That’s why Romans 5 verse 20 says, “The law was added so that trespasses might”...not decrease. Law doesn’t cause our trespasses to decrease. No, the law was added so that our trespasses might... “ increase.” A rebellious heart sees law as an opportunity to sin. Look at what needs to happen in order for a person to live for God. Verse 19: “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God.” Don’t miss what Paul’s saying here. The only way to truly live for God is not by adding law, it’s by dying to the law so that we can live for God. Now this isn’t saying that we should tear the Old Testament law out of our Bibles, that we shouldn’t study the law today. Paul’s very clear in 2 Timothy 3 verse 16. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for …training in righteousness. That includes the law. The law teaches us about the righteous standards of God. It can train us in righteousness. But we mustn’t rely on law to be accepted by God. The law doesn’t have the power to change our lives. We need to die to the law. And verse 20 shows us the type of death Paul is talking about. Look at the first phrase: “We have been crucified with Christ.” Now this is language we find often in the Bible and theologians refer to it as participation or union with Christ. It means that when you put your faith in Jesus you become so united with Him that whatever He does gets applied to you. Whatever happened to Him, happened to you.
That’s why Romans 5 verse 20 says, “The law was added so that trespasses might”...not decrease. Law doesn’t cause our trespasses to decrease. No, the law was added so that our trespasses might... “ increase.” A rebellious heart sees law as an opportunity to sin. Look at what needs to happen in order for a person to live for God. Verse 19: “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God.” Don’t miss what Paul’s saying here. The only way to truly live for God is not by adding law, it’s by dying to the law so that we can live for God. Now this isn’t saying that we should tear the Old Testament law out of our Bibles, that we shouldn’t study the law today. Paul’s very clear in 2 Timothy 3 verse 16. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for …training in righteousness. That includes the law. The law teaches us about the righteous standards of God. It can train us in righteousness. But we mustn’t rely on law to be accepted by God. The law doesn’t have the power to change our lives. We need to die to the law. And verse 20 shows us the type of death Paul is talking about. Look at the first phrase: “We have been crucified with Christ.” Now this is language we find often in the Bible and theologians refer to it as participation or union with Christ. It means that when you put your faith in Jesus you become so united with Him that whatever He does gets applied to you. Whatever happened to Him, happened to you.
Galatians%202v11-21%20edited.docx