JUSTIFIED NOT BY THE LAW, BUT BY FAITH

Passage: Galatians 2:11-21

Key verse: 20

NIV

Paul Opposes Cephas

11 When Cephas(A) came to Antioch,(B) I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James,(C) he used to eat with the Gentiles.(D) But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group.(E) 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas(F) was led astray.

14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel,(G) I said to Cephas(H) in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew.(I) How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?(J)

15 “We who are Jews by birth(K) and not sinful Gentiles(L) 16 know that a person is not justified by the works of the law,(M) but by faith in Jesus Christ.(N) So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in[a] Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.(O)

17 “But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners,(P) doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not!(Q) 18 If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker.

19 “For through the law I died to the law(R) so that I might live for God.(S) 20 I have been crucified with Christ(T) and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.(U) The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God,(V) who loved me(W) and gave himself for me.(X) 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law,(Y) Christ died for nothing!”[b]

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Footnotes
  1. Galatians 2:16 Or but through the faithfulness of … justified on the basis of the faithfulness of
  2. Galatians 2:21 Some interpreters end the quotation after verse 14.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Paul Opposes Peter

11 But (A)when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him (B)to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, (C)he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing (D)the circumcision party.[a] 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that their (E)conduct was not in step with (F)the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas (G)before them all, “If you, though a Jew, (H)live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

Justified by Faith

15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not (I)Gentile sinners; 16 yet we know that (J)a person is not justified[b] by works of the law (K)but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, (L)because by works of the law no one will be justified.

17 But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found (M)to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 19 For through the law I (N)died to the law, so that I might (O)live to God. 20 I have been (P)crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives (Q)in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, (R)who loved me and (S)gave himself for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for (T)if righteousness[c] were through the law, (U)then Christ died for no purpose.

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Footnotes
  1. Galatians 2:12 Or fearing those of the circumcision
  2. Galatians 2:16 Or counted righteous (three times in verse 16); also verse 17
  3. Galatians 2:21 Or justification
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

When Peter arrived at Antioch, Paul opposed him publicly because of Peter’s hypocrisy. Peter had begun to separate himself from the Gentiles out of fear of the circumcision group. We too must make sure we do not walk in fear so that we do not also live in hypocrisy. Paul corrected Peter so that he also would not lead others astray. Paul wanted all to live in alignment with the truth of the gospel.

As a Jew by birth, Paul boldly stated that no one is justified by keeping the law, no matter how hard they try. It is only through faith in Christ that we are justified. Does this mean we can live as we want? By no means! Faith in Christ gives us new life. When we believe in him, our old selves are crucified, and Christ lives in us. The life we live is now based on faith in the Son of God, who loved us and gave himself for us. However, if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing. Because of the cross, we can live our lives through in faith in Christ.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for the cross and for making a way for us when there was no way. I confess that my own righteousness could never save me. Help me to be crucified daily so that Christ may live in me, and that I may live by faith in You.

One Word: Live by faith in the Son of God