THR TRUE GOSPEL

 

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.

 

1.       Paul relates this incident of what happens when you allow others to intimidate you in the religious world.  Peter had come to Antioch and when some men came from James, and they were of that group called the circumcision. Peter who had before been eating with the gentiles no longer eat with the them because he was afraid. 

2.      Peter was at the time doing four things.  He cared more about what people thought than God.  He cared more about his image than the truth.  He was a hypocrite in the way he conducted himself in different situations.  He was making others do what he would not do himself. 

3.      Not only was Peter doing this other’s joined him and even in the end Barnabas did as well.  Once fear, intimidation and hypocrisy start’s it is like a virus or disease it will infect the whole group especially if a leader allows it to happen.  The entire group was led astray.  We have ample proof with the cults, denominations and churches. 

4.      This is a strong warning because of this hypocrisy the church in Laodecea the largest church in Galatia later would become lukewarm, wealthy and prosperous but in reality was pitiful, cold, lame naked and blind. 

 

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

 

1.      Paul when he saw what was happening confronted Peter in front of them.  This is what you have too do when truth is being replaced by error, hypocrisy and lies.  Paul told Peter that even though he was a Jew he was living like a gentile and not like a Jew. 

2.      That Peter was by his actions trying, to force Jewish customs on the gentiles when they couldn’t follow them or live by them themselves. 

3.      Paul was telling Peter and all with him publicly that you cannot have it both ways.  When lies, hypocrisy and truth is being promoted it must be exposed publicly so those who do it can either repent or shown for who and what they are.  It is uncomfortable for all the participants but like a disease a cure often has violent affects at first, but the end results are healing.  Truth brings healing.  One man wrote truth is never afraid of exposure, but a lie will fight for its existence.

4.      Remember silence and tolerance is the buzz word of evil.  If good men do nothing, then evil and lies will triumph.  Evil always uses words like we are all in this together because they are trying to undermine free will, choice and truth.  False teaching will eventually kill the evangelism and mission of the gospel.  Satan hates exposure because if reveal who he is, what he wants and what he does.

5.      Talk about the time I went to a J.W. meeting as a new Christian was asked to leave because I asked to many questions and disagreed with the leaders’ interpretation of the bible.

 

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.

 

 

1.      False teachers were telling the Galatian churches that faith in Christ was not enough. To be saved, they said, believers must also be circumcised and become “Jewish.”

2.      A person is not justified or to judge, regard, or absolve to declare or treat as righteous and worthy of salvation.  God did this our faith and trust in Jesus Christ.  When we put our faith, our past present and future.  Submit or seek the Kingdom of God and His righteous.  When we give our time, talents and resources to Him.  When we put our life and eternity in His hands we are adopted into God’s family and treats are sons and daughters. 

1.      Paul said like the gentiles we too put our faith in Jesus Christ, and we are justified because we followed the law because no one is justified by the law.  As Paul stated the just shall live by faith and faith alone.  Works, good deeds, religion, and man’s way will never get us to heaven or eternal life.  It is only through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ this will happen.  It is through His broken body and shed blood that this is going to happen.  No saint, icon, creed, liturgy, service structure, worship style or program are we saved by through Jesus Christ and Him alone.

 

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.

 

1.       Paul was asked this question by the Judaizers.  If we Jews find us among the sinners does that mean Christ promotes sin?  They were concerned about behavior and moral conduct.  They were concerned about how mankind would guide their lives.  What keeps people on the straight and narrow?  Paul says Christ is not promoting sin.

2.      The law was fulfilled in Christ and now we have a new agreement.  This covenant is not just with the Jews but all mankind.  Jesus is the new lawgiver, high priest and presenter of the new covenant which came through His blood.  The old has gone the new has come.  You are no longer a law breaker because the law and what it required has been fulfilled.

 

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!”

 

1.       Paul stated that in the law he died.  The law is dead and was dead.  Now he lives for God.  He has been crucified with Christ.  Paul was saying the more he tried to please the law the more he failed and felt condemned, so when Christ died all that was gone.  Now I put my flesh to death or say no to it now Christ loves in me.  The life he now lives in his body but giving it as a living sacrifice, he lives by faith in the Son of God.  Paul is being transformed by the renewing of his mind daily in the Lord.  He is loving the Lord with every fiber of his being and displaying love for others in his life.

2.      Paul has put his faith, trust and future in the Son of God who loved him and died for Him.  This is Paul’s belief, reality, and hope.  Paul had met the risen Lord and he did not want to go back to that life, and he did not want anyone else to as well. 

3.      Paul makes it clear that if righteousness came through the law than Christ died for nothing.  His sacrifice would have been in vain.  I have stated that Jesus would not have to come if we could have had salvation in some means or method.  Paul would put aside grace, unmerited favor for law.  He experienced, God’s riches at Christ expense.