Galatians 2:11-21

"But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with th truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, 'If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?'

We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners, yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And 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. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if justification were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose."


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11-14 -> Paul is talking about how Cephas was afraid of the circumcision party because he did not live according to the Jewish law as they did. Paul proclaims Cephas to be a hypocrite because he tells the Gentiles to live like Jews even though he, a Jew, does not (v. 14).

15-16 -> Paul admits that though he is a Jew, he is not saved by his works as a Jew. He realizes that it is only through his faith in Jesus Christ that he is saved.

17-18 -> Paul is saying in these verses that he is still a sinner even after being justified by faith, because it still is not because of his works that he is sanctified. "For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor." This means that if he were to say that Christ was a servant to sin, than he would go back to being justified by works and not by Christ's sacrifice.

20 -> "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And 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." Paul is being explicit in saying that he lives for Christ. He has died to himself.

21 -> Salvation cannot come from the law, because then Christ would have died for no reason. His sacrifice would mean nothing.

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Application:

Paul lived his life with incredible passion for his faith, and opposed others who were not totally sold out and became hypocritical. He is emphatic that it is not our works that save us, but faith alone, and this is a theme that Paul repeats throughout all his letters.

He is also very passionate about the fact that he no longer lives for himself, but for God. We need to be crucified with Christ. This literally means that we need to put to death anything that is of us and not of God. We need to live for Christ and Christ alone. This is essential to the Christian life. If we live our lives characterized by selfishness, then we will quickly lose our platform for ministering to others.


Empty Me
By: Jeremy Camp

Holy Fire burn away,
my desire for anything
that is not of you and is of me.
I want more of you and less of me.

Holy Fire burn away,
my desire for anything
that is not of you and is of me,
I want more of you and less of me, yeah.
Empty me,
Empty me, yeah,
Fill, won't you fill me,
with you, with you, yeah.

Holy Fire, burn away,
my desire for anything
that is not of you and is of me.
I want more of you and less of me, yeah.
Empty me,
Empty me, yeah.
Fill, won't you fill me, with you, with you, empty me now.

Well won't you empty me, well won't you empty me now. repeat x2
I want more, I want more, I want more of you, Jesus.
I want more, I want more, oh.
Thank you, Jesus.
Thank you, Jesus, oh yeah,
Thank you, Jesus, yeah.
Holy Fire, Holy Fire, Holy Fire, Holy Fire.