The eternal remission of our sins indeed is included in the new covenant; but the continuing forgiveness of our sins is contingent on our abiding in Christ and He in us.

We can never go our way apart from Christ and still be without the guilt of sin in the sight of God. Either we are under the Law of Moses or else we are walking in the Spirit of God. God permits no creature to live without law.

The new covenant is being presented today as the forgiveness of the sins of our fallen nature with the intention of bringing us in our unchanged state to Heaven. The necessity for abiding in Christ and bringing forth the new righteous creation is not being emphasized as the central purpose of the new covenant.

Paul raises the question:

But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. (Galatians 2:17)

Current teaching often makes Christ the minister of sin because it allows its adherents to continue in sin and deceives them with the unscriptural hope that they, nevertheless, will make their home in Paradise because they are "saved by grace and not by works." This is a delusion. It is not the Gospel of Christ. It is "another gospel."

How does Paul answer the question, "Is therefore Christ the minister of sin"?

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 2:20)

Paul tells the Galatians he would be a transgressor if he went back to his old way of living. He became dead to the Law so he could live unto God, not so he could continue in sin (Galatians 2:18,19).

Paul is through with sin and self-seeking. His fallen nature has been crucified with Christ. His old nature no longer is living, it is the righteous Christ who is living in him and keeping the Law of God.

In the Book of Galatians the Apostle Paul is contrasting the two covenants. The rite of circumcision represents the old covenant. The new covenant is represented by the new creation (Galatians 6:15).

Paul is taking issue with teachers who were stressing "the Jews' religion." Paul shows he is not advocating that the believers break the Law of Moses and sin, and he certainly does not maintain that God will not judge the sinning Christian (Galatians 5:19-25)!

Paul states that Christ is dwelling in him and justifying him. Paul's justification is based on the fact that Paul has died on the cross, being released legally from the Law of Moses, and that he now is filled with the eternal Life of Christ.

God is pleased with Paul because Paul has become part of His beloved Son. The law of God has been written in Paul's heart in the form of Christ Himself. Paul's righteousness now comes from Christ, not from the efforts of his adamic nature to keep the Law of Moses.

To be continued.