Does Galatians 2:19 Annul the Decalogue?

"For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God." Galatians 2:19 (NASB)

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Transgression of the law requires death. That requirement was fulfilled by Christ. All who choose may die that death with Christ ("through the law"). Those who choose to accept the sacrifice of the Messiah are dead to the law in that they, through the plan of redemption, have received the punishment which the law requires as they have experienced the death spoken of following the creation event.

       "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of
       the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that
       you eat from it you will surely die." Genesis 2:16,17 (NASB)


Furthermore, once we have accepted Christ's sacrifice and died with Him, we are resurrected with Him and empowered to live the same life he lived ("so that I might live to God"). Our resurrection with Christ completes our own death to the law. We are no longer required to receive the sentence for transgressing the law because, with Christ, we have already received that sentence. Christ, having conquered death, offers us the gift of realizing the fruits of that conquest.

Therefore beloved, take heart in the reality that the Decalogue is not dead which, if were true would mean that we are more moral than God. If the Law of God was annulled at the cross this means we, in relation to Yahweh's Government, are free to go around murdering, and to break all nine of the other commandments. But this is certainly not the case. If the law could be done away with, there was no need for the sacrifice of the Son of God.

Inspiration provided by EJ Waggoner and the Apostle Paul.