Textual Sermon: Galatians 2:20: Crucified With Christ

Scripture Reading: Galatians 2:17-21

Crucified with Christ

Intro.

1. Gal. 2:20: Although Paul did not speak literally, he described something very real in his life; Crucified with Christ.

2. To be crucified with Christ is essential to salvation & being His disciple.

I. CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST. (“I have been crucified with Christ”)

A. The Symbolism of Crucifixion.

1. Crucifixion was death by torture; Painful (excruciating, “out of the cross”).

2. Paul speaks of a real death that can be excruciating as we put ourselves to death for the sake of Christ; pain involved, Phil. 3:4-8.

3. Some want a “painless Christianity” – That is not the Christianity of the apostle Paul.

B. Death with Christ (Rom. 6:8):

1. Death of the old man of sin, Rom. 6:2, 5-7.

a. No longer in bondage to sin, Rom. 6:6. Choice we make.

b. Of the flesh, Gal. 5:24. Rom. 13:14

c. To the world, Gal. 6:14; Col. 2:20.

2. Death of self, 2 Cor. 5:14-15 (Lk. 9:23).

a. Cf. Pride, Gal. 2:11-13. The fear that motivated Peter was an expression of self-preservation rather than self-sacrifice for the sake of truth.

b. Transgression, Gal. 2:18 (11, 14).

3. Death to the law, Gal. 2:14-21 (as means of justification from sin).

a. Self, by means of law keeping, can never free us from our sin.

b. This is establishing “their own righteousness,” Rom. 10:3.

c. Can never save; makes the death Jesus useless! (2:21)

C. This Death to Sin Occurs when we are Converted to Christ.

1. By means of baptism, Rom. 6:4.

2. WITH the prerequisites of belief, confession of faith & repentance.

3. United with Him in the likeness of His death, Rom. 6:5.

II. IT IS NO LONGER I WHO LIVE, cf. Rom. 6:4-5.

A. Justification from Sin, Rom. 6:7-8, 11.

1. Spiritual life out of sin’s death (Eph. 2:5); new creation, 2 Cor. 5:17.

2. Forgiveness of sins, Col. 2:12-13.

B. Christ Lives in Me.

1. Personal relationship & identification with Christ, Eph. 3:17.

a. Christ is seen in the Christian, Lk. 6:40.

b. Taught & trained by Christ.

c. Influenced by Christ, Jno. 8:31-32 (truth; Eph. 4:20-21).

d. Fellowship with Christ, Jno. 14:21, 23; 15:4-5.

2. We now live a life unto God, not unto sin, Rom. 6:9-11.

III. LIVING BY FAITH (“the life I now live in the flesh”).

A. By the Faith, We Obtain Life (the objective standard).

1. The gospel gives life, Gal. 2:16; Rom. 1:16-17. (By obeying the gospel, one obtains life out of the death of sin.)

2. Why Paul withstood every error that would corrupt it, Gal. 1:6-12; 2:5, 11.

3. Why we must, too!

B. Personal Faith in the Son of God.

1. The objective standard produces personal faith, Rom. 1:17 (10:17).

2. Active faith, 2 Cor. 5:7; Heb. 11:6.

3. Practical applications, Col. 3:1-3 (3:5-4:6).

IV. WHY BE CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST & LIVE BY FAITH?

A. Because Christ Loved Me.

1. He acted in my best interest, 2 Cor. 8:9; Gal. 2:21.

2. He loved me so that I may live, 1 Jno. 4:9-10.

B. Because Christ Died (was Crucified) for Me, Gal. 3:1; Rom. 5:6-11; Isa. 53:4-6.

Conclusion

1. Have you been crucified with Christ? Is your old man of sin dead? Has self been abandoned for the will of Christ in your life?

2. If so, is Christ living in you? Is He seen in you? Is He influencing you (i.e., are you living for God & not for sin)? Are you living in & by His word?

3. If not, then be crucified with Christ now.