There has been way too much focus on the law and on sin recently. I don't know why exactly. There is a fundamental principle that all Christians should learn at the beginning of their walk with God. That principle is death and resurrection. It is fully expounded by Paul in his letter to the Galatians.
It does not matter how serious a crime an individual commits. If he dies before going to trial, that is the end of the matter. No one bothers to punish a dead man. It is pointless. Yet some Christians seek to punish themselves and worse, heap condemnation on others who know that they died and rose again with Christ. God's word is clear. Oh how keen the legalists are to quote scripture after scripture to maintain their old life. Then they criticise those who have the revelation of their co-death with Christ.
Galatians 2:20 is a much quoted and much loved scripture and rightly so. Not nearly as many know what it means as like to quote it. However, Paul has a context around the verse. This is it more fully:
Galatians 2:18-20
.....If I rebuild what I have already torn down, I prove myself to be a lawbreaker. For through the law I died to the law so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me....
A cat is a cat because it has cat life. A dog is a dog because it has dog life. A Christian is a Christian because he has Christ life. The "I" of sinful Adam is crucified with Christ. The "I" of the believer is Christ living in him. This has to be worked out in experience, but the starting point is NOT the law. It is to know that we died and are risen, just as Christ has died and is risen. Get that truth into your heart, and you will be transformed.
It does not matter how serious a crime an individual commits. If he dies before going to trial, that is the end of the matter. No one bothers to punish a dead man. It is pointless. Yet some Christians seek to punish themselves and worse, heap condemnation on others who know that they died and rose again with Christ. God's word is clear. Oh how keen the legalists are to quote scripture after scripture to maintain their old life. Then they criticise those who have the revelation of their co-death with Christ.
Galatians 2:20 is a much quoted and much loved scripture and rightly so. Not nearly as many know what it means as like to quote it. However, Paul has a context around the verse. This is it more fully:
Galatians 2:18-20
.....If I rebuild what I have already torn down, I prove myself to be a lawbreaker. For through the law I died to the law so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me....
A cat is a cat because it has cat life. A dog is a dog because it has dog life. A Christian is a Christian because he has Christ life. The "I" of sinful Adam is crucified with Christ. The "I" of the believer is Christ living in him. This has to be worked out in experience, but the starting point is NOT the law. It is to know that we died and are risen, just as Christ has died and is risen. Get that truth into your heart, and you will be transformed.
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