Pastor’s Pen Pulpit Series: Truth for the Heart

February 27, 2005

A PHILOSOPHY TO LIVE BY

Galatians 2:19,20

Part One

“For through the law I died to the law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me, and delivered Himself up For me.”

It is true that every thinking person adopts some philosophy for living their life. It may be as complicated as embracing some radical cultic form of practice such as a “David Koresh mentality,” or it may be as uncomplicated as “live and let live” or “do the best you can” or “whatever works for you.”

The truth is that all philosophies of life emerge from a humanistic way of approaching life. Any such philosophy is doomed ultimately to failure. Why? Because they have no way of dealing satisfactorily with the insurmountable problems that are a part of the natural man. Guilt, punishment, injustice, misery, fear, inequality, death - the incredibly complex system of moral responsibility - are all a part of the Adamic package we see in Romans 5:12.

What is needed is a philosophy of life that is capable of solving the problems that the human race is faced with. The only philosophy that offers man hope on all fronts is THE PHILOSOPHY OF CHRISTIANITY OR THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST! The problem of justice and divine punishment has been solved in THE CROSS. The problem of finding a satisfactory life on this earth has been solved in the CROSS! The problem of finding the answer to death and life after death has been solved in the CROSS!

In verse 19 we learn that the cross resolves the claims of Divine justice.

Any philosophy must deal with the problem of retribution.

Galatians 2:19 says “For I through the law I have died to the law that I might live unto God.” Through the instrumentality of the law in exacting judgment upon a person, the claims of Divine justice have been fully met… an eye for an eye. RESULT: the law no longer has any claims upon the person whom it has judged. A good example of this truth is found in the fact that a man has murdered his wife. He is arrested and charged with murder in the first degree.

1. He goes to trial and found guilty of murder and sentenced to die. But before the sentence is carried out the man dies of a heart attack. THE LAW HAS BEEN CHEATED.

2. But lets suppose he goes through the trial, found guilty, sentenced to die and the sentence is carried out. THE LAW IS SATISFIED.

3. However the man who was executed was seen alive the next day on the streets of Los Angeles. The law can’t touch him. Why not?

As far as the law is concerned, he is a dead man – dead at the hands of justice. The law has no further claims upon him.

Beloved according to Galatians 2:19 the law exacted its penalty upon you in Christ. “For through the law I died to the law, that I might live to God.” It no longer has any claims upon you – not one! God’s Divine justice has been fully and legitimately met. As far as the law is concerned YOU ARE DEAD! The law makes no provision for justification – it only puts people to death. But you arose from the dead IN CHRIST! You are alive to God in Christ. The debt you and I owed to God is fully paid. The law can’t touch us. We are beyond the reach of the law! We are now free to live unto God. THE PHILOSOPHY OF GRACE!

In part two of A PHILOSOPHY TO LIVE BY, we will connect verse 19 with verse 20. Until then God bless.