The Difference Faith Makes

Introduction

Paul has just confronted Peter about his hypocrisy. It seems that Peter and other devout Jews were making the new converts practice the rituals that were about the law. He now addresses the whole crowd to share the difference faith makes.

Galatians 2:15–21 NIV84

15 “We who are Jews by birth and not ‘Gentile sinners’ 16 know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified. 17 “If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! 18 If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker. 19 For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 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 for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”

At first glance, this is a difficult passage to understand. Let’s dive in a little closer and look at this truths of how faith make a difference.

Faith Reverses Stereotypes (vs. 15)

First of all, we see that the difference faith makes reverses stereotypes. We see in verse 15 the term Gentile Sinners. The Jews used this regularly in their vocabulary. It was used in a derogatory way. The Jews were prejudging the Gentiles.

Prejudging

How you ever done that? Have you ever made an assessment on someone because they were different that you in some way? The Jews looked down on anyone that was not a Jew. Jesus rebuked the crowd while He was teaching at the Feast of the Tabernacle. They had ridiculed Him and hurled insults at Him. Jesus called them out!

John 7:24 NIV84

24 Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.”

This is a direct reference to what the Lord had previously told Samuel:

1 Samuel 16:7 NIV84

7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

We would do well not to prejudge. However, the Jews felt they were privileged.

Privileged

Lately, I have struggled with just how privileged I am. The Jews felt that they had God’s grace because the Jews were God’s people. The felt they were righteous because they were in covenant with the Lord and the Gentiles were not. Another word for privileged is entitlement. What do you feel entitled about?

Penetrable

However, we also know that any stereotype is penetrable. In other words, it can be further understood to why it is like it is. For example, anyone that dishes out stereotypes is a person that has a poor understanding of God’s love. When the words, “Gentile sinners” are used, it is about about selfishness. Remember the story of the woman caught in adultery and was about to be stoned? Jesus intervenes.

John 8:3–10 NIV84

3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

The love of God covers stereotypes. Faith also redeems what we could not.

Faith Redeems What We Could Not (vs. 16)

Galatians 2:16 NIV84

16 know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.

Works Cannot Fix It

Works cannot fix our sin separation from God. There is no task we could ever do that would be good enough to fix our sin problem. Remember, the Bible says in Romans 3:23

Romans 3:23 NIV84

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

We all fall short.

Wisdom Cannot Fix It

Our knowledge also falls short so our wisdom cannot fix it. 1 Corinthians 3:18

1 Corinthians 3:18 NIV84

18 Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a “fool” so that he may become wise.

Worthiness Comes Only Through Christ

It is a gift that we are able to be considered by God to be worthy through Christ.

Isaiah 49:4 NIV84

4 But I said, “I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing. Yet what is due me is in the Lord’s hand, and my reward is with my God.”

God gives us our worthiness.

Psalm 18:32 NIV84

32 It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.

John 14:6 NIV84

6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Our worthiness comes through Jesus.

Faith Remedies the Old Life (vs. 17-18)

We have established that our sin problem cannot be fixed by anything we do. There was a thought among the Jewish leaders that if one accepted Jesus then they would have any incentive removed from that for moral effort. They had placed so much worth on doing the right actions that they could not believe that all could be made right through faith in Christ. The Jews believed their righteousness came through actions. Jesus reminds us that He came not to call the righteous but to call the sinners.

Matthew 9:13 NIV84

13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Compared to Christ

Compared to Christ, we fall way short. Paul uses a bit of rhetoric to get his point across. Does our connection to Christ then promote sin? He emphatically says absolutely not. Faith remedies what the old life could not do. It connects us to Christ.

Connected to Christ

When we are connected to Christ, what exactly does that mean? It means that despite my moral condition, I am able to be seen through the eyes of God as being redeemed, forgiven and fully restored. We see in these verses the word justified. When we are justified, God has declared that which was unrighteous sinner to be righteous if that sinner believes and is connected to Christ. Justification is not simply forgiveness, it is the declaration that the believing sinner is never guilty again!

Psalm 32:1-2 This means I am confirmed in Christ!

Psalm 32:1–2 NIV84

1 Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 2 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.

Confirmed in Christ

1 Corinthians 1:8 NIV84

8 He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Did you catch that? We go from sinners to blameless because of our connection to Christ! Faith remedies the old way of life and confirms this in our relationship in Christ. It remedies the old and faith revives us to new life.

Faith Revives Us to New Life (vs. 19-21)

Galatians 2:19 NIV84

19 For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God.

Paul teaches here the transformation that occurs in believers. Paul saw that the law was insufficient but found that grace was sufficient. 2 Corinthians 12:9

2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV84

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

We are changed from the old to the new.

Changed from Old to New

You have heard this verse many times.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV84

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Are you in Christ? Then you have been changed from old to brand new! Paul remembered his old life and how he had 3 days of darkness before Ananias came and then the light streamed in! The old was changed to the new!

Crucified with Christ

Paul correlated his new life to dying to the old. He states in verse 20, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” Let’s think about this from Paul’s perspective.The law had brought Paul to the gates of deepest despair and death. Paul had lived all his life wondering if he could win the favor of God because of the rituals and rigorous moral behavior. Now he sees the cross of Christ and he realizes the work of love and grace was necessary to save him. A lifetime of accumulating a position attained by “works” had been wasted. Paul, a devout Jew, recognized that he had to confess himself a sinner like a needy Gentile. He as to die to his old nature. He cries out that it is not he that is living now, but the living Christ is living in him! Christ is the sole meaning of his life!

Philippians 1:21 NIV84

21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

It is the Living Christ who loved Paul and sacrificed Himself for him. It is the same Living Christ that loves you and I and paid the same sacrifice for us. Therefore, we do not set aside the grace of God. Rather, we are complete in God’s grace.

Complete in God’s Grace

Galatians 2:21 NIV84

21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”

Don’t take that for granted. Stop trying to earn your way. You are complete in the grace of God. Romans 5:20

Romans 5:20 NIV84

20 The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more,

I am reminded that there is no sin that grace has not covered. There is nothing that cannot be forgiven! Once you recognize the gift that God has given you in Christ Jesus, you will also say, “I am crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me!”

The only way that can happen is to make Jesus Christ Lord of your life. Paul was that he spiritually died with Christ so that he could spiritually be alive in Christ and Christ in him. You see, either Jesus is Lord of all, or He is not lord at all. Have you made Jesus your Lord of all?