by our faith in Jesus Christ.
Justified - to be declared innocent before God. Justification.. The act of being justified.
Not justified
- by birth
- By our works
- By what we know
- By the keeping of the law
We are justified only by faith... And that faith must be in Christ.
The law is like a mirror.... It only shows us what is wrong. It can't fix us up.
Paul's point to Peter is this.... We know we can't make ourselves right with God. Only faith in Christ can do this.
If we are in Christ there is no condemnation in you. For you. Your faith justifies you. Your faith in Christ.
God's free gift. It's the only way.
Objections raised : is Christ then a servant of sin? Christians sin. Doesn't that mean Christ is giving us license to sin? Certainly not says Paul. If we build up the laws of people then we are building up a way that doesn't justify us. All it shows is that we are a transgressor. A Christian looks to Christ rather than to the law.
We need to see that Christ died for sinners. Look to Christ. Be dead to the law so that you can live to Christ. Let Christ live in you. Trust him. Work within that joining you have to him. Our justification joins us to Christ. So live your life to Christ.
If we don't live to Christ then he died for no purpose.
He loved you and gave himself for you.
The cross shows his love for us.