In Galatians 2:17, the apostle Paul made a bold statement. He said that anyone who believed that right standing with God could be achieved by performance was actually in agreement with the enemies of Jesus who had accused Him of being promoter and encourager of sin!
“But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ we ourselves also are found sinners is Christ therefor a minister of sin? Certainly not!” (Galatians 2:17)1
For clarity, here is that verse in The Message paraphrase:
“And are you ready to make the accusation that since people like me, who go through Christ in order to get things right with God, aren’t perfectly virtuous, Christ must therefore be an accessory to sin?” (Galatians 2:17, The Message)2
Paul was asking the question, “If Jesus removed the law, does that mean He’s leading us into sin? Is Christ promoting sin?! Does the fact that Christians still sin mean that Jesus is an accessory to sin?” It puts the charge of heresy on Jesus Himself for anyone to say that we can lose our righteousness when we don’t obey the law. If you are accused of saying that sin is okay when you say that you are justified (made right with God) by faith in Christ alone, then you can say, “Hey, Jesus was charged with the same thing! And so was Paul!” You’re in good company!
“For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. “(Galatians 2:18-19)
On this side of the cross, we don’t live by the external accountability of the law. We live by the inward promptings of the Holy Spirit in the newness of life.3 Paul taught that the law only aroused sinful behavior and does nothing to curb it. Using himself as the example, he said that sin “taking opportunity by the commandment” produced in him all manner of evil desire.4
It’s obvious in the world today that sin is rampant, but the answer isn’t law. It’s grace! Paul in no way excused sin and had high expectations that believers would live holy lives, but what was his solution? Grace!
(from pages 244-245 of Unveiling Jesus)
Want more from Tricia Gunn? Check out excerpts from the Unveiling Jesus 20-part series!
Unveiling Jesus, by Tricia Gunn, is a verse by verse study of the pure gospel of grace. It’s an amazing journey of love, identity, and freedom in Christ.
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1All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New King James Version. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
2Scripture quotations from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
3Romans 7:6
4Romans 7:8
