Paul explains to the Galatians that God doesn’t rule us as righteous based on our obedience, but through putting our faith in what Jesus has done for us (Gal 2:15-16). It’s only because of His obedience to the law and trusting in what He has done on our behalf that we are justified (2Cor 5:21).
A trade. An exchange. Let’s face it, God’s getting the raw end of the deal on this one. But He gets all of the glory in the end.
But what if Paul’s made a huge mistake? What if he’s got it all wrong? What if what he’s taught the Galatians about Jesus is a horrible miscalculation?
Well, that’s we examines next. “But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin?” (v17). What would it mean if Paul’s desire to be put his trust in what Jesus did on our behalf only resulted in our being sinners? That’s the question on the table.
Remember, this goes back to Jews and non-Jews hanging out together. God had knocked down all of the ethnic and racial walls wherever the message of Jesus was preached. The risen Christ revealed a marvelous and mysterious new revelation of His Gospel to Paul.
Gentiles could come to faith in Him AS GENTILES! There are no more boundaries. No more requirements. No more rituals. No more laws. No insiders. No outsiders. Just one church. One kingdom. One family.
However, something happened in Antioch that threatened this mind-bending new reality. The Apostle Peter was actually eating meals with Gentiles, something any Jew is his right mind would never. It’s the new kosher!
But when some Christian Jews hit town from Jerusalem, Pete freaked out. He suddenly ignored his non-Jewish friends and only ate kosher meals with the Jewish posse. This caused Paul to put his finger in Pete’s chest and call him on his hypocrisy (Gal 2:11-14).
This is the context when Paul asks the Galatians the question in verse 17. You see, he’s been eating with Gentiles. Hanging out in their homes. Jesus knocked down those walls and the apostle was taking full advantage.
But wait a second. If these false teachers and their perverted gospel are right, then “we too were found to be sinners.” If that’s the case, they’ve made a horrible, horrible mistake.
There’s just one problem. Jesus personally let Paul in on His Gospel to the non-Jews (Gal 1:11-12). If Paul’s wrong then Jesus is wrong. Or as the apostle writes, “Is Christ then a servant of sin?” Since Jesus did everything to tear down these barriers between Jew and Gentile then He MUST be a servant of sin, right?
First of all, we need to remember that Christ began chipping away at Jewish dietary restrictions during His time on earth. Our Savior said that it’s not what we eat that makes us unclean but the filth that’s in our hearts. Mark adds the note, “Thus He declared all foods clean” (Mk 7:18-19). No more kosher food rules. Later God gave Peter a vision on a rooftop in Joppa that let him know that there were no longer any difference between ethnic groups (Acts 10:9-16, 28).
So if Jesus took a bulldozer to racial walls and this was wrong there’s only one conclusion. He’s “a servant of sin.” Paul uses the Greek noun διακονος/diakonos. It means a servant, helper or minister. It’s actually the word from which we get our term deacon.
The apostle says that if the false teachers are on target then Jesus is a deacon of sin. I have to admit that I’ve been around some deacons that were less than godly. But I can’t say I would call any of them a deacon of sin. Okay, maybe a couple of them.
Paul says that’s the only conclusion you can reach regarding if Jesus and Paul are wrong. If Paul is wrong then Jesus is wrong.
So what’s the answer? The Apostle Paul leaves no room for confusion. “Certainly not!” (v17).
End of discussion.
©2012
Jay Jennings
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