Galatians 2:1-21 “Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me. And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain. Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage), to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
But from those who seemed to be something—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man—for those who seemed to be something added nothing to me. But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do.
No Return to the Law
Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.
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? We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 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.
“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! For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. 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. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”
Paul is still fuming about his struggles with the original disciples-all of them Jews, and particularly Peter. While Peter has been willing to live more or less like a Gentile, when Jewish Christians show up, Peter evidently eats only with them, pretending to be an observant Jew. Paul is sharp enough to realize that such double-dealing is only going to confuse all the non-Jewish believers who are streaming into the church.
While Paul is trying to preach freedom in Christ Jesus, Pater and the other Jews are sometimes playing religious gamers. Paul’s point is well taken; Jesus’ death and resurrection have created a chasm between the traditional Jews and Jewish believers in Christ. Attempting to stand with one foot on each side of that chasm will only lead to disaster.
The Ashantes in Ghana have a proverb that says, “We don’t tell strangers anything bad.” In other words, don’t bring out your problems in front of strangers. But Paul is deliberately describing his struggles with the Judaizers because individuals with this same mind set have already reached Galatia and are creating confusion there. Paul wants his new Galatian converts to find freedom in Christ to live holy lives, but he knows that observing a myriad of rules and regulations will only lead to frustration and heartbreak, not to holiness and peace.
Make no mistake. God gave the Mosaic Law to the Israelites at a time when they needed that Law. As it was, the Israelites refused to observe the Law, but only kept portions of it while they wandered off into idolatry. But now Jesus has come and has made the ultimate blood sacrifice for sin, so this new day demands new ways of thinking and acting. Jesus himself said that he came to fulfill the Law and not to set it aside. But Christians are now saved by believing in Jesus Christ and his atoning sacrifice, not by the number of rules they are following.
“For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. 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. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”
Paul wants to make this matter perfectly clear before he goes into the implications of this freedom. We will see that Paul wants believers to find new life in Jesus Christ and God the Father, not in rules. Righteousness cannot come through the Law. We will see how Paul tries to lead the Galatians into a new understanding of their freedom in Jesus Christ.
Perhaps you have tried to find holiness by following rules. But the harder we try, the more frustrated we become, for there is no end to the number of rules or sub-rules. Come along with us as we follow Paul leading the Galatians into a new understanding of holiness. And ask yourself this: Can you say with Paul, “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.”
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, please come and live in us so that You are the One who lives in our hearts and minds and who controls our lives. In Your mighty and precious Name, King Jesus. Amen.
Burunche's Blog 
Leave a comment