Galatians--The Cross of Christ

Galatians--The Cross of Christ The error which had crept into the Galatian Church was vital, affecting the foundations of faith. Judaisers had come, introducing legalism and ritual, adding the works of the Law to the pure Gospel of justification through the free grace of God, through faith in Christ. On account of this, Paul first asserts his apostleship, as derived direct from Christ, and then sets forth the power of the Cross of Christ, in its various aspects, as the only ground of our salvation.

(1) The power of Christ’s Cross to deliver from sin (Galatians 1:4; Galatians 2:21; Galatians 3:22).

(2) The power of Christ’s Cross to deliver from the curse of the Law (Galatians 3:13).

(3) The power of Christ’s Cross to deliver from the self-life (Galatians 2:20; Galatians 5:24).

(4) The power of Christ’s Cross to deliver from the world (Galatians 6:14).

(5) The power of Christ’s Cross in the new birth (Galatians 4:4-7).

(6) The power of Christ’s Cross in receiving the Spirit (Galatians 3:14).

(7) The power of Christ’s Cross in bringing forth the Spirit’s fruit (Galatians 5:22-25).

Paul describes his own preaching as having so fully set forth the Cross that it was as if they had seen Christ crucified in their midst (Galatians 3:1). Therefore he was able to “minister to them the Spirit” (Galatians 3:5). He speaks of “the offence of the Cross” (Galatians 5:11; Galatians 6:12), and of bearing the brand marks of Christ in his own body (Galatians 6:17). He repeats once more his central motto: “the just shall live by faith” (Galatians 3:11).236