Last week, we began a six-week sermon series entitled, “In need of a GPS.” Over the course of this sermon series, we will cover the entire letter to the Galatians moving at a rate of one chapter per week. In our first week, we learned that this letter was written in 54AD to the churches Paul had planted in Galatia. Paul was concerned about these new church plants because it seemed the folks had lost their way. In the first chapter, he focused on the fact that there is only one faith and one way to heaven. Paul knew how they had moved off track and this letter comes as a call to get back on track. He wanted them to ignore some of the rhetoric coming from these other so called Christian leaders because it would eventually throw the largest bucket of water on the fire he and the Holy Spirit lit. Paul, of course, was livid and he comes out swinging in the first chapter trying to reconnect the original message of hope in one God and one faith through Jesus that he presented when he was with them.
In Chapter two, Paul continues where he left off in chapter one. He is detailing his journey to this point and telling of his call, his revelation from God, his relationship with Jesus, his relationship with the home office in Jerusalem and on whose authority he speaks. It’s interesting to note that he does all of this not to justify his position but to remind those in Galatia of the transformation which has taken place in his heart. It is a perfect reminder of what happens when we truly meet Jesus. He then moves directly into the problem by calling to mind the theology of justification and its arch enemy of this time, the most recognizable symbol of Jewish ritual - circumcision. The ritual itself dated back to Abraham and the birth of the nation. It was important at that time in history because it separated God’s people from their pagan neighbors. These Christian Jews felt this symbol was so important you couldn’t worship our God without it. It was the visual sign of a commitment to God for them which reflected one’s heart. So here was Paul, smack dab in the middle of one of the first Christian worship wars, stuck between what was really important and what was tradition. The Judaizers, Jewish Christians with an agenda, had come after his initial visits because they earnestly believed that to be a Christian one must first be a Jew who honored all that was Jewish: its traditions, laws and even the rituals. This must have been very disturbing to Paul. They did this either because they didn’t fully understand the message of Jesus or they didn’t want to accept the gift. The gift of God’s love and mercy was just too unbelievable. They saw Christianity as Paul preached it as an easy way to get out from under the requirements of Jewish law so they tried to rein it in by claiming Jesus was only the topping to the spiritual sundae.
Paul disputed this by offering two examples of recent Christian history as reference points. In the first example he explains he’d already discussed this issue with head guys from corporate in Jerusalem – Peter, James and John – and they had already agreed with him. In that meeting, it was affirmed that the gospel was meant for everybody: no exceptions, no rituals needed. In the second incident, Paul retells of his rebukes Peter (The Peter described as the rock from whom the church would be built) for actions that subtly signaled a change in the gospel. By separating himself and sitting with Jews only, Peter was endorsing an old thought of Jews being better than gentiles. In effect, He was insinuating that Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians were different. It was a slight change but it could have had huge ramifications because it would have reignited a cycle of elitism and prideful righteousness which could have justified a separation of some people from the love of God.
So what are we to take from this chapter of Galatians? I believe there are at least four lessons for us as followers of Christ.
1) A person’s walk before they met Jesus is only important as a milestone of how great our God is in the transformation of a person’s heart. – Look at Paul
2) A person’s walk after they meet Jesus and form a relationship does not mean they will be sinless or blameless – only human, saved and progressing in the right direction. We all still fail. – Look at Peter (ACTS 10)
3) We are responsible to be prepared to correct our Christian brothers and sisters in love privately for actions unbecoming a Christian and publically when they begin to affect the faith of others. We must confront the legalist in the church with love and understanding but not with tolerance for the sake of peace. Because tolerance is really resentment dressed up in 3 piece suit. For any action that is added and/or required for salvation, makes us a slave to this world and must not be tolerated. God has already freed us through Jesus’ sacrifice.
4) As a Christian, we must recognize that only the belief in Jesus Christ and an acceptance of Him as our Lord and Savior is required to for entry in the Christian faith. You and I are saved not by ritual or ceremony. Not even by great worship. But by the unrelenting trust (we call faith) that Jesus came, died and rose so you could one day have an eternal life beyond your wildest dreams.
