Affirmations on the Cross in Galatians

Anyone who closely studies the epistle to the Galatians will discover, in a resounding way, that there truly is a new Gospel. There are innumerable times in the epistle were a new and unheard of act or event is taking place. The law of the Old Testament is severely dealt with, literally dissolved, and the cross of Christ dealt with more then any other place in the Scriptures. There are at least seven Scriptures were Paul deals with the cross as a definite aspect of the final Gospel.

1) The cross and salvation, Galatians 1:3–5. The key in these verses is the line " Who gave Himself for our sins." There are two important "givens" at the cross.

One, the Father gave His only Son to be His sacrifice so that He might have the legal right to destroy sin and the works of the devil.

Two, Christ gave himself to be the sinners sin and judgment. The death of Christ was both voluntary and predetermined to rescue humanity from its sin. Christ gave himself according to the will of the father. It was a planned death, planned before the foundation of the world was laid, and was plainly reference to in first Peter 1:19–23. Throughout eternity Jesus death will be forever glorified because of His accomplishment of His mission at the cross.

2) The cross and Christian experience, Galatians 2:20. This is the crowning verse of every believer who has ever had a revelation of Christ as his life. I do not know any other verse of Scripture that offers and gives the total understanding of the Christian life as does this verse. The key in this verse is the five words, I am crucified with Christ. No Christian experience is complete unless it's basic truth is in the believers crucifixion with Christ. And gives the total understanding of the Christian life as does this verse. The key in this verse is the five words, "I am crucified with Christ." No Christian experience is complete unless it's basic truth is in the believers crucifixion with Christ.

There are verses that say Christ was crucified for us, and that is good but this verse says that at the cross I am crucified with Him. Of course, this truth is impossible to believe unless I understand that every human is in Him at the cross. When He dies, every human dies with Him. We become dead to our sin and to our old life--our old man, Romans 6:6. The cross is so perfect a work of Christ that in His death, being the death of the sinner, The new life is a whole new creation that has never been before.

Paul, though not present at the cross when Jesus died, received clear-cut information about the cross and Christ's death. He learned that there had to be an end to the old way of salvation through man's self effort and a new gospel based solely on Christ finished work at the cross. It is a Mystery why other New Testament writers did not display the cross as the centerpiece of God's plan as Paul did.

It could be that others did not have the understanding that Paul had an understanding that came from his personal relationship with Christ. The many revelations that Paul received must have keynoted the cross in such a way that Paul understood that the final gospel was based on the cross.
 
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