2nd August 2023
Salvation in a nutshell
‘I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.’
Galatians 2:20 (NIVUK)
In the header scripture above the apostle Paul compresses the core aspects of salvation into a concise one-verse statement.
Although a humble person, Paul uses personal pronouns (I and me) seven times in this single verse. He emphasises the personal nature of justification and faith and our union with Christ. Although he makes this a personal statement it applies not only to Paul but to all Christians.
In the header scripture Paul explains what he wrote in the preceding verse: ‘For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God.’ (v.19). Paul states that he had been crucified with Christ. Legally, God considers Paul (and us) to have died with Christ – and therefore beyond the reach of the law’s threats and condemnation. The law’s ultimate penalty was already paid on his behalf by Christ, who, as he explains, ‘…loved me and gave himself for me.’ In this epistle Paul elaborates this point further by stating that, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.’ ” (Galatians 3:13). Jesus, who was sinless, became a curse for us. He paid the law’s ultimate penalty for our sins; Christ’s death is counted as our death and now we are dead to the law.
Our union with Christ makes us the participants and beneficiaries of both his death and resurrection. Paul explains that we are dead to the law because Christ died in our place, so we are alive to God because we also participate spiritually in his resurrection: ‘The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God…’ (Galatians 2:20).
His work on our behalf has already accomplished everything necessary for our salvation: there is no work or ceremony necessary for us to add to it. As Jesus succinctly stated, ‘Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.’ (John 5:24).
Although faith is personal there is also a corporate aspect to Christianity. Paul’s favourite way of referring to Christians is to be ‘in Christ’. He uses this expression in every one of his epistles and it is used in the New Testament some 40 to 50 times, depending on the translation used. Individually we are in Christ, but being in Christ means being a fully functioning member of his body, the church.
Prayer
Father, we thank you that Jesus has done, in our place and on our behalf, everything needed for our salvation. In his name, Amen.
Study by Eddie Marsh
About the writer:
Eddie Marsh attends the Sheffield congregation of Grace Communion International.
Local congregation:
Please email the local congregational contact (see below) for information about the Sheffield congregation’s meeting venue and time.
Local congregational contact:
Email: sheffield@gracecom.church
Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church