The Reality of the Christian Life

Galatians 2:20

Intro: When Paul wrote this letter to the Galatian church, some scholars believe it to be written around the time of 49 BC, he was in a tremendous battle of defending the faith. Judizers had risen up and had began spreading false propaganda in the church declaring that salvation was Jesus Christ plus the Mosaic Law. They taught that Christ wasn’t sufficient in order be pleasing to God. Paul strongly refuted their teaching. He used words such as foolish, bewitched, or who has charmed or cast a spell on you? He used words such as “Let them be accursed,” or be dedicated to destruction in Hell. (serious business)We live in a time, according to this world’s standard, at where Jesus isn’t sufficient for salvation. It’s got to be something they can do in their own strength; something they can do to gain God’s favor. As it was in Paul’s day there is a lot pressure from the outside world not to live up to who we are. Peter, in this text was carried away with this hypocrisy and Paul began to instruct Peter on the reality of who he was. There is separation from the world.

I. The Reality of a Life that Expired at Calvary

A. Believers have Expired to the Penalty of Sin

1. As we examine Calvary and the Christ that died there, we must look at its purpose.

2. The whole purpose of Calvary was for God to once and for all deal with man’s sin through Jesus Christ.

3. Jesus Christ is the representative Head that perfectly represented you and I before a Holy God. He perfectly did what the first Adam failed to do; keep the Law, and He meet the righteous demands of the broken Law. Through the first Adam we received death and condemnation. Through the 2nd, we received Life and Peace.

4. The righteous demands of the Law had been satisfied and nullified through Christ.

5. Paul in v.20 gave an astounding theological truth about our union with the Lord Jesus Christ.

6. Believers are so united in the Lord Jesus, that He not only died for me, but He died as me. God sees the finished work of Christ and declares the punishment He bore as sufficient to pardon me.

2Cor.5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

7. At Calvary I died to the penalty of sin! Through Christ I am no longer under the penalty of sin.

B. Believers have Expired to the Power of Sin

1. Calvary not only dealt with Man’s Need, but it also dealt with Man’s Nature

2. Because of man’s corrupt nature, before Christ, we were enslaved by the power of sin. The Bible said in Eph.2: 2-3 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

3. Now because of our union with Christ and His death, we have been set free from the power of sin. Sin no longer has dominion over the believer.

Rom.6: 6-7 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.

Rom.6: 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

4. Paul said I am crucified to the world. I no longer have to live in sin. People sin because that is what they are. For the believer, they don’t have to sin. We sin by our own choice. The devil doesn’t even make a believer sin. Some say I just can’t help myself. If you are a Christian you can.

Application: Have you come into this reality of your union with Christ? Have you appropriated the cross? There you died to sins penalty and power. You have the freedom to live victorious in Christ. Maybe you know nothing of this victorious life because you have never been saved. Today you can know the joy of being forgiven and the penalty and power of sin being taken out of your life. As a Christian, are you living victorious over sin? Come into the reality that sin no longer dominates you.

II. The Reality of a Life that was Exchanged in Christ

A. The Life that is Lived by the Person of Christ

1. Paul once again makes an astounding statement.

2. He said that through Christ he lived, but yet he was dead. He said that he died to sin and self, and what was now alive in him was not him, but Christ.

3. Paul had died to himself and nothing about him remained. Paul no longer was living for himself. He said that now Christ indwelt him.

2Cor.5: 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

4. Paul was saying that Christ will live His life through Paul. He was saying that Christ was now his life. Col.3:4 When Christ who is our life appears,

5. That’s true about every believer. Its no longer your life, but its Christ’s life. He wants to live not just in you but through you.

6. He said it’s the Divine eternal life that wants to live that life in and through you.

Application: It was never intended for you to live the Christian life. That’s why so many Christians fail at it and become discouraged. How do you live an exchanged life? How do you appropriate or apply the life of Christ? You choose to choose against yourself. You realize that what the Bible says about you is true and that you are dead and only alive in Christ. And the only life you have is His life because He is the One who gave you life. So you cooperate with Christ and allow Him to live His life out through you!

B. The Life that is Lived by the Provision of Christ

1. Provision of His Faith

a. Paul said that the life he was living was by faith. It wasn’t just any faith, it wasn’t his faith but it was Christ’s faith.

b. Christ is no only your life, but He is your faith.

c. It is supernatural faith. The faith that saves us is the same faith that sustains us.

Col.2:6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,

d. It is the faith that God by His grace gives every believer to trust Christ and abide in Christ.

e. What about when faith waivers? Get into His word Rom.10:17 ask Him to increase

2. Provision of His Favor

a. The one truth that I believe kept Paul was that he knew that Jesus loved him, and that He loved him so much that He went to cross and died for him.

b. Jesus died so that we might live and live for Him

c. For Paul, his Christian life was personal and precious. Notice the personal pronoun “me.”

Application: Is it personal to you? Have you been to Calvary? Is Jesus living through you? Is Christ precious to you?