Introduction

Greetings, beloved family in Christ. It is a joy to be with you once again, in this sacred space where our hearts unite in worship, our souls find solace in His presence, and our spirits are nourished by His Word.

Today, we turn our gaze upon a passage that is a treasure trove of wisdom and guidance, a passage that is a beacon of light for our path, a passage that speaks of faith, foundation, and freedom. Yes, we are setting our hearts and minds on Galatians 2:11-21, where the Apostle Paul, with his characteristic passion and clarity, guides us into a deeper understanding of our faith and our relationship with the Lord.

But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. 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. As a result, other Jewish Christians followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.

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, have been living like a Gentile and not like a Jew, why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow Jewish traditions? You and I are Jews by birth, not ‘sinners’ like the Gentiles. 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.

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! Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. 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. 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. 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.

Fostering Faithfulness

In the passage we've just read, we find Paul confronting Peter about his behavior. Peter, who had been freely associating and eating with the Gentile Christians, suddenly withdrew and separated himself when some Jewish Christians arrived. This act of Peter was not just a personal decision. It had a ripple effect. Other Jewish Christians, including Barnabas, followed his lead. They, too, began to distance themselves from the Gentile believers.

This behavior of Peter and the others was contrary to the truth of the gospel they believed and preached. It was a deviation from the faithfulness to the gospel that they were supposed to exhibit. Paul saw this and he didn't let it slide. He confronted Peter, not in private, but before everyone. He pointed out the inconsistency between Peter's behavior and the gospel they preached.

Faithfulness to the gospel is really about living in a way that is consistent with what we believe. It's about our actions aligning with our profession of faith. This is what Peter and the others failed to do. And this is what Paul pointed out to them.

But this isn't just about Peter or Paul. It's about us, too. We, too, are called to be faithful to the gospel. We, too, are called to live in a way that is consistent with what we believe. We, too, are called to let our actions align with our profession of faith. We, too, are called to let our lifestyle reflect the truth of the gospel we've received.

Now, let's look at the reasons why Peter acted the way he did. The Scripture tells us that Peter was afraid of criticism from the Jewish Christians who insisted on the necessity of circumcision. Fear made Peter act in a way that was contrary to the gospel. Fear made him compromise. Fear made him unfaithful.

Fear is a powerful emotion. It can make us do things we wouldn't normally do. It can make us compromise our values. It can make us unfaithful to the gospel. But the Scripture tells us that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-discipline. We don't have to let fear control us. We don't have to let fear make us unfaithful. We can choose to be faithful despite our fears.

Paul's confrontation with Peter also shows us the importance of accountability in fostering faithfulness. Paul held Peter accountable for his actions. He didn't let Peter's status as an apostle prevent him from confronting Peter. He didn't let fear of conflict prevent him from speaking the truth. He saw something wrong and he addressed it.

Accountability is crucial in our walk of faith. We need people who will hold us accountable. We need people who will not let our status prevent them from speaking the truth to us. We need people who will not let fear of conflict prevent them from confronting us when we're wrong.

Fortifying our Foundation in the Lord

Moving on, we now find ourselves considering the importance of a solid foundation in the Lord ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO