Jesus Did Not Die in Vain (Galatians 2:21)
Sermon Summary
Pastor David Yan
25 October 2020
Today is Reformation Sunday the day we commemorate the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther was the dominant figure connected to this remarkable recovery of the gospel in 16th century Europe.
On 31 October 1517 Luther nailed a document, the 95 Theses, to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, where Luther was teaching at the University. He was calling for debate about the Roman Catholic practice of selling indulgences which stated simply were certificates declaring people's sins forgiven in payment of money. It was a religion of works. But Luther by 1517 had come to a settled faith in Christ for the forgiveness of sins. Luther rejected the notion of salvation by good works and understood from the Bible that a person is saved by God’s grace.
The apostle Paul writing in Galatians 2:21 argued that if salvation came by works of righteousness then Christ has died in vain. But did Christ die in vain?
The Reformation is more than about Luther or even the apostle Paul. The Reformation is about Christ Jesus — his person and his work. Consider how Paul writes about Jesus in his epistle to the Galatians.
Jesus the Son of God was born of a woman (4:4). Jesus was crucified and was clearly portrayed to the Galatians as crucified (3:1). Jesus was raised from death (1:1). He sent the Holy Spirit (3:5). Paul was passionately consumed with the person of Jesus. When false ideas came into the believing community in Galatia Paul was constrained to respond. He even rebuked Peter for his compromising stance made out of fear (2:11-13).
As far as Paul was concerned there was no other way of salvation apart from through the grace of God as revealed in Christ Jesus. Paul argues that if righteousness comes through the law, that is, through works, then Christ died in vain (2:21). If people can be saved apart from the Lord Jesus Christ then why did Christ have to die? Would the Heavenly Father have permitted his Son to experience his anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane or to endure the pain of his crucifixion on the cross if there was another way of salvation? Most certainly not said Paul. Most certainly not said Luther.
Why do people continue to rely on their works and merits to be saved? It is because they have been bewitched (3:1). They have been deceived by the devil and so they reject the gospel of God’s free grace to sinners.
Luther came to his position on the basis of the sole authority of the Bible. For him he must ultimately listen to the Bible and not to the teaching of his church where that teaching is unbiblical. This issue remains with us today. Is the Bible the sole authority in matters of faith or do we listen to other voices as being authoritative?
Luther, by making his stand sparked off the Protestant Reformation. The impact of the Reformation remains with us today as seen by the existence of many Reformed Churches all over the world.
Will you learn from Luther and the apostle Paul and be obedient to the gospel and believe in Jesus as the only way of salvation? Will you be liberated from fear and superstition and enter into the glorious liberty of the children of God? Will you become a new person? In Christ old things have passed away. Everything becomes new. The gospel of salvation was recovered in the days of Luther. It is here today. Believe it!