Galatians 2:15-21 – Faith alone Justifies

Paul first established that the only path to justification is through faith in Christ Jesus. And to be justified through Christ Jesus means to put one’s trust and confidence in Christ and His work on the Cross. It is embracing the truth that Christ alone lived a sinless life, and that he suffered for man’s disobedience. He died for man’s sin on the Cross because the penalty for sin is death. And to be justified, we need to embrace all that Christ had done, acknowledge our personal helplessness, repent and turn to accept the provision God had made through Christ.

In these verses, Paul also contrasted the justification by observing the Law. He substantiated that justification can only be received through faith in Christ. Paul began first by stating dogmatically that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus. After that he then supported it by citing both his and Peter’s personal experience.

He clearly said that “… even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified ….” Then he cited Psalm 143:2b that says, “… no man living is righteous” before inserting the phrase, “… by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified”. The word “flesh” refers to man’s fallen nature. Truly, it is impossible for man to keep the Law because of this fallen nature.

Paul also anticipated his opponents to argue that if man is only justified by faith through Christ, and still couldn’t keep the demands of the Law, wouldn’t it make Christ the author of sin? Meaning that justification by faith made it too easy for believers. It will take away their moral responsibility. And it will cause a person to continue in sin.

“Of course not!” Paul immediately responded. He went on to explain in verse 18. If a man returned to rebuild his old sinful life after destroying it, he would be personally at fault. He is the transgressor and Christ is not to be blamed. The person has himself to blame.

In verses 19-21, he showed why justification by faith does not encourage continual sinning. Justification takes place when a person puts faith in Christ. In that process he becomes united to Christ and becomes a new creation with a new purpose and direction in life. This new creation now shares the life of Christ fully. Paul brought up two key areas of Christ that a justified person shares – His death and resurrection.

In Christ’s death the demand of the Law was met. And since a believer is united with Christ in death, the Law also died in him. So he can now live to God. When Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ …,” he was saying he shared in the sin-bearing death of Christ and in Him his sinful past was cancelled. This union with Christ by faith also enabled him to live a new life because the life he lived, since being justified, was by the faith of the Son of God.

 

It’s all beginning to make sense, isn’t it? Faith life is not just a concept; it is a reality in experience. When one is united with Christ, his past is cancelled. He lives the new life not in his own strength. He lives it through the resurrection power of Christ. The Christ in “me” gives me the impetus for holy living. It is not that we cannot sin but we just don’t want to. In Christ our whole perspective and orientation to life has changed.

In verse 21, he set forth to overthrow the distortion that works can justify. “The Gospel,” Paul insisted, “is the grace of God based on the death of Christ.” If justification is attainable by works, then it would make the death of Christ needless. Remember, we are free not to do what we will; but we are free so that we can do what we should!