The Gospel of Jesus Christ
2 Corinthians and Galatians
Timothy Andrew from the Lord’s Library catalogues, using the King James Version of the Bible and his own commentary, verses and passages from across the New Testament that detail how one is justified and saved via the blood of Christ Jesus.
2 Corinthians 5:17
To obtain a 2 Corinthians 5:17 meaning, see the verse in Scripture: "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." Here, one can see the truly transformative power of salvation by grace through faith in the Finished Work of Jesus Christ. Scripture says that faith in Jesus Christ fundamentally changes a man's soul.
To be "in Christ" means to be spiritually united with Him through faith in His Blood Atonement. This cannot be achieved by works of righteousness, deeds of the Law, or 'holy' efforts but by grace through faith, as Ephesians 2:8-9 illustrates: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."
When a person believes in Jesus Christ, they are placed into His body. See 1 Corinthians 12:13: "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." This union with Christ is permanent and results in a completely new identity in His name.
The phrase "he is a new creature" signifies a genuine change. Salvation is not about 'turning over a new leaf' like the secular world likes to portend, but being completely made new by the power of God. Read now John 3:3: "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
God performs the new birth, regenerating a sinner in God's sight, giving them a new heart, and indwelling them with the Holy Spirit. See Titus 3:5: "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;"
"Old things are passed away" refers to the believer’s former life of sin. Because Christ paid the full penalty on the cross, we are freed from condemnation and bondage to sin, even though we fall. Romans 8:1 declares it: "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
The believer is no longer under the wrath of God but has been reconciled through Christ’s Finished Work. See 2 Corinthians 5:18: "And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;"
"Behold, all things are become new" speaks of the believer’s new nature and direction in life. Though they still live in a fallen world and battle the flesh, they have been given a new spiritual life and are empowered by the Holy Spirit to walk in righteousness See Romans 6:4: "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."
The believer’s priorities shift from self-centered living to Christ-centered living, as one can read in Galatians 2:20: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."
Galatians 2:16
To obtain a Galatians 2:16 meaning, see the verse in Scripture: "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." This verse is a direct refutation of the popular notion that salvation can be attained through works of righteousness. The Bible tells us that justification comes only through faith in the Finished Work of Jesus Christ.
Justification refers to the act of being declared righteous before a Holy and Just God. Many in Paul’s day (when Galatians was written), particularly among the Jews, believed that obedience to the Mosaic Law could help them earn salvation. However, Paul clarifies that "by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."
This echoes what the Scriptures say in Romans 3:20: "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." The law was never meant to save but to reveal man’s sinfulness and need for a Savior, who God sent in the form of His Son Jesus Christ. See Romans 7:7: "What shall we say then? is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet."
Faith in Jesus Christ is the only means of justification. This message is consistent throughout the Scriptures, like in Romans 5:1: "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:" Paul contrasts faith with the law because salvation is a gift of grace and requires imputation.
Ephesians 2:8-9 illustrates: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Therefore, no amount of law-keeping, religious ritual, or moral effort can contribute to salvation.
Paul states that he and his fellow Jewish believers had to trust in Christ alone for justification. This highlights that no one—Jew or Gentile—has a special claim to righteousness apart from faith in Jesus. See Acts 13:39: "And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses."
Christ gives the believer righteousness; it is not their own. See 2 Corinthians 5:21: "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
Any attempt to mix works with faith undermines the Gospel of grace, as Paul warns in Galatians 5:4: "Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace." The believer is fully justified by faith in the Blood Atonement of Jesus Christ on the cross, ensuring salvation that is complete.
Timothy Andrew is the founder of Lord’s Library. He believes the Bible commands us to minister “as of the ability which God giveth” (1 Peter 4:11). Tim aspires to be as The Lord’s mouth by “taking forth the precious from the vile” (Jeremiah 15:19) and witnessing The Gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15: 1-4) to the whole world.