Galatians 2:20-21 - Gospel Identity

Listen along as we continue our time through the letter of Galatians.

Notes//Quotes:

Galatians 2:20-21 - Kim J Reading

 

“The Messiah” is the locus of Jesus-believers’ identity. Calling him “Messiah” indicates both that he is the fulfillment of God’s plan for Israel and that he is now the place where, and the means by which, his people live, move, and have their being.” —N.T. Wright

 

“28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. (Galatians 3:28&29)

 

“In one sense this is presumptuous language because the mystery of atonement requires that the death of Christ be unique, unrepeatable, and isolated. The two thieves who were literally crucified with Christ did not bear the sins of the world in their agonizing deaths. On the cross Christ suffered alone forsaken by his friends, his followers, and finally even his Father, dying, as J. Moltmann puts it, “a God-forsaken death for God-forsaken people.” With reference to his substitutionary suffering and vicarious death, only Jesus, and he alone, can be the Substitute and Vicar. And yet—this was Paul’s point—the very benefits of Christ’s atoning death, including first of all justification, are without effect unless we are identified with Christ in his death and resurrection.” - Timothy George

 

“Engrafted into the death of Christ, we derive a secret energy from it, as the shoot does from the root.”

- John Calvin

 

“Christianity is not a self-improvement course. We are not called to come and do, but to come and die. For the new life is not self-improvement, but self-denial. We consider our old self “crucified with Christ” and our new self risen with Him to new life. We die to sin and we also die to self-effort, no longer trying to please God by following some set of religious rules and regulations that we are unable to keep. Dying to self, we live by Christ, “trusting” in Him to live His life in and through us.” - Gary Combs

 

“The “I” who has died to the law no longer lives; Christ, in the person of the Holy Spirit, dwells within, sanctifying our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit and enabling us to approach the throne of God in prayer…“Therefore, The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” In this fourth thesis Paul describes the modality of the Christian life and again reiterated its objective source in the living Son of God and the love that sent him to the cross…The object of this faith is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, “who loved me and gave himself for me.” This is a rich expression that contains in summary form the whole doctrine of atonement. No impersonal force or cosmic law or external necessity compelled Christ to die. It was the love of God, unmerited, immeasurable, infinite, that sent Jesus to the cross. Not for his own sake but “for me” he endured the rigors of Calvary.” - Timothy George

 

               Everyone goes away in the end

And you could have it all

My empire of dirt

I will let you down

I will make you hurt

                                          - Johnny Cash

 

“Even a weak faith in Jesus is a billion times stronger than a strong faith in anything else.” —Timothy Keller