God Thought 2/7/24

'Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. I went up in response to a revelation. Then I laid before them (though only in a private meeting with the acknowledged leaders) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure that I was not running, or had not run, in vain. But even Titus, who was with me, was not compelled to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. But because of false believers secretly brought in, who slipped in to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might enslave us— we did not submit to them even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might always remain with you. And from those who were supposed to be acknowledged leaders (what they actually were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those leaders contributed nothing to me. On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel for the circumcised (for he who worked through Peter making him an apostle to the circumcised also worked through me in sending me to the Gentiles), and when James and Cephas and John, who were acknowledged pillars, recognized the grace that had been given to me, they gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, agreeing that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. They asked only one thing, that we remember the poor, which was actually what I was eager to do. But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood self-condemned; for until certain people came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But after they came, he drew back and kept himself separate for fear of the circumcision faction. And the other Jews joined him in this hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not acting consistently with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?” We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by doing the works of the law, because no one will be justified by the works of the law. But if, in our effort to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have been found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! But if I build up again the very things that I once tore down, then I demonstrate that I am a transgressor. For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life 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 nullify the grace of God; for if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.'
Galatians 2:1-21  

The moment that you got saved, the moment you chose to believe in Christ, God didn't just snatch you to heaven. God left us here with initiatives and commands and commissions and callings and all these great and lofty things that sometimes we feel unqualified for, but God has absolutely prepared us for. I want you to know that the enemy doesn't care if you have freedom. If you're not living like you're free, then his plan can still be accomplished. We can start off one way and maybe just get a little bit off track. And I think what Paul is telling us here is that the integrity of the gospel has to be preserved at all costs.

If you start to dilute or distort or in any way add to this perfect thing that God has given us, it not only changes your life, it takes away the hope of the world. The truth and integrity of the gospel has to be preserved at all costs. Nothing needs to be added to it. It doesn't need to be slightly altered, distracted, distorted, diluted.

Paul makes it clear that God shows no partiality. Now why would this be important? Because you have a Gentile church full of young believers who are now being intimidated by these Orthodox Jews who are probably stately and men of high reputation. And Paul is saying, God shows no partiality. Because let me tell you some good news: At the foot of the cross nobody cares who your parents were. If you grew up in church, you knew how to talk, what your resume was, how long you were in VBS, but at the foot of the cross, everybody is equal and Paul is reminding the Galatians to not let people who may have some rich religious heritage make you question this beautiful relationship that you have with Jesus.

Paul says, this authority and our assignment, it's not going to always be popular. There won't always be an applause. In Galatians 2:11-14 we see Paul has to face a pretty important challenge. He said earlier that Peter has been called to give the gospel to the Jews, but in 11-14 he kind of has a little confrontation with Peter. Paul says he opposed Peter to his face. Now, this is why I love Paul because he's opposing people to their face. I mean, he is like, I'm not going to write about it.

So he says, I opposed him to his face because he stood condemned for before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles, but when they came he drew back and separated himself fearing the circumcision party.

Paul calls this out as a party, the circumcision party. He says Peter started acting a little different when the men of high reputation came around. Paul saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel and called Peter out. He didn't care about Peter's reputation. He didn't care about Peter's notoriety. He called him out when he wasn't acting consistently with the truth of the gospel.

The reason for calling him out wasn't self-centered. It wasn't to embarrass. He actually called him out in love. “Peter, you don't have to like me, but I love you, and you need to know that what you're doing is not consistent with the gospel. Moreover, it's a confusing message because you're a Jew.”

Can I tell you that if you yourself are not rooted in this word, in this gospel, that all it takes is a well-spoken charismatic leader or an inspirational quote or an amazing t-shirt or a tote bag or a song to steer you off track. You have to see everything through the lens of the gospel. This is so important because, when I'm fully accepted in Christ Jesus and my authority is not called into question, I know my assignment and what I'm doing. As soon as you get rooted in that, let me tell you, be prepared.

Because of God's assignment, we no longer define our lives by culture or heritage.

The moment that you got saved, the moment you chose to believe in Christ, God didn't just snatch you to heaven. God left us here with initiatives and commands and commissions and callings and all these great and lofty things that sometimes we feel unqualified for, but God has absolutely prepared us for. I want you to know that the enemy doesn't care if you have freedom. If you're not living like you're free, then his plan can still be accomplished. We can start off one way and maybe just get a little bit off track. And I think what Paul is telling us here is that the integrity of the gospel has to be preserved at all costs.

If you start to dilute or distort or in any way add to this perfect thing that God has given us, it not only changes your life, it takes away the hope of the world. The truth and integrity of the gospel has to be preserved at all costs. Nothing needs to be added to it. It doesn't need to be slightly altered, distracted, distorted, diluted.

Paul makes it clear that God shows no partiality. Now why would this be important? Because you have a Gentile church full of young believers who are now being intimidated by these Orthodox Jews who are probably stately and men of high reputation. And Paul is saying, God shows no partiality. Because let me tell you some good news: At the foot of the cross nobody cares who your parents were. If you grew up in church, you knew how to talk, what your resume was, how long you were in VBS, but at the foot of the cross, everybody is equal and Paul is reminding the Galatians to not let people who may have some rich religious heritage make you question this beautiful relationship that you have with Jesus.

Paul says, this authority and our assignment, it's not going to always be popular. There won't always be an applause. In Galatians 2:11-14 we see Paul has to face a pretty important challenge. He said earlier that Peter has been called to give the gospel to the Jews, but in 11-14 he kind of has a little confrontation with Peter. Paul says he opposed Peter to his face. Now, this is why I love Paul because he's opposing people to their face. I mean, he is like, I'm not going to write about it.

So he says, I opposed him to his face because he stood condemned for before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles, but when they came he drew back and separated himself fearing the circumcision party.

Paul calls this out as a party, the circumcision party. He says Peter started acting a little different when the men of high reputation came around. Paul saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel and called Peter out. He didn't care about Peter's reputation. He didn't care about Peter's notoriety. He called him out when he wasn't acting consistently with the truth of the gospel.

The reason for calling him out wasn't self-centered. It wasn't to embarrass. He actually called him out in love. “Peter, you don't have to like me, but I love you, and you need to know that what you're doing is not consistent with the gospel. Moreover, it's a confusing message because you're a Jew.”

Can I tell you that if you yourself are not rooted in this word, in this gospel, that all it takes is a well-spoken charismatic leader or an inspirational quote or an amazing t-shirt or a tote bag or a song to steer you off track. You have to see everything through the lens of the gospel. This is so important because, when I'm fully accepted in Christ Jesus and my authority is not called into question, I know my assignment and what I'm doing. As soon as you get rooted in that, let me tell you, be prepared.