Transcript

Death Means Life

Galatians 2:20-21
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Pastor Randy Smith

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Did it really warrant a public scolding? You can imagine the embarrassment of one apostle rebuking another apostle. I can envision the jaws dropping and dinner conversations shifting to a deafening silence. It was an uncomfortable moment for everyone present. After all, what crime is there in eating with certain people? Did Paul, as he says in 2:11, really need to oppose Peter to his face? How was the Gospel of God compromised because Peter chose to now dine at the Jewish table instead of the Gentile table?

The man picked up his pen greatly agitated. Paul, when writing his letter to the Galatian church wastes no time in getting to his point. By the sixth verse he says, "I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ" (Gal. 1:6-7).

You see, after Paul preached the Gospel to these Galatians certain false teachers known as Judaizers infiltrated his converts with deadly alterations to his message. Paul proclaimed the biblical Gospel that salvation is by grace through faith in Christ. The Judaizers had no problem with that message as a foundation, but felt Paul did not take it far enough. They claimed that in order for one to be saved an individual also needed to follow the works of the law, both the biblical commandments and especially all the things they added to it by way of their tradition.

Circumcision was a biggie. Dietary restrictions was a biggie. Dining with the Jews only was a biggie.

Here is the problem. If salvation is by grace through faith in Christ, we must understand that adding any works to achieve our salvation is creating another gospel. And any other gospel that differs from the biblical gospel will not bring salvation. No wonder Paul was upset that this false message was being circulated. And no wonder Paul was upset to watch Peter withdraw from eating with the Gentiles to avoid offending the Jews who thought such procedures could compromise their standing with God. This was not the right message that Paul wanted to send to his young church.

This morning as we prepare for the Lord's Table, I would like to focus our attention on the true Gospel. There is a lot of confusion as to exactly what a person must believe in order to be saved. After today there should be no doubt in your mind as we examine two key verses from Galatians 2.

1. DEATH WITH CHRIST

Let's begin with the first point, "Death With Christ."

There is one clear difference that separates Christianity from every world religion. Every world religion says salvation is based upon what you do. In other words, you can be made righteous in God's sight by the good deeds you perform. And the hope is that when you die you will have somehow done enough to find favor with Him. Christianity teaches exactly the opposite. We believe we are declared righteous and find favor in God's sight on the basis of faith. As Paul said in 3:11, "The righteous man shall live by faith." Or even clearer in 2:16, "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus."

The common objection is that the Christian system through faith alone lowers the greatness of God. I would argue to the contrary. We believe that God is so holy that our righteous deeds to find His acceptance are nothing more that filthy rages in His sight (Isa. 64:4). We believe His standard is so high that we are never able to achieve the perfection He demands. As Paul said in 3:10, "Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them." In other words, ninety-nine percent on the final exam is not enough. And we believe that God is most glorified when He works salvation on our behalf and gives it to us as a loving gift through grace. The true Gospel pays God the greatest respect.

We live in a performance-orientated society. Only the best will make the baseball team. Not every child will receive an "A" in English class. Only the top employee will obtain the promotion. Most view their acceptance with God in the same manner. I can't tell you how many so-called Christians, when asked why they believe they are going to heaven say, "Because I was baptized" or "Because I grew up in the church" or "Because I am a good person." Beloved, this is not Christianity. And this is exactly what drove Paul nuts and why he was fighting the false teachers in Galatia.

So is God performance orientated? Answer: Absolutely yes! The problem is that we are unable to perform at His level. And it is a slap in His face to think we can on our own achieve the favor of a thrice-holy God. Therefore the only solution is the message of the Bible which teaches that God in His love and mercy sent His Son to the cross to die as our substitute. Our sins were placed upon Him and His righteousness was given to us. We believe by faith that Jesus performed God's requirements on our behalf. Or as Paul said in 3:13, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us."

So let me ask you, do you wish to stand on your performance - which is a losing option, or on the performance of Jesus Christ? Do you wish to trust in yourself, or in the Second Person of the Holy Trinity to achieve your salvation?

Two common reasons why the biblical Gospel is rejected. One is because it is an affront to our egos. We do not want to believe that we are really that bad. We want to be able to do some stuff to take personal credit for our salvation. The second reason this biblical Gospel is rejected is because the message just sounds too good to be true. "Do you mean to tell me that all I have to do is believe in this man from the past named Jesus and I'll go to heaven regardless of what I do?" Absolutely not! The Bible says even the demons have more faith than that (Jas. 2:19) and we all know where they are going to end up (Lk. 8:31; Rev. 20:10). Yes, you must believe in Jesus, but the belief that God demands is absolute surrender and total trust to the point that you completely identify with Christ and submit to Him as the Lord of your life.

This is what Paul gets at in verse 20. "I have been crucified with Christ." In the Greek it is spoken of in the prefect tense. What that means is that when Christ died, Paul died, and the effects of that death continue into the present.

So Paul, how did you die with Christ? "I died to trying to find God's acceptance based on my human efforts." "I died to the fleshly pursuit of attempting to find satisfaction in sin" (Gal. 5:17; Rom. 6:6). "And I died to living for myself instead of for God's will."

Coming to Christ is not a leap of faith. It is trusting in the historical event recorded in the Bible. And coming to Christ is not a flimsy faith. It is totally identifying with Him in His death and burial so that we might identify with Him in His resurrection. We die. He becomes our identity. He lives His life through us. As Paul said in verse 20, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" (cf. Col. 1:27). The old "I" is gone and the new "I" is Christ in us. As we are in union with Christ, His crucifixion means our crucifixion as well.

A young man approached an older Christian with this question: "What does it mean as far as this life is concerned to be 'crucified with Christ'?" The believer replied, "It means three things: One, a man on a cross is facing in only one direction; two, he is not going back; and three, he has no further plans of his own."

One author wrote, "Too many Christians are trying to face in two directions at the same time. They are divided in heart. They want Heaven, but they also love the world. They are like Lot's wife: running one way, but facing another. Remember, a crucified man is not coming back. The cross spell finis for him; he is not going to return to his old life. Also, a crucified man has no plans of this own. He is through with the vainglory of this life. Its chains are broken and its charms are gone" (T.S. Rendall).

2. ALIVE IN CHRIST

So does all this mean that believers are a walking corpse? I would argue just the opposite. Before coming to Christ we were a walking corpse (Eph. 2:1). Just because his old sinful desires died and Christ was now living in him, Paul still acknowledged that he had a life to be lived and a better one (Jn. 10:10)! As we move to the second point "Alive in Christ," allow me to continue reading in verse 20: "And the life which I now live in the flesh [mortal body] I live by faith in the Son of God."

God has wired each of us as unique individuals. Different gifts. Different interests. Different appearances. And all of these differences are to be celebrated. Just because Christ is in us and we are in Him does not mean we lose our human identity. We have been given the wonderful gift of physical life and now spiritual life, and we are to live our lives for the glory of God. As the puritan Matthew Henry said, "Though Paul lives in the flesh…he does not live after the flesh." There is a new "I" that now lives by looking toward Christ in faith.

Paul's whole point is that every day he is living by faith in the Gospel message. Unlike many today, he did not receive Jesus at a point in time, assume he was saved from hell and then live as though our Savior never existed. Every day he lived by faith in the Gospel. Every day he trusted Christ for his acceptance with God.

Here is a good test to determine if you are doing the same in this area. On one day you serve the Lord faithfully. You make obedient decisions and walk in the center of His will. You feel like He is right by your side. Then on the next day you struggle to even read your Bible. You go the day without a single prayer, you lash out at your kid and miss a clear opportunity to share Christ. On which day were you as a Christian more accepted by God? On which day are you more righteous in God's sight? Answer: If you are in Christ, both are the same! Is acceptance with God based on our own performance, or is it daily faith based on the performance of Christ? Regardless of whatever you prayed twenty-five years ago are you presently trusting Jesus Christ today for your acceptance with God? If not, you will lack confidence, motivation, power, courage, direction and assurance.

John Piper once put the illustration like this. I believe it perfectly captures Paul's heartbeat in Galatians. He said the gospel is like railroad tracks. God is the locomotive and we are an attached car. The connection between the two of us is faith. God keeps us close to Him, pulling us along the track, empowering us to live lives pleasing in His sight and ultimately taking us to heaven.

The problem comes when we take the railroad tracks, move them from a horizontal position to a vertical one, disconnect ourselves from the engine and believe the tracks are now a ladder to climb our way to God. Every world religion believes this. Many churchgoers believe this. And this was propagated by the Judaizers forcing Paul to write the letter we are studying today. This approach will only send a person to hell because the ladder is never tall enough and our sins are never removed.

3. LOVED BY CHRIST

And the only way sins are ever removed, as we move to the third point is by the love of Jesus Christ. Of the Christ it was prophesized: "He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him" (Isa. 53:5-6). Paul makes it even more personal at the end of verse 20, "[He] love me and gave Himself up for me."

Paul knew he was a sinner. Paul knew that God will not accept sin in His holy presence. Paul knew that there must be a sacrifice on his behalf. Paul knew that Jesus Christ spilled His blood to achieve his forgiveness. And Paul knew that this whole act was motivated by love from the Triune God.

John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."

Let's think about that love.

Fathers, imagine someone for nothing you had done wrong, murdering your wife and all your kids except one and then burning your house to the ground. Would you allow your only remaining son to die if it prevented the criminal from being executed in the electric chair? God the Father did even more. Romans 5:8, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." I would say that's love!

Imagine being that remaining son. You lost your mother and three siblings. Would you love the one who hurt you so deeply enough to go to a cross and die a humiliating and painful death if that was what it took to set the guilty party free? God the Son did even more. Ephesians 5:2, "And walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma." I would say that's love!

Please understand that our sinful offenses against a holy God are infinitely worse than the graphic illustration that I just presented. And let's remember that Paul's life before Christ was about as sinful as they come. As he said in 1:13, "I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it." Yet this man who murdered Christ's people could say, "[Christ] loved me and gave Himself up for me" (Gal. 2:20).

Can you say that? Do you understand the love of God demonstrated most clearly in the crucifixion? Do you believe by faith that Jesus died for your sins? Are you crucified with Christ? Is the life you now live being lived for Him? And do you see why Paul was so upset when these false teachers added works to the Gospel? For in doing so it negated the need for Christ's sacrifice.

4. RIGHTEOUS THROUGH CHRIST

That takes us to our fourth point. Look at verse 21. "I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly."

In other words, if there are certain things I can do to be saved, why in the world was God so foolish to send His Son to die on a cross? Or let's expand it. If Buddha or Muhammad or astrology or wishful thinking or whatever was able to get me to heaven, again, why in the world was God so foolish to send His Son to die on a cross?

The cross is the only hope of our sins being removed. The cross is God's greatest gift of love to the world. What does it say to God when I say, "Not for me, I'd prefer to find my own way to achieve Your favor thank you!" What a rebuke to the living God! What an indictment on our vainglory to insist that our sin is not that sinful and our good works are really that good. And what a foolish proposition to choose to live on our merit instead of God's grace!

So let's remember that the heart of the Gospel is not what we have done for God, but rather what God has done for us. We are connected to that truth by faith. We are crucified with the One who loved us and gave Himself up for us. And if that reality of God's love does not grip our hearts to live a life totally devoted to Him, nothing else on the face of the planet ever will (cf. 2 Cor. 5:14).