Live Free | Crucified With Christ | Gareth Nicholson
- Free Church
- 3 days ago
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Live Free |Crucified With Christ | Gareth Nicholson | 02 August 2026
Have you ever felt like you needed to do more to earn God's approval?
Maybe you've wondered if you need to pray more, serve more, read your Bible more, or somehow become a better version of yourself before God could truly accept you.
The truth is, many of us carry around an invisible checklist. We believe that if we can just tick enough boxes, then maybe God will finally say, "You're good enough."
But the message of Galatians completely dismantles that way of thinking.
The gospel isn't Jesus plus good behaviour.
It isn't Jesus plus religious activity.
It's Jesus plus nothing.
When Preferences Become Requirements
We all have preferences when it comes to church and faith.
Some people prefer dressing up. Others feel more comfortable in jeans and a T-shirt. Some love traditional worship, others enjoy modern songs. Some raise their hands while worshipping, while others don't.
Preferences aren't the problem.
The problem begins when our preferences become requirements for being right with God.
This was exactly what Paul was confronting in Galatians. False teachers had convinced believers that faith in Jesus wasn't enough - they also needed to keep the Jewish law and traditions.
Paul couldn't stay silent because the gospel itself was at stake.
If we add anything to Jesus as the basis of our acceptance before God, we've misunderstood the gospel.
The Enemy Loves Division
Paul's passion wasn't only about theological correctness - it was about protecting the unity of the church.
When Peter stopped eating with Gentile believers because he was afraid of what the religious leaders would think, Paul confronted him publicly.
Why?
Because the gospel tears down barriers.
Jesus doesn't create an "us" and "them." He creates one family.
The enemy has always tried to divide God's people, often from within rather than from outside.
That's why unity matters so deeply.
One of the simplest ways to build unity is by sharing life together. Around tables. Over meals. Through honest conversations. Community has a way of breaking down walls that arguments never can.
You Can't Earn What Jesus Already Purchased
One of the biggest words in Galatians is justification.
To be justified means to be declared righteous - to be in right standing with God.
Notice what it doesn't mean.
It's not a feeling.
It's not something you achieve.
It's not a reward for being good enough.
It's a declaration made by God because of what Jesus has done.
Imagine standing before a judge guilty of every charge, only for someone else to step forward and pay your debt in full. The judge declares you "Not guilty," not because of what you've done, but because someone else has taken your place.
That's the gospel.
Jesus paid the price we never could.
Our acceptance isn't earned through striving. It's received through faith.
Grace Doesn't Lead to Carelessness
A common question naturally follows:
"If salvation is by grace alone, can I just live however I want?"
Paul answers with a clear "Absolutely not."
Grace doesn't simply forgive us - it transforms us.
Jesus is both our Justifier and our Sanctifier.
He not only makes us right with God, but He also begins changing us from the inside out.
Obedience isn't about earning God's love.
It's about responding to God's love.
God's grace removes condemnation, but it doesn't remove consequences. His boundaries aren't there to restrict us - they're there to protect us.
Within His boundaries is blessing.
Outside them is baggage.
God isn't trying to rob us of joy.
He's inviting us into life as it was always meant to be.
A New Identity
At the heart of this passage is one of the most powerful declarations in Scripture:
"I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." (Galatians 2:20)
This isn't positive thinking.
It's spiritual reality.
When we place our faith in Jesus, our old identity no longer defines us.
Our past no longer has the final word.
Our failures don't determine our future.
The old self has died, and Christ now lives within us.
That doesn't mean temptation disappears overnight.
It means temptation no longer has authority over us.
Through Jesus, we have the power to say no to sin and yes to the life God has called us to live.
Living From Acceptance, Not For Acceptance
Many of us spend our lives trying to earn approval - from people, from ourselves, and even from God.
But the gospel flips everything upside down.
We don't obey so that God will love us.
We obey because He already does.
We don't serve to become accepted.
We serve because we've already been welcomed into His family.
The Christian life isn't about striving to earn God's approval.
It's about living from the secure foundation of His grace.
A Declaration Worth Remembering
When doubts creep in...
When shame tries to remind you of your past...
When you feel like you're not enough...
Remember the truth of Galatians 2:20.
Speak it over your life.
Remind yourself that your identity is no longer rooted in your performance but in Christ's finished work.
Because the gospel declares something incredible over every believer:
You are loved.
You are forgiven.
You are justified.
Not because of what you've done,
but because Jesus plus nothing really is everything.
Life Group Questions
Have you ever tried to earn someone's approval (a parent, coach, teacher, boss, or friend)? What did that experience teach you?
The message reminded us that "Jesus plus nothing equals everything."
Why do you think it's so easy to believe we need to add something to what Jesus has already done?
What are some modern-day "works" or habits people can rely on instead of simply trusting in Jesus?
Is there an area where you're still finding your identity in performance, success, failure, or other people's opinions instead of Christ?
How would your daily life look different if you genuinely believed God already accepts you because of Jesus?