“But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he stood condemned. For he regularly ate with the Gentiles before certain men came from James. However, when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, because he feared those from the circumcision party.Then the rest of the Jews joined his hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were deviating from the truth of the gospel, I told Cephas in front of everyone, ‘If you, who are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel Gentiles to live like Jews?’ We are Jews by birth and not “Gentile sinners,” and yet because we know that a person is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we ourselves have believed in Christ Jesus. This was so that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will be justified.But if we ourselves are also found to be “sinners” while seeking to be justified by Christ, is Christ then a promoter of sin? Absolutely not! If I rebuild those things that I tore down, I show myself to be a lawbreaker.For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live for God.I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, 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 for nothing.”Galatians 2:11-21
- The Context:
“For freedom, Christ set us free. Stand firm, don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1 CSB
- The Conflict:
Peter treated the non-Jewish believers as if they were unclean. Paul called him out for not living in line with the Gospel. (See Acts 10 & 15)
- The Confusion:
Peter’s hypocrisy lead others away from the freedom of the Gospel.
How to Be a Freedom Fighter:
- Adaptyour attitude and actions toward the Gospel in every situation
“I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. Vs. 20
- Alignyour faith to the heart of the Gospel
- The heart of the Gospel answers the question “How am I made acceptable to God?”
Legalismsays: “I am basically a sinner trying to be acceptable to God, by what I do and don’t do.”
Self-righteousnesssays: “I am basically good and acceptable in myself.”
The Gospelsays: “And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,” Romans 4:5 ESV
“But you cannot make God accept you because of something you do. God accepts sinners only because they have faith in him.” Romans 4:5 CEV
“But those who depend on faith, not on deeds, and who believe in the God who declares the guilty to be innocent, it is this faith that God takes into account in order to put them right with himself.” Romans 4:5 GNT
“I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.” Vs. 21
“We are Jews by birth and not “Gentile sinners,” and yet because we know that a person is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we ourselves have believed in Christ Jesus. This was so that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will be justified.” Vs. 15-16
Justificationis how God makes us acceptable to Himself. When we place our faith in what Jesus did for us through His death on the cross and through His resurrection from the dead we are made acceptable to Him.
- Addressyour own hypocrisy before you address it in others.
“But if we ourselves are also found to be ‘sinners’ while seeking to be justified by Christ, is Christ then a promoter of sin? Absolutely not! If I rebuild those things that I tore down, I show myself to be a lawbreaker.For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live for God.” Vs. 17-19
“Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye but don’t notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and look there’s a log in your eye? Hypocrite! First take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:3-5 HCSB
“Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.” Galatians 6:1 NLT