Sermon: We are Justified by Faith in Jesus Christ, Not by Works of the Law Galatians 2:15-21
Truth Taught- Sinners are justified by Faith alone in Jesus Christ alone and not by the works of the Law
Introduction
We enter now into the central assertion of the Epistle to the Galatians. The Apostle Paul lays out for us a wonderful argument as to why Justification is and can only be by faith in Jesus Christ without works. Paul’s exposition of Justification by faith alone begins in 2:15 and will continue through 5:12.
Galatians 2:15–21 (ESV)
15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
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.
1. Justification by Faith in Christ (2:15-16)
15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
Here the Apostle Paul includes himself in with the Jews. He, Peter, his fellow travelers, missionaries are all Jewish by birth or literally, Jews by nature. They were all born Jews. He writes, and not Gentile sinners.
Why were the Gentiles considered to be sinners by the Jews? They did not possess the Law of God nor did they observe it. They were unclean sinners.
Luke 24:7 (ESV)
7 that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.”
Acts 2:23 (ESV)
23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.
So, sinful men/lawless men are the Gentiles that are responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus. These were the Roman Gentiles.
Now, Paul being a Jew and possessing the Law of God and for his entire life practically was wrongly taught that righteousness came from observing the Law has now through meeting Jesus on the Road to Damascus, and spending time with the risen Lord in Arabia and being given the Gospel of Christ now explains that the Law of God the Jews possess can do nothing to make one righteous before God.
Three times in these two verses Paul uses the phrase to be Justified…will not be Justified, to be Justified, will be Justified.
Justification- To be declared righteous before God. To enjoy a status or standing of being in a right relationship with God. Being accepted by God.
justification: An instantaneous legal act of God in which he (1) thinks of our sins as forgiven and Christ’s righteousness as belonging to us, and (2) declares us to be righteous in his sight. (36)
Romans 8:28–30 (ESV)
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
So, we see Justification is a step toward Glorification.
God Foreknew His people
God Predestined His people
God Called His people
God Justified His people
God Glorified His people
Praise God for His work of Justification in our lives.
Paul writes this as clearly as can be written and repeats himself it seems frontwards and backwards. Tells us positively and negatively so that there is no mistake. Yet there are groups calling themselves Christians that get this wrong.
There is no salvation in works. Why can’t a sinner do righteous deeds and be made right with God based on his efforts? There is no works righteousness available to sinners. We cannot make up for past sins.
James 2:10–11 (ESV)
10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. 11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
You could keep a million commands of God but fail in one and be a law breaker. God demands perfection not almost. This is the issue we as sinners have a hard time with. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard people perhaps in a counselling session who have sinned against the other person want to forget the past and just move forward. The sinner or the one who has wronged the other is always the one who just wants to move forward.
God does not give us that option. We are guilty as law breakers and no amount of law keeping or moving forward can erase the past sin.
The only option we have is to be Justified God’s way. Praise His name that He made a way. You know He did not have to do all He did. He could have simply turned His back and left us to our own way. He made a way through faith in Jesus Christ.
16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ,
Justification of the sinner comes only through faith in Jesus Christ
so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law
Paul has believed in Christ Jesus in order to be Justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law.
Why?
because by works of the law no one will be justified.
Here, he quotes from the Old Testament to show that there was never a time when the sinner was considered justified by God through works of the law. The Jews had it all wrong. The Law was never meant to make one righteous but to only show our need for a Savior.
Psalm 143:2 (ESV)
2 Enter not into judgment with your servant,
for no one living is righteous before you.
Think with me here. This verse in Psalm 143 brings us right back to the same reality. Because no one is righteous their opportunity to work for Justification is already over. They can’t go back and fix it through works.
I pray we see just how vital God’s grace is and how important it is we understand this truth. Justification (being in right standing with God) has to come by faith in Christ because no one is righteous before God.
Remember, if no one is righteous before God then based on what James told us, no one can become righteous if you’re not already righteous. A sinner cannot work hard and become a non-sinner.
Today, every religion and modern-day psychologist will tell you how to save yourself. The details may be slightly different but basically the lie is, believe in yourself and you will find ultimate happiness. Your real issue is low self-esteem and things like this. That’s not true because the Bible is truth and its not what the Bible tells us.
You are the problem. It’s not your parents, your environment, your job, where you live…it is you. You are a sinner and left to yourself you will die in your sins and rightly judged by God.
The Galatians were falling into a false religion. Salvation comes by trusting Jesus and trusting yourself. It was an ancient form of modern-day pop psychology that emphasizes self with a sprinkling of a few bible verses to make it seem Christian.
2. Justification by Faith in Christ Does Not Promote Sin (2:17-18)
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.
Some might wrongly conclude that if no works are involved in justification, then it really doesn’t matter how we live. They say that this promotes sin. The Apostle Paul is quick to refute this claim.
It could be thought of this way…since Jesus does not require works for salvation, He is promoting the interests of sin. The Apostle Paul is very quick to address that issue as he anticipates that way of thinking through our wonderful freedom from the Law that comes by faith in Christ.
Grace does not promote sin. John Calvin writes, the law on its own brings a curse, but Jesus Christ brings the remedy.
Verse 18 is very telling. To build back, namely the Pharisee’s view of works righteousness would be a sin for Paul. Works salvation is a very sinful lie that condemns all who engage in it.
If obeying the Mosaic Law could justify the sinner then, as Paul’s argument goes, why would anyone ever change? In fact, the Law of God serves to show us our sin not to remove our sin because no one can ever keep the Law perfectly.
3. Justification by Faith in Christ Does Not Undermine Righteous Living (2:19-20)
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.
Here Paul lays out four reasons why Justification by faith does not aid carnal living.
A. 19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God.
Here Paul has in mind, that his relationship to the Law of God has been drastically altered since He met Jesus. It no longer defines his existence as it once did. He is dead to it in the sense of the Law’s stranglehold it had on Paul at one time.
B. 20 I have been crucified with Christ.
On the one hand, Paul died to the Law and he also died with Christ. When Christ died on the cross, He died for all who would believe which included, of course, Paul. The Law required the transgressor die for his sin. Jesus died for our sin. So, when Jesus died on the cross, all who believe died to the Law and all it’s curses. Since we died with Jesus as He paid for our sins and died for us, it is as if we were crucified with Christ.
So, we have been freed from the curse and guilt of the Law because Jesus took that upon Himself for us. Now, we can be justified by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. God can forgive us because the Law has been upheld…we died with Christ.
It’s like how the husband and wife are bound by the wedding vows, til death do us part. Once one of them die the vows die too. The living spouse is no longer bound the the vows because there has been a death. So too, when Christ died taking our curse of death upon Himself, God will no longer hold us liable for breaking His Law because the death penalty has already been paid by Jesus. God can forgive us and still maintain His righteousness because He has carried out our death penalty on Jesus. Praise God there is no wrath remaining for all who are in Christ Jesus.
C. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.
The Spirit of Christ indwells all who come to Christ by faith. The indwelling Spirit causes us to live for Christ not through keeping the Law but through our love for Jesus. The Holy Spirit is sanctifying us and enabling us to follow Christ as we should. This is not a rigid list of dos and don’t but being in step with the Spirit and living out the fruit of the Spirit.
D. 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.
We live in the flesh and we live in this reality now. Paul tells us that while we are living in this sinful world, we are called by God to live life by faith in the Son of God. We obey Christ by faith. We live lives of obedience not to seek salvation but because we are already saved. We can only obey the Law of Christ if the Holy Spirit is dwelling in us by faith.
4. The Glaring Logical End to Salvation by Works: Christ Died for Nothing
21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.
If righteousness could come through keeping the Law, then Jesus should have conducted law-keeping seminars rather than dying the brutal death on the cross. He should have been a motivational speaker rather than giving His body to be beaten. He should have written books and had a blog and produced audio works rather than shedding His own blood. If Law-keeping was an option then Jesus made a horrific mistake. If we seek to add works then we make a mockery of Jesus’ death for sinners.
John Calvin has rightly stated and has shown us the right way to come to Jesus for salvation…Do we wish to come to Him? Then let us come empty-handed, for whatever we bring to Him will be like smoke in our hands.
The great John Rabbi Duncan wrote: There is nothing but Christ between us and hell. ; and, thanks be to God, we need nothing else.
Have you believed? Do you possess saving faith in Jesus Christ and nothing else? I pray we realize what an infinite gift we sinners have been given in our Lord Jesus Christ. Seek Him, Love Him, Run to Him empty handed and be saved.
Resources Used:
Galatians by Peter Barnes
Galatians by Timothy George
Galatians by Ronald Fung
Systematic Theology: Justification by Wayne Grudem
