11. The Revelation: Independent of Selfish Interest - 2:19-21

The Revelation: Independent of Selfish Interest - 2:19-21 “For I, through law, have died to law, that I may live to God.” (2:19) But to return to the last part of the chapter, we have then “the life”and this shows that Paul was acting independently of selfish interests, he was motivated by Christ. There are many passages in the Scriptures, for example Romans 6:1-23; Romans 7:1-25 or 2 Corinthians 3:1-18 where we find that the law is really the administration of death and condemnation, it leads to death because no one can keep it; therefore Christ died in our stead, ‘But,’says Paul, ‘And now, being dead to the law, I live for God. The law has no jurisdiction over me any more, I am dead to it’whereas Peter allowed the law to have jurisdiction over him. The law has been fulfilled in Christ, He came to fulfill it and He did. But we are not brought back under the law of Moses, we are now to live to God, while the law has no jurisdiction over us anymore. If someone is a criminal and is going to be put on trial tomorrow but he dies tonight the authorities cannot do anything, death terminates this whole situation. So we have died through the law because the demands of the law were maintained, Christ taking the consequences in our stead when He died, the law was fulfilled in His death, that means the law has no jurisdiction over us any more. “That I may live to God”is now the outcome. This is the wonderful truth, and this goes together with the liberty and the loyalty that we have seen, the three go together, liberty, loyalty and life.

“I am crucified with Christ, and no longer live, I, but Christ lives in me; but in that I now live in flesh, I live by faith, the faith of the Son of God, who has loved me and given himself for me.” (2:20)

Paul spoke then about his personal experience. He was identified with Christ. So when Christ died on the cross, “I died”(is what Paul said) and this applies to us. “No longer live I.”What is this “I”? It is the old “I,”the old nature. To follow the thought, the old “I”does not live any more, I cannot respond to the claims of the law, because I am dead. If the law says to a dead person, “Do this,”the person cannot respond; he is dead. This is the point here, I cannot respond to the law. But he said then, “Christ lives in me.”This is the other “I,”it is a new “I”and it is Christ. This is the character of the new “I,”“Christ lives in me,”it is a wonderful privilege, Christ is my life, but not only that, He lives in me, He gives character to this new life. “But in that I now live......”is now this new “I”that is characterized by faith and by Christ. But I am still in the flesh. So how do I live this new life? The answer is: by faith, with Christ as the Object, He is my life. The life I have is characterized by Christ, and further, it is by faith not by works of the law. He is the focus of my life, and that is the responsible “I.”In other words, that is the overcomer, the one who gives in to Christ. Peter in this incident did not live by faith, but the one who lives like Paul did here lives by faith, the faith of the Son of God. I totally focus on Him, and He lives in me, He controls me through His Spirit. Finally, and so beautifully at the end of verse 20, ‘Who is this person? Who is this Son of God?’He is the One who loves me and has given Himself for me. Should I not then live for Him? Should I not do everything to please Him? He gave Himself for me. He is my Substitute.

“I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness is by law, then Christ has died for nothing.” (2:21) This is the conclusion. If we follow Peter’s example we put ourselves on a course that will slowly but surely set aside the grace of God, however, Paul maintained the grace of God just as he also upheld the demands of the law (Romans 3:31; cf. Matthew 5:17 and Galatians 3:13).