Connect Galatians 2:18 with Romans 6:6 about dying to sin. Our Key Texts “For if I rebuild what I have already torn down, I prove myself to be a transgressor.” “We know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.” Rebuilding vs. Crucifying—What’s at Stake? • Galatians 2:18 speaks to the danger of returning to self-righteous works (the Law) after receiving grace. • Romans 6:6 explains that our “old self” has been crucified with Christ, making any return to sin or self-effort a denial of that crucifixion. • Together, the verses warn: trying to live by the old system (Law or flesh) is the same as resurrecting a condemned life that God has already put to death. How Galatians 2:18 and Romans 6:6 Interlock 1. Destruction of the Old: ‑ Galatians 2:18: “torn down” = abandonment of works-based righteousness. ‑ Romans 6:6: “crucified” = decisive execution of the sin-ruled self. 2. Consequence of Rebuilding: ‑ Galatians 2:18: rebuilding proves one to be “a transgressor.” ‑ Romans 6:6: if the old self is dead, serving sin again makes no sense; it enslaves. 3. Present Reality: ‑ Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ… the life I now live in the body, I live by faith.” ‑ Romans 6:11: “Consider yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” Supporting Passages • Colossians 2:20—“If you died with Christ to the basic principles of the world, why… submit to its regulations?” • Colossians 3:3—“For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” • 2 Corinthians 5:17—“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” • 1 Peter 2:24—Christ “bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.” Living Out the Truth—Rejecting the Rebuild • Stop measuring acceptance by performance; cling to grace alone. • Daily reckon the old self dead—speak Romans 6:11 over temptations. • Exchange self-effort for Spirit-empowered obedience (Romans 8:13). • Maintain fellowship and accountability to keep old patterns buried (Hebrews 3:13). • Fix eyes on Christ’s finished work; rebuilding starts when we forget the cross. Practical Snapshot • The cross demolished both our sin and our self-made righteousness. • Attempting to “re-erect” either system is spiritual trespass. • Our identity is now “crucified and risen,” freeing us to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4). |
    |