Freedom Galatians 2: 11-21
11 But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. 12 When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile Christians, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision. 13 As a result, other Jewish Christians followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.
14 When I saw that they were not following the truth of the gospel message, I said to Peter in front of all the others, “Since you, a Jew by birth, have discarded the Jewish laws and are living like a Gentile, why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions?
15 “You and I are Jews by birth, not ‘sinners’ like the Gentiles. 16 Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.”
17 But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! 18 Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. 19 For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. 20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.
Introduction: Two men who lived in a small village got into a terrible dispute that they could not resolve. So they decided to talk to the town sage. (A person of wisdom that is a mentor) The first man went to the sage’s home and told his version of what happened. When he finished, the sage said, "You’re absolutely right." The next night, the second man called on the sage and told his side of the story. The sage responded, "You’re absolutely right." Afterward, the sage’s wife scolded her husband. "Those men told you two different stories and you told them they were absolutely right. That’s impossible—they can’t both be absolutely right." The sage turned to his wife and said, "You’re absolutely right."
Sometimes it seems easier to stay away from conflict than to stand for the truth. (When a person doesn’t stand for truth they become hypocritical.)
Here’s a brief account of the darkest days in the history of the gospel. By withdrawing from the Gentile believers to fellowship with the Judaizers who held a position he knew was wrong, Peter had in appearance supported their doctrine and nullified Paul divine teaching, especially the doctrine of salvation by grace alone through faith.
Listen to 2 Corinthians 6: 14-18 NIV Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."17"Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." 18"I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."
The early church was surrounded by false teachers, and in return brought idolatry. (No agreement.)
Galatians 2:11NLT But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong.
This was the location of the first Gentile church. Paul confronted Peter to his face and told him he was guilty of sin by aligning himself with men he knew to be in error, this caused harm and confusion to the Gentile brethren.
Galatians 2:12NLT When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile Christians, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision.
Peter’s withdrawal was gradual and deceptive. By Peter eating with these Judaizers he was affirming their dietary law.
Why did Peter do this? He was afraid of losing popularity with the legalistic (a segment of people in the church) even though they were self-righteous hypocrites promoting a heretical doctrine.
Peter’s decision was a striking blow against the Gospel. (The gospel or people)
Galatians 2:13NKJ And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.
This word ‘hypocrisy’ refers to an actor who wore a mask to depict a mood or certain character.
These men were committed to the gospel of grace, but pretended to accept Jewish legalism.
Galatians 2:14NKJ But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews?
Straightforward means, to walk “straight or uprightly.” By withdrawing from the Gentiles Christians, Peter and the other Jewish believers were not walking in line with God’s Word.
Listen to I Timothy 5:20NKJ Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear.
Galatians 2:15NKJ We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
Gentiles had no guide (Law) to guide them toward salvation or living righteously.
Galatians 2:16NKJ knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
Three times in this one verse Paul declares that salvation is only through faith in Christ and not by the law. The first is general, “a man is not justified, the second is personal, we might be justified, the third is universal, no flesh shall be justified.
Understanding of the word ‘Justified’ describes a judge declaring an accused person not guilty and therefore innocent before the law.
As we live in Christ we are found not guilty and fully righteous through Jesus’ shed blood!
Galatians 2:17NKJ “But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not!
If the Judaizers’ doctrine was correct, then Paul, Peter, Barnabas, and other Jewish believers fell back into the category of sinners because they had been eating and fellowshipping with Gentiles, who according to the Judaizers were unclean.
Galatians 2:18NKJ For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
The false system of salvation through legalism is destroyed by the teaching and preaching of salvation by grace alone through faith alone.
Galatians 2:19NKJ For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God.
When a person is convicted of a capital crime and executed, the law has no further claim on him. So it is with a Christian who has died in Christ. Justice has been satisfied forever!
Galatians 2:20NKJ I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
When you trust in Christ and Christ alone, you spiritually participate with the Lord crucifixion and all His victory over sin and death.
Verse 20b it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me… As a believer, you have the privilege of the indwelling Christ empowering you.
Ephesians 2:4-6NKJ But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
Galatians 2:20c…He gave Himself for me.
Galatians 2:21NKJ I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”
Paul concluded that Peter, by taking his stand with the Judaizers and thus against Christ, was in effect denying the need for God’s grace and thereby nullifying the benefit of Christ’s death.
To those who insist on earning their salvation Jesus’ death was unnecessary.
