Who we are In Christ: CoCrucified Galatians 2:1521

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Who we are In ChristCo-Crucified
Galatians 215-21

• Forest Hills Bible Chapel
• 25 November 2007

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Some Background to Galatians

• Between Pauls founding of the churches of
  Galatia, and the writing of Galatians, the church
  as been infiltrated by Judaizers.
• Judaizers folks who preached faith in Christ
  plus
• For the Judaizers, it was faith in Christ, plus
  observance of the Law of Moses circumcision,
  Sabbath-keeping, observing of the Levitical
  dietary laws, etc.

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Some Background to Galatians

• While Paul was in Galatia, Peter came for a visit
  as well Galatians 211ff.
• Initially, Peter had table fellowship with the
  Gentile Christians in Galatia.
• But after a party of Jewish Christians from James
  arrived (212), Peter withdrew and ate only
  kosher food with the Jewish Christians in
  Galatia.
• Paul then confronted Peter openly in front of
  everyone 214ff.

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Galatians 215-21

• 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.

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Galatians 215-21

• 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.

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Galatians 215-21

• 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!

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Co-Crucified

• There is absolutely nothing we can do to save
  ourselves not even keeping the Law of Moses!
  215-16
• This raises the question Why did God give the
  Law of Moses to the people of Israel? (See
  Galatians 319)

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A Little Biblical History

• The Exodus Exodus 1231-1431

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A Little Biblical History

• The Giving of the Law at Sinai Ex. 19ff.

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A Little Biblical History

• The Law of Moses was not given to Israel as a
  means by which they could become Gods people.
• The Law of Moses was given to Israel because they
  already were Gods people at least those who
  had placed their faith in Gods redemptive work.
• 2 For we also have had the gospel preached to us,
  just as they did but the message they heard was
  of no value to them, because those who heard did
  not combine it with faith. Hebrews 42

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A Little Theology
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A Little Theology

• I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer
  live, but Christ lives in me. Galatians 220
• In the 1930s, there was a sharp division between
  the Fundamentalists and the Modernists.
• The Modernists wanted to bring a modern
  understanding to the old statements of Scripture.
• The Fundamentalists wanted to hold onto the
  fundamentals of the faith.

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A Little Theology

• Sometimes, the term Fundamentalist is a good
  thing it asserts that there are certain
  fundamentals or foundational truths, without
  which we do not have biblical Christianity.
• These included the inspiration of the Bible, the
  Deity of Christ, the bodily resurrection, and the
  Substitutionary Atonement.
• That is, the death of Jesus was a substitute for
  my death Jesus died for me, or for us.

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A Little Theology

• But Paul gives us a little different take on the
  atonement.
• Paul teaches not a substitutionary atonement, but
  a participatory atonement.
• I have been crucified with Christ
• I dont ever have to worry about whether or not
  the Lord will expect me to pay for my sins,
  because in Christ, I already have!
• Insert Amen here! ?

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A Little Greek

• New Testament Greek is somewhat different from
  English in many ways.
• There are 3 different ways that Greek
  communicates the past tense.
• The imperfect tense which describes action in
  the past that is depicted as continuous action
  Jesus was preaching.
• The aorist tense which describes completed
  action usually occurring in the past Jesus
  preached.

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A Little Greek

• The perfect tense this tense describes action
  that occurred in the past, but which has abiding
  results into the present and beyond.
• Examples
• Aorist tense I ate lunch.
• Perfect tense I got married.
• Marriage past tense action (April 29, 1978) with
  abiding results! ?

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A Little Greek

• Paul is saying, I have been crucified with
  Christ meaning that God reckons me as having
  been crucified with Christ, and that
  co-crucifixion continues into the present and
  beyond.
• I died to my old, sinful self.
• I now live a new life, in Christ that is,
  Christ lives in me.
• From Gods perspective, my life and the life of
  Christ are intertwined, and indistinguishable.

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A Little Chorus

• I am crucified with Christ.
• Therefore I no longer live.
• Jesus Christ now lives in me.
• I am crucified with Christ.
• Therefore I no longer live.
• Jesus Christ now lives in me.