“The Heart of the Gospel” - Galatians 2:11-21 - Pastor David Harding

This section of Galatians, especially 2:15-21, gets at the very heart of the Christian gospel. Paul declares his message of justification by faith in Christ: No human being will be justified (declared righteous in God’s sight) by works of the law, but only through faith in Jesus Christ (15-16). Then, in verses 17-21, Paul explains why this is true. First, no one can be justified before God by works of the law because the law was never intended to be a means of salvation(17-18). And second, because only the sinless life and atoning death of Jesus on the cross satisfies all the demands of God’s law (19-21). Therefore, every person who turns from their law-keeping efforts to get right with God and simply trusts in the finished work of Jesus, will be declared righteous in God’s sight.