What role does faith play in understanding Christ's crucifixion as in Galatians 3:1? Setting the Scene “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.” Paul reminds believers that the crucifixion of Jesus was not a hidden or symbolic idea but a vivid reality already proclaimed to them. He is shocked that they now lean toward legalistic works instead of simple, wholehearted faith. Faith as the Lens for the Cross • Faith is the God-given capacity to “see” what happened at Calvary as historical, sufficient, and personal. • Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see.” Faith grants certainty about a past event we did not physically witness. • Romans 10:17: “So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” The preached word about the cross births faith; faith, in turn, keeps the message clear and vivid. Faith Versus Works • Galatians 3:2-3 shows Paul contrasting Spirit-received by faith with flesh-driven works. • Ephesians 2:8-9: “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.” • Any attempt to supplement Christ’s crucifixion with human effort clouds the view Paul says was once “clearly portrayed.” Seeing the Cross as Literal and Sufficient • 1 Corinthians 1:18: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” Faith transforms a bloody execution into God’s power for salvation. • Isaiah 53:5 confirms the literal, substitutionary nature of Christ’s wounds; faith embraces that prophecy as fulfilled in the historical crucifixion. Faith Produces Union with the Crucified Christ • Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God…” • Faith not only views the cross; it unites the believer to Jesus’ death and resurrection, providing daily power to walk in newness of life. Living Out Crucified Faith • Reject confidence in self-righteous performance; cling to Christ’s finished work. • Rely on the Spirit, received by faith, for ongoing sanctification (Galatians 3:5). • Proclaim the cross plainly so others may also “see” through faith what Jesus accomplished. Key Takeaways • Faith is the God-appointed means to understand and appropriate Christ’s crucifixion. • Works obscure; faith clarifies. • Embrace the literal, historical cross as sufficient for salvation, sanctification, and daily living. |
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