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by Sandy Shaw
In Galatians Chapter 2 and verse 11, we read of Peter coming to Antioch, and Paul opposes him, face to face. Why? Because he was in the wrong. What was the problem?
Peter had been set free from eating only with Jews, but now he would not sit down at the table of the Gentiles - non-Jews - and have a meal with them.
Somebody came to him and tapped him on the shoulder and said, "Peter, you should not be eating with Gentiles. They are not of our denomination. Peter withdrew. Peter stopped eating with the likes of us Gentiles, and had his meals only with Jews, which would mean he would no longer have that freedom and liberty to invite us Gentiles into his home. Do you see why? He became afraid of that denominational group.
Fear always paralyses us, and other Jewish believers also withdrew. We read that even dear Barnabas was led astray.
Eat at that table and only at that table. Sing those songs and only those songs.
Dress that way and only that way. Fear can make us do that.
Paul had to correct Peter, and I am so glad Peter was open to correction, and I am so glad Paul had the courage to confront Peter with the truth, and I am so glad that God saw it fit to place this in His Holy Word.
Remember, we said when we began reading and studying Galatians that what was at stake here was the Gospel.
There are times when we have to be courageous enough to correct, and there are times when we have to be courageous enough to receive correction.
Normally, it is better to be corrected by a man of God, than by God directly. Jesus Christ so graciously sends a man to correct us, and if we refuse that - if we reject that - Jesus Himself may come and do it.
Verse 14. Paul saw that they were not acting in line with the Gospel, and Paul wrote down the argument. Truth matters. Truth is vital.
If people cannot find truth in the Church of Jesus Christ, there is nowhere else in the world for them to find the truth for which they seek. The same goes for Love and Light and Fellowship. If it is not found in the Church people will look for it elsewhere.
There are times when we have to be delivered from the fear of men, because FEAR can PARALYSE.
Verses 15,16 - Paul spells out what is vital. We are not justified by keeping the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. When I put my faith in Jesus Christ it is 'just if I'd' never sinned. When we are washed in the blood of Jesus Christ and forgiven we are declared justified - innocent - not guilty.
There are some things which are non-negotiable, and sometimes the chorus around us is calling for us to compromise.
One day I have to stand before God and answer for every word I have spoken, preached, taught, written - everything - so do you. But because of Jesus Christ, and the Cross of Jesus Christ, and the blood of Jesus Christ, our Passover Lamb, shed on the Cross, God declares us NOT GUILTY - INNOCENT - FORGIVEN.
That is the Gospel. That is “good news”. Paul wanted to be sure that his message was right.
Paul explains to Peter – Look, we were brought up in 'the church' of the day – verse 15 - we were of the greatest denomination this world has ever seen - we were Jews - but we needed Jesus Christ - didn't we Peter? On Resurrection Evening - on the Day of Pentecost - me on the Damascus Road - and three days later brother Ananias laid his hands on me - and Jesus baptised me and filled me with the Holy Spirit. Peter - we were the national church - we were Jews - we had it all going for us - but we still needed Jesus - so Peter, don't go back into all that - into legalism. Peter, we have been set free from the law by Jesus Christ.
Titus, referred to in these opening verses, was the proof that you did not need to be circumcised to be saved, and the other apostles agreed.
In a sense, the Jews did not want all these new people - these newcomers - the Gentiles. We are Jews - we are children of Abraham - and PRIDE had surreptitiously and subtly crept in. Acts Chapter 15 deals with all this too.
The Church could have been split in to a Jewish section and a Gentile section - or else we Gentiles would have had to become Jews - and that was not why Jesus Christ died!
Peter - I have died to all that. I have died to the law. I have died to the rules and regulations and rituals - and Peter, remember this - I KNOW them - and I tried to keep them all, but it was when I tried to be good that I found out how bad I really was.
That is what Paul is saying here.
Peter, when I went into the water – when I was baptised – all that was buried - all that was washed away.
The ‘old me’ has died, and you cannot try a dead man by the law!
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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