Galatians 2:17-19

 Galatians 2:17-19

 

Salvation requires a repentant heart (v. 17-19)

 

Verse 17:  Our salvation frees us from the bondage and eternal penalty of sin, but the presence of sin in our lives remains.  This doesn’t mean that we should continue to sin or think that Christ overlooks future sin. 

I have been saved from the penalty of sin.

                        I am being saved from the effects of sin.

                        I will be saved from the presence of sin.

Verse 18-19: Paul begins to show how absurd it is for one to believe in this Judaism.  His use of the mental picture of one rebuilding something that he destroyed is great!  We can be a silly people.  We profess Christ, but yet we find ourselves clinging to meaningless methods of “Christian living.”

 

In verse 19 Paul says, “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God.”  He isn’t condemning the law as most of his critics would point out.  His critics would say that Paul is mocking the Lord in completely defacing the importance of God’s commands.  Instead what Paul is saying is that the Law demonstrates how useless it is for us to attempt to live up to the Law’s statutes.  If it meant that we were to uphold every law to receive God’s grace we would be in a world of hurt!

 

Posted by Joey White, FMNorth Campus Pastor