Truth

Truth

Theme: Study of Galatians

Text: GALATIONS 2

Title: Truth

 

Little bit of context

On the cultural and religious background at this time
  • Judaizers - Jewish Christians who were still very adament about old testament rituals and traditions
  • Especially circumcision.
 
Chapter Two can be split up into two main sections. Each section Paul describes two different confrontations he has. One in Jerusalem and one in Antioch.There are so much to take out of these confrontations.
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CONFLICT IN JERUSALEM

Galations 2:1-5

 
Lets recall the Judaizers. These are the false brothers that Paul is talking about. Jewish Christians. Pharisees. These guys are crazy. They are forcing Jewish traditions on Christians.
  • They are “compelling” gentile christians to become circumcised. Compelling is just a nicer word for “forcing” with threaten of death. That’s basically what is happening here. You are not gonna be saved, you are not gonna have eternal life without circumcision. you will die eternally. They turned Christianity into an exclusive club
  • And remember what Bro Kinh said “jesus plus anything does not equal the gospel” Jesus plus circumcision definitely does not equal the gospel.
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  • I love Paul here. He kind of stirs the pot here. He’s knew exactly what he was doing here. So Naturally Paul brings the one thing these Judaizers would hate on his mission. Paul brings a greek (gentile” Christian named Titus along with him on his mission to Jerusalem. AND of course he’s not circumcised.
 
But why does he do this? Does he just want to see the Judaizers squirm?
-No. He kind of stirs the pot with a  purpose. He’s trying to make a point here. By bringing a Gentile, uncircumcised Christian with him on his missions, he’s saying God has called, saved, redeemed, justified Titus just as much as you and me. It’s all because of his faith in Jesus.
 
It was through this confrontation that Paul was able to fix the errors and false teachings of the false brothers and reveal the truth of the gospel.
 
There are a few things we can take from this.
 

FIRST:

Lets first take it at face value. Christianity is not an exclusive club that Jewish Christians made it out to be. The problem is a lot of Jewish Christians had this privilege mentality. For thousands of years they heard that Israel was a chosen to be a holy nation. But they missed the mark and purpose of that. They were meant to be a holy (separate) nation for God. They were supposed to be so different that nations peering from the outside would be intrigued and want to join.
 
Thats what Paul is talking about here. It’s not exclusive. Its not about circumcision. The gospel is about Jesus and is meant for everyone Jews and gentiles alike.
 

SECOND:

  • We cannot tolerate false teachings in the church! WE gotta do what Paul does, take that false teaching and throw it out of here!
  • False teaching can be found everywhere, media, passerbys, teachers, parents, pastors, ME.
 
How can we know whats false from the truth. BY KNOWING WHAT TRUTH SOUNDS LIKE
  • Think of being home alone and the AC is on. You only notice it when its finally turned off. You don’t notice it when its on because it has become the norm for you. but when it turns off, silence because weird and erie, because its not normal anymore.
  • We need to immerse ourself in the truth. The word, the Bible. By knowing what truth sounds like, we can know what is a lie. Truth sounds like Jesus. He is the way the truth and the light. If it doesn’t point to Jesus we need to question it. Even what Im saying. If there is one thing I want you to take away from this is KNOW WHAT TRUTH SOUNDS LIKE so you know what lies are.
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CONFLICT IN ANTIOCH

Galations 2:11-16

Paul Opposes Cephas

11 When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.
14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?
15 “We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles 16 know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in[a] Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.
So here we have two apostles, disciples of Jesus going head to head! This can’t be good.
See there’s a big picture here. Peter was struggling with the whole following the laws, and eating pork. BUT Peter had a personal revelation from God. Where he basically presents a whole feast of animals, things Jews can’t eat. and God says, “WHAT GOD HAS CLEANSED YOU SHALL NOT CALL UNCLEAN”
Peter than realized he no longer lives under the law of Moses but he lives under the freedom of Gospel.
-The gospel doesn’t enslave us or constrict us, but infact if frees us. Allows us to live freely for Christ and enjoy his creation and blessing.
BUT heres the problem, In Antioch, Peter was eating pork and stuff with gentiles because he lives under the freedom of the gospel. But when Jews were pressuring him, he stopped eating with the gentiles out of peer pressure. He stopped doing the right thing our of fear of being judged and talked about. Paul started living under the Moasic law rather living in the freedom of the Gospel. And Paul is calling him out on that. Calling him a hypocrite.
 

That’s the first lesson here

As Christians we are always gonna be under peer pressure to go against what we believe in. We are always gonna be told to do something that we know we shouldn’t.
Peter is a perfect example of not standing firm in your beliefs.
The bible tells us in 1 Cor 16:13 “Be on your guard, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong”
Key words here are to be courageous and strong against peer pressures from the world
Where does our strength come from? Jesus Christ
We can boast in our weakness, because Christ’s power is made perfect in our weakness - 2 Cor 12:9
 

The Second thing we can take from here

Why does Paul confront Peter in such a public way? Was it to show that he’s the better apostle?
NO but its for his love for the gospel and his love for his brother in Christ. Paul would expect Peter to do the same for him.
If Paul did not correct Peter, the gospel was being skewed. It was no longer Jesus plus nothing, but it was Jesus plus old mosaic laws.
As brothers and sisters in Christ we are to be held accountable to eachother. not to pick on each other, but out of love for each other. we are to teach each other and learn from another.
One of my favourite verses perfectly depicts this, Prov 27:17 - As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another
 

Conclusion

 

Small review

  • Christianity isn’t exclusive, so stop living like it
  • Know what the truth sounds like so we can throw away the false teachings out of here
  • HAve courage and strength to stand firm in our beliefs and that’s found in Christ
  • Let us sharpen each other, be accountable to each other. No ones perfect.
All of Paul’s confrontations here were all necessary. Because the truth of the gospel was at stake here. And that’s Paul’s main goal in all of Galations, to make sure the gospel was properly heard and understood. It may sound receptive, BUT he knew its was so important. He doesnt care if he repeats himself, he’s trying to make sure everyone understands it.
 
He concludes the chapter perfectly. By stating exactly what the gospel is and what it means for us.
Like I said, Paul pretty much writes my preaching for me so I let him end it for me too.

Verses 15-21

 
15 “We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles 16 know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.
17 “But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners, doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! 18 If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker.
19 “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 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. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”