Hello Friends!
During
this week’s gathering, we’ll continue to work our way
through the book written to the Galatians as we consider the ONE and ONLY saving “salvation” message of “Jesus Christ” as
decreed throughout this excellent Epistle – “Only ONE Gospel!”
Galatians:
Only ONE Gospel! (Chapter 2:11-16)
11 But when Peter was come to
Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. 12 For before that certain
came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he
withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. 13 And the other Jews
dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with
their dissimulation. 14 But
when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel,
I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the
manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to
live as do the Jews? 15 We
who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16 Knowing that a man is
not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even
we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of
Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no
flesh be justified – Galatians
2:11-16
OPENING POINTS TO PONDER: The Bible is quite CLEAR that
MOST of
the “Jews” had TRUSTED completely in THEMSELVES throughout their human history as a
special “nation” hand CHOSEN by “God”
Himself. This was certainly TRUE
at the time of our “Lord Jesus Christ” and His
hand CHOSEN apostles. And by this same time,
the “Jews” had literally developed an APOSTATE form of “Judaism”
of which was DEFINED by rank rabbinic tradition
that had actually REPLACED the wonderful “Oracles of God” as their sole AUTHORITY according
to His WILL concerning ALL matters of life. Thus, in the
misplaced “minds” of these “certain” men, achieving a right RELATIONSHIP unto
“God” was assumed to be accomplished
through a strict flesh-filled fickle “obedience”
to their man-centered made-up “Mosaic”
ritualistic rules and ceremonies epitomized by the
“Scribes and Pharisees” of whom were the proud and
boastful
purveyors of their OWN hypocritical – Apostate MAN-MADE Religion!
Then
along comes GOD’S prophetically
planned “Pentecost” and the “church” is BORN
from above! Now there are “Jews”
in “Jerusalem” who have become true “Christians” in heart. However, this became
a BIG problem
for “some” of them! And out of that vast mass
of LEGALISTIC proud
SELF-RIGHTEOUS religious “Jews” rises a “certain”
group referred to as the “Judaizers”
as such. WHY? Because they wanted to “Judaize” the “Gentile”
believers! HOW? They claimed to “believe” in “Jesus
Christ” as “Messiah”
by His “death” and “resurrection” from the dead. However, they
did NOT rightly
“believe” one could be “saved” from their “sins”
by simply “believing” in “Jesus Christ” our Lord ALONE. Rather, they wrongly INSISTED that one MUST also be physically “circumcised”
and thus ADHERE to the “law of Moses” alongside their ancestral
trite “traditions” of sorts. Thus,
these “certain” men of whom “came” from the “fellowship”
led by our Lord’s half-brother “James”
did NOT really “believe”
that the ATONING work of “Jesus Christ” was ALL-SUFFICIENT
to “save” a lost “soul”
from eternal “Hell” fire – That was PETER’S problem!
Paul CONFRONTS Peter!
Originally,
“Peter” had “come”
to “Antioch” of “Syria”
where “Paul” and “Barnabas” were PASTORS of whom had “fulfilled
their ministry” along with another group “gathered together” in the “house of Mary the mother of John”
introduced in the twelfth chapter of Acts:
And when he had
considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose
surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying… But he, beckoning
unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord
had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto
James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place. Now as soon as it was day, there was no small
stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter. And when Herod had sought
for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they
should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there
abode… And Barnabas and Saul
returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with
them John, whose surname was Mark – Acts 12:12, 17-19 & 25
And
when “Peter” had arrived in “Caesarea” to “abode” with them, he STAYED
quite a long time and obviously must have been the center
of attention in this predominately “Gentile”
fellowship. WHY? Because he was as an actual
living “Apostle” of “Jesus Christ” Himself. However, in
decisive DEFENSE of God’s
wonderful WORD the Apostle “Paul” had to swiftly – CONFRONT Peter!
But when Peter was come to
Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed – Galatians 2:11
REMNANT
REMINDER:
At this point in “church” history, the “Gospel” letters had NOT
yet been written. Thus, an EYEWITNESS account of “Jesus Christ”
would have meant EVERYTHING
to these “Gentile” believers in “Antioch” within a FLOURISHING
gospel-centered fellowship! Therefore, “Peter”
would have been a heralding HERO
of sorts to them! So, WHY
would “Paul” oppose “Peter” directly “to
the face” in public? This is very STRONG
language! In fact, this English word “withstood”
is an intense Greek term of which means to “stop someone from going in the wrong direction!”
And here we find “Peter” was “preaching” something completely DIFFERENT of which was grossly GOING in
the WRONG wearisome “doctrinal” direction and MUST be
strongly – STOPPED!
QUIZZING QUESTIONS: HOW does one DO this
to someone like “Peter” himself? From WHERE does “Paul”
get this BOLDNESS and ZEALOUSNESS and WHAT
is going on here? Obviously, “Peter”
had done something that “Paul”
considered as an all-out ATTACK and amiable ASSULT on the great “gospel of grace”
found absolutely ALONE through “faith” absolutely ALONE and APART from ANY
waning “works” of man. Thus, “Paul” firmly CONFRONTED a pitiful “Peter”
through an epic – Apostolic CLASH of MASSIVE
proportions!
The
FIRST half
of the Book of Acts showcases the “preaching” of “Peter”
and the SECOND half showcases the “preaching”
of “Paul” onward. However, these “certain” Jewish “men”
of whom “came from James” as the
LEADER of
the “church” in “Jerusalem”
suavely said they attained a “circumcision”
connection of sorts with All-mighty “God”
Himself. And even BEFORE these IMPOSTERS arrived on the scene, “Peter”
definitely “did eat” with the “Gentiles” alike. But sadly, in “fearing” these “Jews”
themselves MORE than GOD’S
wonderful Word, brother “Peter”
had hypocritically REMOVED himself from the loving “Gentile”
fellowship table:
For before that certain came from
James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and
separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision
– Galatians 2:12
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND: As a normal rule of their
lives, “Jews” would NEVER ever
“eat” with “Gentile”
folks. WHY? Because of rank rabbinic
standards it was BELIEVED
that all “Gentile” food was contaminated
and unclean,
thus was NOT considered “kosher” according to the “Mosaic” dietary “laws”
of God. Therefore, a developing rank racism toward the “Gentiles” had ensued. In fact, this was
quite evident back in the day of the Old
Testament Prophet “Jonah”
in where he was “very angry” with “God” and did NOT
even want the WICKED pagan “Gentiles” to rightly “repent”
unto a “merciful” and “gracious God” and thus be “saved” by Him:
Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of
Amittai, saying, Arise,
go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is
come up before me. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of
the Lord, and went down to
Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and
went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord – Jonah
1:1-3
Who can tell if God will turn and
repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? And God saw
their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the
evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not – Jonah
3:9-10
But it displeased Jonah
exceedingly, and he was very angry. And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was
yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou
art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and
repentest thee of the evil. Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is
better for me to die than to live… And should
not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand
persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and
also much cattle? – Jonah
4:1-3 & 11
CONTEXTUAL COMMENTS: The “Jews”
deeply resented and hated all “Gentiles” and thus kept separate
from them. And “Peter” was raised
in that very eccentric environment. Now as a “Christian” himself, he “arrives” at a “church”
in “Antioch” filled with “Gentiles”
and WHAT does he do? He does what a good
religious “Jew” would NEVER consider
doing: He rightly “eats” with his “Gentile” brethren in loving “communion” by “living”
out his “new life” together with them
IN Jesus
Christ! And according to “Peter’s”
deep “doctrinal” discourse DIRECTLY from our “Lord”
Himself described throughout Acts chapter 10,
there is NOTHING dietarily “unclean”
anymore concerning “Cornelius” and “God’s” great “salvation”
unto the “Gentiles” themselves...
There was
a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the
Italian band, A devout man,
and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people,
and prayed to God alway. He saw in a vision evidently
about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying
unto him, Cornelius… – Acts 10:1-3
Then
Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said,
Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come? And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that
feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned
from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of
thee – Acts 10:21-22
And as he
talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together. And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for
a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but
God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean – Acts
10:27-28
Then
Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no
respecter of persons: But in every
nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him – Acts
10:34-35
While
Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the
word. And they of the
circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter,
because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost – Acts 10:44-45
Now,
ALL the Old Covenant strict
RESTRICTIONS are
OVER and
the “wall” of SEPARATION is now “broken”
down BY our great “God”
Himself. And “Peter” has thus REJECTED these
luminous “laws” of “man” as “Jew”
and “Gentile” are now ONE through “Jesus Christ”
our Lord. That’s now FINISHED and “Peter”
definitely KNOWS this to be true – Freedom IN
Christ!
HOWEVER… These “certain”
men from “James” would have CRITICIZED poor “Peter” mercilessly for “eating” with those “Gentile”
doomed dogs and thus had no doubt INTIMIDATED him greatly. And because of his shadowy “sinful” and fickle FEAR
OF MAN lurking within his heavy “heart,” the “other
Jews” as IMMATURE and COMPROMISING professing “Christians”
had also “dissembled” along WITH waning “Peter”
by following his WICKED example. In fact, what “Peter”
did here was so INFUENTIAL even the “faithful”
man “Barnabas” himself was “carried away” in this corrupt current:
And the other Jews dissembled
likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their
dissimulation – Galatians
2:13
Here
again, “Peter”
just can’t seem to move out of his own SHALLOW shadow! This is the classic HISTORY of a bewildered “believer”
caught up in a waning “walk”
of hypocritical “dissimulation” with our “Lord” and remains a Biblical
ILLUSTRATION of
just HOW our “sanctification” in “Jesus
Christ” functions. It’s NEVER a self-righteous “life”
line UPWARD towards a utopian bliss. Rather,
it is a challenging “walk”
consisting of a LIFE TIME of spiritual GROWTH filled with “faithful”
steps moving FORWARD coupled with fickle “faithless”
steps falling BACKWARD and so on! Therefore, “we”
must BEWARE of
this rigorous “reality” within OUR own “lives” lived out FOR
our Lord. WHY? Because if we’re not HUMBLE, SUBMISSIVE
and CAREFUL we too can “insomuch” easily be “carried
away” and thus – FAIL our LORD!
POIGNANT POINTS: This is NOT
simply an issue of petty “disunity”
among the “brethren” themselves.
Rather, these poignant passages represent an all-out ASSULT upon the great “gospel of faith”
itself. WHY? Because “Peter” is acting as if these “Judaizers” were CORRECT concerning their CORRUPTION of the ONLY saving message “received”
from “God” Himself. It’s very DIFFICULT to
be BOLD for
the “gospel of Jesus Christ” when we are SURROUNDED by
professing “men” who willingly COMPROMISE God’s
“Word” all the while TALKING
about a DIFFERENT man-made “Jesus”
of their own making! It’s also CHALLENGING to lovingly CONFRONT someone CAUGHT inside of a CULT system or other subtle satanic “form”
of so-called “Christianity” of which is
completely APOSTATE, HERETICAL and
thus OUTSIDE the
Biblical “bounds” of the TRUE saving
“gospel” message. It is a brandishing – BATTLE of BOLDNESS!
Thus,
“Paul” soon “saw”
how “they” had ALL
hypocritically “walked” in direct OPPOSITION to
the “truth of the gospel” through God’s great GRACE by
way of “Peter’s” corrupt
COMPROMISE and “compelling”
intentional influence. Hence, pastor “Paul”
dutifully DEALT with “all”
of “them” accordingly. And in right response to “Peter’s” dire DEFECTION comes “Paul’s” doctrinal DUTY to diligently DEFEND the Biblical “truth of the
gospel” itself:
But when I saw that they walked
not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before
them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as
do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? – Galatians 2:14
Brother
“Paul” was FURIOUS about this SERIOUS situation concerning “Peter”
and thus he OPPOSES him to his face “before
them all” as is consistent with what “Paul” wrote to the young pastor “Timothy”:
Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. I
charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that
thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing
by partiality – 1
Timothy 5:20-21
Therefore,
“Paul” says he “saw
that they walked not uprightly” according to God’s WILL for
His “church” body. Incidentally, the Greek word
podeó is used
here from which we derive the English word “orthopedic” with “Ortho“ meaning “straight“ and podeó being
the verb from which the English
word “foot“ is derived. Thus, “Paul”
had CORPORATELY confronted
“Peter” in a PUBLIC way. WHY?
Because public CORRECTION and “rebuke” of a public “sin” regarding “salvation”
must be ADDRESSED as such! And this DIRECT
approach is BIBLICALLY better than pulling “them that
sin“
aside in PRIVATE concerning THIS type of “doctrinal”
demise. WHY? Because that’s WHERE the
“disaffection” has occurred, thus FALSELY leading
“others” into chaotic CONFUSION
as “they” were NOT rightly “walking straight”
concerning – The TRUTH
of the ONLY gospel!
As
we have “considered” Paul’s righteous
RESPONSE in
the previous
passage, we will now “hear”
his serious STATEMENT as he AGAIN goes back to DEFEND and DEFINE the “gospel”
of God’s great “grace” promise:
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 the faith of Jesus Christ, even we
have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ,
and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be
justified – Galatians
2:15-16
In
other words, these folks were saying their “Judaism”
had restrained
them as a “Jew” unto “God” Himself. But, the “Gentiles” are “called
sinners” because they “live”
wildly without restraint. WHY?
Because the FALSE deities of the “Gentiles’
are wretched
and immoral and
their temples are FULL of prostitutes
unto a greatly gross religion. Conversely, the “Jews” were NOT
like that! WHY? Because the “Jews” live under the “Law” of “God”
that restricted
and constrained
them as they TRIED to rightly “love God” and keenly “keep
His commandments” forever. In fact, these “Jews”
even “fasted,” “prayed” and “gave
alms” according to the “works of the law”
unto their great “God” in Heaven. HOWEVER… Absolutely “no
flesh” will be “justified”
as such – ALL are
SINNERS!
THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: There are THREE very IMPORTANT words contained here. The word “faith”
is here. The word “law”
is here. But there is ANOTHER wonderful “word”
used for the FIRST time in this excellent “epistle”
of which is CRITICALLY ESSENTIAL to the “message”
of this “letter” and to the “gospel” itself. WHAT
WORD? It is the word “justified” and
“Paul” refers to it THREE times throughout this poignant
passage! Here AGAIN, the Apostle “Paul” is going to make a DEFENSE concerning
the “doctrine” of “justification” of which explains
the TRUE divine concurrence between “faith” and “law”
according to “God’s” plan and purpose – JUSTIFICATION by FAITH
alone!
How
do we
UNDERSTAND the DOCTRINE of JUSTIFICATION? Here
is a simple contrast as an example. If someone hears the words
“You are condemned!” in a Court of Law, we
would understand that context quite well! Conversely, the
words “You are justified!” are quite
the OPPOSITE! Therefore, CONDEMNATION
says you are guilty, evil and bad. However, JUSTIFICATION
says you are not guilty but rather are righteous and good. This
is a LEGAL TERM utilized in a human
Court of Law. To CONDEMN someone
is to declare them GULITY
and to JUSTIFY someone is to declare them NOT GUILTY. And in the Bible, JUSTIFICATION
is “God’s” fantastic “free”
and gracious “gift” by which HE Himself declares a lost “sinner” to be “righteous”
in HIS sight. Thus, “Jesus
Christ” fully FORGIVES and PARDONS the lost “sinner”
by accepting
them into HIS eternal fellowship FAMILY. Therefore, our JUSTIFICATION
is the firm FOUNDATION of the TRUE righteous “religion”
of “God” Himself – JUSTIFICATION is THE
gospel!
In closing:
The
wicked “world” system devised
and engineered
by “Satan” himself is overtly OVERUN with
MANY fallen FORMS of rank “religious”
rhetoric. And BIBLICALLY speaking, there are only TWO real “religions”
of note found throughout the Holy Scriptures:
RELIGION ONE: The FALSE fickle
“religion”
is that which SATAN has wickedly
sought to sow – Salvation comes by MAN’S effort!
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that
it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she
took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with
her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that
they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons
– Genesis 3:6-7
RELIGION TWO: The TRUE righteous “religion” is that which GOD has Sovereignly sown in His Word – Salvation comes by GOD’S grace!
Unto Adam also
and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them –
Genesis 3:21
Thus,
“salvation” is either SOLEY completed by GOD through
His DIVINE accomplishment
or it is SOLEY attained by MAN through his SINFUL human achievement, morality,
religiosity, ritual,
rite,
ceremony
or behavior.
However, they both – CANNOT be TRUE!
At
the very “beginning” in the “garden” itself is the INTRODUCTION of the “Christian
doctrine” known as Substitutionary
Atonement. An INNOCENT
animal “gives its life” to provide a
“covering” for lost “sinners” who CANNOT
at all “cover” themselves. And
at that trying time in human history, we also find the inception of “false religion” founded upon the self-covering
of fickle “fig leaves” in which “Adam” and “Eve”
had THEMSELVES made – DEATH or DUTY?
“Satan” always tries to COUNTERFEIT everything
“God” Himself CREATES for HIS own
glory! Thus, “Satan” appears “disguised
as an angel of light” and his menacing ministers of mayhem too are
“disguised as angels of light”
themselves. They MASQUERADE as “God” and MOCK His “people”
from within the “church” through “false
teachers” as they SUBTLY proclaim
their own evil ERROR. And as the “Apostle
Paul” exclaims throughout this excellent
epistle, ANY deviation AWAY from the “truth
of the gospel” is truly – A CURSED thing!
Therefore,
it is “Satan’s” fatal FALSE rank
“religion” of HUMAN achievement verses our “God’s” terrific TRUE righteous “religion”
of His Holy ACCOMPLISHMENT complete
– Only ONE
Gospel!
REAL REFLECTIONS: Beloved, may God give US the courage and boldness
to “contend earnestly for the faith”
that was signed, sealed and delivered
some – 2000 years ago…
Beloved,
when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was
needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly
contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints – Jude 3
Praise the Lord Jesus Christ!
With
this information as a foundation for your personal studies, please read through verses 11-16 in the second chapter of
the excellent book to the Galatians.
We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!
If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com
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Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><
Encouraging Concepts
Truth for Today
"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"Lighthouse Publications <><
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