Outline:
I. Personal: The Preacher of Justification (1:1-2:21)
B. Apostolic Credentials (1:10-2:10)
C. Apostolic Confidence (2:11-21)
Section 1: Defending the Gospel (vv. 1-10)
Out of these verses, I would like to focus on verses 3-5:
3 Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 4 And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage), 5 to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
Let’s break this down verse-by-verse, starting with verse 3.
- Verse 3:
The Judaizers claimed that circumcision and other Mosaic regulations were prerequisites for salvation. The example of Titus shoots down that claim. Titus was a Gentile and a true believer, but he was not circumcised. Salvation is not by grace through faith plus something, whether it be works, law, or whatever; it is by grace through faith alone. - Verse 4:
The church is always in danger, as the enemy (Satan) sends his “spies” into the midst of us. Their plan is to take us from our freedom in Christ to bondage to a system of works-righteousness. Let us be diligent and remember that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone through Christ alone. Sola gratia. Sola fide. Solus Christus. - Verse 5:
Paul and Titus did not budge from their position of salvation by grace alone through faith alone. We must not give in to compromise for even one second, but instead stand firm in that belief.
Section 2: No Return to the Law (vv. 11-21)
In verse 16 we find a verse that states this doctrine of justification by grace through faith alone that I keep referring to:
knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
It is so important that we understand and believe this, “for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain” (v. 21). If salvation comes through good works or keeping the law, then there was no need for Christ’s death. Perish the thought. Christ did not die needlessly.
The last thing I want to look at is verse 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.
This verse essentially says three things:
- We have been crucified with Christ, meaning that “when a person trusts in Christ for salvation, he spiritually participates with the Lord in His crucifixion and His victory over sin and death” (John MacArthur Study Bible).
- Having been crucified with Christ, our old sinful self is gone and is replaced by a new self, which is constantly being transformed to become more like Jesus.
- Christ’s death on the cross is the greatest possible manifestation of His love for us. “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13). “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
On to Galatians 3 tomorrow and more on justification by faith.
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