Weekly Sermons

When ‘Have to’ turned into ‘Want to’

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.                -2 Corinthians 5:21

Because of what Christ did for me in His death and resurrection, I don’t have to worry about measuring up ever again – what I “have to do” before God has now given way to what “I want to do” for God!

The reason we needed saving: we “have to” measure up but failed   V. 15-19

The word Law can refer to: the first 5 books of the O.T.; the entire O.T.; the Mosaic Law God gave at Mount Sinai, including the 10 commands; Roman Law; the Law of Christ to love one another; the law of sin that believers deal with.

In Galatians Paul is dealing with the mindset he used to have as a Pharisee, that justification before God could only come by obeying Israel’s civil law.

But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully, knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine.                   -1 Timothy 1:8-10

Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said “You shall not covet.”                      -Romans 7:7

Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.                                                  -Romans 7:12

Paul’s old approach to the law was like how many conscientious students approach taking a test at their school.

For whoever shall keep the whole law, but stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.                                 -James 2:10

Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them. But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for ‘the just shall live by faith.’                    -Galatians 3:10-11

Those who are crucified with Christ now live by “want to” instead of “Have to”                                                                                                                                        V. 20-21

Look at Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ 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.                      -Galatians 2:20

Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances…                       -Ephesians 2:15a

And you, being dead in your trespasses…He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken them out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.        -Colossians 2:13-14