RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2020-06-01	Crucified With Christ (Ga.2:20)
		Gal 2:19 For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. Gal 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Gal 2:21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain." Galatians 2:20 is tied directly to our relationship to the law. In context, if a man is justified by the law, then why did Christ have to die? When a person trusts Christ for salvation something marvelous takes. He spiritually participates with our Lord in His crucifixion and victory over sin and death. We are so identified with Christ by the Spirit that we died with Him. Since we live by Christ's resurrection power, we do not need the “help” of the law. This is a permanent change in our relationship to the law. We have been “raised to walk in newness of life” (Rm.6:4). It is not the law that is dead. The law reflects the character of God. So what died? It was Paul (thus all believers) who died to the law. The law continues to operate for the unbelievers. How did Paul die to the law? Paul, like all of us, thought God would accept him because of his law-keeping. The law “killed” Paul by showing he could never live up to its holy standard. He had to understand the law made him guilty before God, not justified. This sense of guilt is what “killed” Paul. He realized keeping the law is not the answer. So to die to the law is (1) to be freed from its dominion over your life, and (2) to have no confidence in it. When Paul died to the law, he could now live to God. As long as Paul tied to justify himself before God by his law-keeping, he was dead. This verse pictures the Gospel message. Let me explain. When a person trusts in their “goodness” or law-keeping, they are dead. With the Gospel we transfer our confidence from self (law) to Christ. Christ now has dominion over our life. When did we die to the law? We died when Christ died on the cross. This truth becomes real to us when we place our trust in Him. It is like it was us up there on the cross. We died together with Christ. Maybe not physically, but spiritually it is true. This verse is not telling us to DO something. It is telling us that we ARE something. That is, it refers to our position in Christ. It is already true. Since we died with Christ, we have a different life (2Co.5:17). 2Co 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. The old life lived under the law. But we now live unto Christ. On the cross a great exchange occurred. The old life was crucified on the cross. The believer's new life is Christ living His life in and through us. So now our new life is no longer ours, but belongs to Christ. We simply manage the new life Christ has given to us. We cannot live the new life on the foundation of the law. You can only live it by faith. Faith connects us so intimately with Christ, it is as if we are one person. Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

An Evangelical Free Church of America

23304 E Wellesley Ave. Otis Orchards, WA 99027 Church Office: 509.926.9552 Church Cell: 509.342.9145 Pastor Cell: 509.828.8843 tomelseroad@gmail.com