Orthopedic Christianity
Galatians 2:11-14
Introduction:
Isn’t it amazing how orthopedic medicine corrected Forest Gump’s problem and enabled him to run like he did. Orthopedic medicine gave us, “Run, Forest, Run.”
Orthopedics is a branch of medicine, according to Webster’s Dictionary, that is concerned with the correction or prevention of skeletal deformities and disorders.
Many have used orthopedic surgeons to replace knees or to work on shoulders, some have used orthopedic doctors to aid with feet problems.
You might find it odd that I am talking about Orthopedics, but it really is a good introduction to our study in Galatians chapter two. Our passage today will teach us about Orthopedic Christianity.
Sounds odd, doesn’t it? Well, let me define it for you and then let me show it to you from the text. Orthopedic Christianity is concerned for the correction or prevention of Christians straying from the Lord. That is my own definition, but it seems to be a good one. I came up with this term by studying verses eleven through fourteen of Galatians chapter two. What takes place in these verses is orthopedic Christianity: one Christian correcting another in his walk with the Lord.
One of the evidences of Divine inspiration of the Scriptures is found in the honesty concerning the lives of the men and women recorded in the Bible. If the Bible was of human origin, then we probably wouldn’t see all the imperfections of so many people. We humans have a tendency to gloss over our faults.
Our passage of Scripture is one of those passages where we see the failing of a man of God; not just any man of God, but the apostle Peter.
I will admit to you that passages like this one in Galatians encourage me. It is not that I revile in one man’s failure, but that I realize that even the godliest of people have moments of failure. I like to call those times down times.
My definition of down time in this context speaks of those times in our Christian walk where we find ourselves living inconsistent of our high calling as Christians. Down times are those times when we fail to apply our Christianity to our behavior.
Every Child of God has those down times. We see it in Scriptures. We see it in history. We see it in lives around us; we see it in ourselves. The truth of our Christian walks is that there are times we are up and there are times when we are down. You know, “When your hot your hot, and when your not, your not.” That is a good description of the Christian life.
The passage that we are looking at in our study of Galatians reveals how we should deal with those down times. It teaches us about orthopedic Christianity.
In verses eleven through fourteen we see orthopedic Christianity taking place. We see Paul correcting Peter in his Christian walk. Peter experiences some down time and lives inconsistent Christian behavior. Let’s read the confrontation beginning with verse eleven, “But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. [12] For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. [13] The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. [14] But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, "If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?”
In these verses there are three principles that teach us about orthopedic Christianity. They teach us how to deal with those down times. We see first that down times must be confronted.
I. Down Times must be Confronted
This first principle is set forth in verse eleven, “But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned." One cannot read verse eleven without seeing the reality of a confrontation.
a. The Reality of Confrontation
Paul gives us a situation that takes place between Cephas, whom we know as the apostle Peter, and himself. The situation that he speaks of took place in Antioch. There is great debate on the chronology of this event. I believe that it happens sometime after the Jerusalem council that is recorded in the first part of Acts chapter fifteen, and the second missionary journey of Paul recorded in the last verses of the same chapter.
Paul says that when Peter came to Antioch, he had to oppose him to his face. That is, Paul had to confront him. The reason Paul says, “because he stood condemned.” The meaning, literally is that Peter stood, “self-condemned.” Peter was guilty of something, and the guilt had already been proven; now it was a matter of passing the sentence. What was the reason for this confrontation?
b. The Reason for Confrontation
Paul gives the basis beginning in verse twelve, “] For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision.”
Let me begin showing you the basis by explaining what Paul means when he says that Peter, “used to eat with the Gentiles.” We must remember that Peter was a Jew, and therefore, he lived in a culture with dietary restrictions. These dietary restrictions would hinder the early church in taking the gospel to the Gentiles. It would take a vision from God to help Peter with restricted food.
In Acts chapter ten, verses nine through sixteen, Peter has a vision, and in that vision God tells him that all foods are clean. This is significant because God was sending some Gentiles to Peter to take him to the home of a God-fearing centurion in Caesarea named Cornelius. It was in the home of Cornelius where Peter witnessed Gentiles coming to faith in Christ and receiving the Holy Spirit.
In that vision, God told Peter that it was okay to eat food that was formerly deemed unclean. In other words, Peter, a Jew, didn’t have to follow the dietary restrictions. Peter hears this first hand from the Lord and obeyed. He ate with the Gentiles, and he did so out of the conviction that God had told him that it was okay.
Unfortunately, in Antioch, Peter started vacillating in his convictions about food. Peter didn’t start wavering, Paul says, until “the coming of certain men from James.” Who are these men from James? Let me just say that there are different understandings of who they are. I tend to believe that they are the men that are identified Acts 15:24 who were claiming that they were sent from James, but actually were not. These men are called “false brethren” in verse four of chapter two. This identity seems to fit the context better in my opinion.
Paul says that when these men came to Antioch, Peter, “began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision.” Peter wavered in his convictions because he feared these men. Due to fear, Peter started living inconsistent of his convictions.
Peter’s inconsistent behavior required that Paul confront him, and the reason for that requirement is stated in verse fourteen, “But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel” The reason I have called this sermon orthopedic Christianity is found in this statement.
c. The Requirement of Confrontation
Paul said, “I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel.” The Greek word that is translated “straightforward” is “ orthopodeo.” This is where we get our English word, “orthopedic.” It means to be “straight-footed.” Peter was not walking “straight-footed.” He was walking out of line with the truth of the gospel.
What was at stake with Peter’s inconsistent behavior was the truth of the gospel . It wasn’t that Peter was preaching a different gospel. It was that he wasn’t correctly applying the gospel to his behavior. Instead eating and enjoying fellowship with Gentiles, Peter decided to withdraw from them. There are several things that Peter was communicating with his behavior that was out of line with the truth of the gospel.
Peter, by going against his convictions, was sending a message to the Gentiles that God shows partiality. Peter knew from his past experiences with the Lord and with the Gentiles that God does not show partiality.
A different matter Peter conveyed on account of his behavior was disunity. The gospel had broken down the dividing wall between Jew and Greek, but Peter was putting it back up. At stake was the truth of the gospel, and therefore, Paul had to confront Peter’s down time.
Each Christian is writing a gospel, a chapter each day, we write with our deeds and the words that we say. People read what we write by the life that we live, whether faithless or true. Take a survey of your life and ask, “What is the gospel according to me .” Down Time must be confronted because the truth of the gospel is at stake. The second principle is down time can be corruptive.
II. Down Time can be Corruptive
Peter’s down time didn’t just affect the undisputed truth of the gospel. In verse thirteen we see that his down time affected the walk of other godly believers, The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.” What was the problem with Peter? He was a hypocrite. He was “play-acting.” He had convictions, but he lived contrary to those convictions. He preached a message, but wasn’t living in accordance with that message.
Peter was such an influential person that he caused others to follow his hypocrisy. Paul points out that even Barnabas became a hypocrite. If you assume that you are above temptation, this verse should deter you from that thinking.
Barnabas, we are told in Acts, was known as a man full of the Holy Spirit and faith, yet, he was led astray and became a hypocrite. He started living an inconsistent life. Peter’s behavior was corruptive.
I believe it is important that we understand that even the godliest of examples can fall under temptation. Recently, the national headlines uncovered a preacher who preached against homosexuality, but was living a homosexual lifestyle. He became a hypocrite. In addition, if we are not careful, we can become hypocrites also.
I strongly think it is important that we realize our behavior can either be productive or corruptive. The third point that helps us with down time is that down time must be corrected.
III. Down Time must be Corrected
When we find someone, as Paul found Peter, or if we find ourselves living an inconsistent Christian behavior, we must take corrective measures. How do we do this? Sometimes the inconsistent behavior must be corrected privately.
a. Privately
Jesus taught private confrontation in eighteenth chapter of the gospel of Matthew. In verse fifteen Jesus says, “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.” What Jesus is trying to prevent is a gossiping spirit that goes and tells others about a brother’s sin, but fails to correct the brother or sister privately. The reason that we correct is to win a brother, or shall I say to practice orthopedic Christianity, which is to help a brother or sister walk with straight feet.
Jesus goes on to tell us what should be done if one does not listen with your first private visit. In verse sixteen he says, “But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax-collector.”
If the second visit fails to correct, then you take it to the church, and when the church as whole doesn’t work, the church disciplines corporately. The whole purpose is to redeem a falling brother or sister back to the Lord. It is also to let the church know that holiness is paramount.
Paul doesn’t talk about private correction in our text, but he does touch upon it in the sixth chapter of Galatians, verse one, “Brethren, even if anyone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness.” We must correct in love.
In some cases, private correction is not appropriate. In these cases the first step in correcting is done publicly.
b. Publicly
In our text we see a public correction taking place. Paul says in verse eleven, “But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face.” Paul corrected Peter, but he didn’t do it privately. In verse fourteen Paul says, “When I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all.” Paul corrected Peter Publicly. The reason he did so publicly and not privately is in the nature of his sin. Peter’s sin was a public sin, which led others to follow his example. It wasn’t enough that Peter needed to be corrected, but also the others who followed him down the road of hypocrisy. Third, we notice that down time must be corrected personally.
c. Personally
There are times, more often than not, that we find ourselves, not in the position of Paul, but in the position of Peter. We all will have times in our lives where we are not walking with straight feet, and those are the times when correction is personal.
In verse eleven Paul says, “When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.” The construction of the participle phrase, “stood condemned” suggest that when Peter was confronted by Paul, he corrected his inconsistent behavior. He corrected his behavior personally.
Paul’s confrontation of Peter reminds me of another confrontation that happened to a great man of God, King David. King David took the wrong path in life by committing adultery with Basheeba, and then having her husband murdered. After a year, the Lord sent the prophet Nathan to King David to confront him. When David realized his wrong, he made the correction personally.
How does one make the correction personally when confronted, whether we are confronted by the Holy Spirit within us, or confronted by another, how do we make the correction personally? We do as David did, we repent of our sin. We cry to God to have mercy upon us and to forgive us our sins. When we confess our sins and renounce them God promises to show us mercy. When we agree with God about our sinfulness and confess our sin before him, God promises to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Child of God is there something in your life that needs confronting? Is there something in your life that needs correcting? Cry out to Jesus and he will forgive you and restore unto you the joy of your salvation. Don’t stay in those down times, reach out to Jesus, and he will pick you up, regardless of how far you have gone down.
For some you need to personally accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Will you trust Jesus today?
Orthopedic Christianity
Galatians 2:11-14
Every body has down times in their Christian experience. Down times are when God’s people are not walking in obedience to God. Galatians 2:11-14 teaches us how to deal with down times. It teaches us about orthopedic Christianity….
1. Down times must be confronted
a. The reality
b. The reason
c. The requirement
2. Down times can be corruptive
3. Down times must be corrected
a. Privately
b. Publicly
c. Personally
