Proclaimer Blog
Themes to get straight on in Galatians, part 2: the cross
After my previous post on the significance of the Spirit in Galatians, here’s a second in a similar vein, this time on the cross. Here are the all the references: 1.4; 2.20, 21; 3.2, 13; 5.11, 24; 6.12, 14.
Let’s just see for now some of the key things the cross is said to achieve:
· a right standing with God: ‘if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!’ (2.21).
· the blessing of the Spirit coming to all nations (3.13-14; and note the link between Christ crucified and the Spirit given, also in 3.1-5).
· our being crucified with Christ, so that we may live a new life of ‘Christ in us’, by faith (2.20).
· the end of the reign of sin’s passions and desires over us, since we are united to Christ in this way (5.24).
· the living out and preaching of a gospel that does not demand law-observance but instead is concerned only with new life in union with Christ, received by faith, and lived out in step with the Spirit (5.11; 6.12, 14).
There’s obviously much more that could be said. But even these sketchy thoughts should help my preaching of the cross from Galatians try to attain some of the glorious richness of the content of the letter itself.