Galatians (03) - Righteousness and Identity (Gal. 2:15-21)

Galatians 2:15ff - 15 We [Christian Jews, e.g., Paul, Peter, James, John] by nature [are] Jews and not sinners from [the] Gentiles. And we [Christian Jews] know that a man is not justified by the works produced by the Jewish Law [hereafter, Torah’s works], but through the faithfulness of Jesus the Messianic [King], and we believed in Messiah Jesus, in order to be justified by [the] faithfulness of Messiah and not by Torah’s works because by Torah’s works “no flesh shall be justified” (Ps. 143:2). 17 But [what] if while seeking to be justified in Messiah, we [Christian Jews] were [judged by some] to be sinners, is Messiah then the [one] serving up sin [at our table]? Don’t be absurd! 18 For if I rebuild the things [like the wall between Jews and Gentiles] I once destroyed, I demonstrate myself to be a transgressor [since I eat with unclean Gentiles]. 19 For I through Torah died to Torah, in order that I might live to God. With Messiah I have been crucified: 20 yet I no longer live, but Messiah lives in me: the [life] I now live in flesh, I live by the faithfulness of the Son of God who loved me and delivered Himself up for me. 21 I do not reject the grace of God: for if through Torah [is] justification, then Messiah died for nothing. (GS trans.)