Galatians 2:17

"If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not!

(v17, NIV)

Paul is directly opposing the Jewish mentality that you can be justified by works. Clearly, you cannot and it is only through faith in Jesus. However, in hearing this Gospel that Paul is preaching, the Jews would obviously find a lot of problems with that. By the way, there aren't any problems with it, but rather, they would quickly question the teaching.

These Jews might go to the extreme and think Paul is teaching that everyone should just go about sinning. It's a common response, if we are saved by grace, then why don't we go sin all we want.

know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.

(v16, NIV)

Do not bring your servant into judgment,

for no one living is righteous before you.

(Psalm 143:2, NIV)

The point that Paul makes about not being justified is apparently taken from Psalms 143:2 according to a commentary I read. Regardless, scripture reveals that observing the law does not justify a man.

It is only through faith in Jesus that we can be justified. While we are following Jesus, we will realize that we are still sinners. Following Jesus doesn't make you perfect. Following Jesus doesn't make your life perfect all of a sudden. Everybody is a sinner. If the followers of Jesus are sinners, does that make Jesus a teacher or promoter of sin? Paul clearly states that this is not the case. Absolutely not! Those who follow Jesus and those who do not follow Jesus are sinners. Finding sinners among those who follow Jesus proves nothing. I could understand that if nobody was a sinner and then all of a sudden, all of those who were followers of Jesus became sinners, there might be a correlation. However, this is not the case.