Reading Through The New Testament In 2016. Day 163. Galatians 2

Here in Chapter 2 we get Paul’s account of the council of Jerusalem from Acts 15. Paul here has one message he needs everyone to hear, even the other apostles. They had turned back on the Gospel and were practicing and teaching that salvation came through observance to Torah. Paul has one message for them: they’re dead wrong.

Paul tells them that nothing we can do can earn our salvation. Christ saving us in itself shows us we can’t do it ourselves, and we need a savior. Torah was not that saviour; it could only condemn. To die with Christ to Paul meant to also die to the law, because new life in Christ meant freedom from the law. This is huge for Paul, going so far as to say if there were any other way to achieve salvation then Jesus’ sacrifice didn’t matter.

The big message Paul has is stop trying to earn your salvation, and stop trying to make others do it. These people were Jews trying to force gentiles to become Jews for their salvation but Paul says that that opposes the Gospel. He said to just have faith in Christ, and live in His faithfulness to us.