The Whole of the Gospel: Galatians 2:1-21

Introduction

Galatians 1, Paul defends the gospel that he preached to the Galatians

needed a defense because some had come in preaching that faith in Christ must be accompanied by works of the law

Today - The whole of the Gospel

the two confrontations in the chapter

Paul is confronted in Jerusalem by those that claim that salvation comes from faith plus works

Paul confronts Peter for living hypocritically

We love confrontations

there are some that love to confront, always looking for a reason to argue

online has caused people to be bolder with this, saying things on a screen that they would not say in person

there are some, like me, who do not like to confront, but will do it if I have to

the third group are those that just simply love to watch, they do not want to confront, but they like to watch the drama unfold.

Galatians 2:1–21 (CSB)

1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also.

2 I went up according to a revelation and presented to them the gospel I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those recognized as leaders. I wanted to be sure I was not running, and had not been running, in vain.

3 But not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.

4 This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus in order to enslave us.

5 But we did not give up and submit to these people for even a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would be preserved for you.

6 Now from those recognized as important (what they once were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism)—they added nothing to me.

7 On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised, just as Peter was for the circumcised,

8 since the one at work in Peter for an apostleship to the circumcised was also at work in me for the Gentiles.

9 When James, Cephas, and John—those recognized as pillars—acknowledged the grace that had been given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to me and Barnabas, agreeing that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.

10 They asked only that we would remember the poor, which I had made every effort to do.

11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he stood condemned.

12 For he regularly ate with the Gentiles before certain men came from James. However, when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, because he feared those from the circumcision party.

13 Then the rest of the Jews joined his hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.

14 But when I saw that they were deviating from the truth of the gospel, I told Cephas in front of everyone, “If you, who are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel Gentiles to live like Jews?”

15 We are Jews by birth and not “Gentile sinners,”

16 and yet because we know that a person is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we ourselves have believed in Christ Jesus. This was so that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will be justified.

17 But if we ourselves are also found to be “sinners” while seeking to be justified by Christ, is Christ then a promoter of sin? Absolutely not!

18 If I rebuild those things that I tore down, I show myself to 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 comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.

PRAY!

Paul is telling the Galatians that the gospel of the church in Jerusalem is the same as he preaches, that all people are justified by faith in Christ Jesus.

we are justified by faith in Christ Jesus

We must be confidently living out the gospel as a witness to the world that righteousness comes by faith. This means the world must see us repentant and humble.

The Gospel Offers the Same Grace

Galatians 2:1–10 (CSB)

1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also.

2 I went up according to a revelation and presented to them the gospel I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those recognized as leaders. I wanted to be sure I was not running, and had not been running, in vain.

3 But not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.

4 This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus in order to enslave us.

5 But we did not give up and submit to these people for even a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would be preserved for you.

6 Now from those recognized as important (what they once were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism)—they added nothing to me.

7 On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised, just as Peter was for the circumcised,

8 since the one at work in Peter for an apostleship to the circumcised was also at work in me for the Gentiles.

9 When James, Cephas, and John—those recognized as pillars—acknowledged the grace that had been given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to me and Barnabas, agreeing that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.

10 They asked only that we would remember the poor, which I had made every effort to do.

Retell of Paul’s time in Jerusalem

after 14 years of missionary journeys, planting churches and preaching the gospel, Paul goes to Jerusalem

he goes because God told him to

there was not doubt in his mind about the gospel

not years and years after Jesus appeared to him did he begin to doubt that what he had been preaching was true

but to confirm that he was preaching what they were preaching

you get no sense that Paul was going to change, but that he wanted to know if they were on the same team

Paul presented the gospel there, sharing with the leaders what he had been preaching

they added nothing, agreed with the gospel that Paul had been preaching

Some people snuck in

leaders and Paul speaking and some people who believed that you have to have faith plus… in order to be saved

circumcision - prove you are apart of the covenant of Abraham

even after they came in and presented their reasonings, Titus was not compelled

this does not mean that Titus did not feel the need to do this

but that even the church leaders they were with did not try to convince Titus to do this

Paul is making a point of how much the church leaders and him were in agreement on the gospel

Theological discussions are a good thing

gives you confidence in what you believe

do you know what it is that you believe

can you defend what you believe

from scripture, not just because Doug said so

works out false beliefs that we may have

there are some things that we might believe because we heard somewhere

but when studying scripture, we realize that is not true

there are things that people outside may come and proclaim

they sound good,

but a studied person knows the truth and can defend it

The Jews and Gentiles are offered the same grace

Paul taking the same grace to the gentiles as Peter to the Jews

There is one gospel, that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone

Paul was not telling the gentiles that they are to become Jews and then can have grace

just like Peter telling the jews

We live under the same grace that they preached

maybe our “works” are different

maybe not cleaning ourselves and dishes a certain way

but we could have our list

does the person pray the right way, the right amount,

do I go to church enough, do I read my bible

how can somebody say they love Jesus and never read, never go to church, never… they must not be saved

we focus so much on what is and is not sin, who is or can be saved, that we do not talk about grace

The grace of God is available to all of us and frees us from the law to live for the Lord.

The Gospel offers Freedom to All

Galatians 2:11–14 (CSB)

11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he stood condemned.

12 For he regularly ate with the Gentiles before certain men came from James. However, when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, because he feared those from the circumcision party.

13 Then the rest of the Jews joined his hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.

14 But when I saw that they were deviating from the truth of the gospel, I told Cephas in front of everyone, “If you, who are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel Gentiles to live like Jews?”

Tell of the confrontation

Peter visits Antioch where Paul and Barnabas are

when he is there he eats with the gentile believers

eating is a big deal, the gentiles eat “unclean” things, making them unclean

the jews, under the law believed that if you associated with an unclean person, you also would be unclean

unclean means you are not right with god

Peter learned in Acts 10 that God has declared all things clean

Acts 10:9–15 (CSB)

9 The next day, as they were traveling and nearing the city, Peter went up to pray on the roof about noon.

10 He became hungry and wanted to eat, but while they were preparing something, he fell into a trance.

11 He saw heaven opened and an object that resembled a large sheet coming down, being lowered by its four corners to the earth.

12 In it were all the four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth, and the birds of the sky.

13 A voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.”

14 “No, Lord!” Peter said. “For I have never eaten anything impure and ritually unclean.”

15 Again, a second time, the voice said to him, “What God has made clean, do not call impure.”

But then people from James came

we do not know a lot about these people, but we understand they still felt like the eating rituals must be maintained

Peter who had been eating and living with the gentiles now would not

this caused other Jews to follow suit

understandable, this apostle, if he is doing this, it must be the right way

Paul tells Peter that the sacrifice and grace of Jesus that freed them from the law gives freedom to the gentiles too

the thought of the Jews was that the gentiles had to become Jewish

why are you trying to make them walk a line you could not walk

God’s grace free all people from the law, from a life of trying to satisfy god well enough that we can be saved

no matter what you’ve done

all sin is placed on Jesus on the cross

you cannot out sin god’s grace!

but neither can anyone else

every person we come into contact with has the same grace available to them

they do not have to become like us first

as if that is something to be

that is why Paul says to imitate him as he imitates Christ

1 Corinthians 11:1 (CSB)

1 Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ.

we certainly do not add rules that we ourselves do not keep

We have been freed from the law by the grace God offers, so are all who come to faith in Jesus

The Gospel Offers Eternal Grace to All

Galatians 2:15–21 (CSB)

15 We are Jews by birth and not “Gentile sinners,”

16 and yet because we know that a person is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we ourselves have believed in Christ Jesus. This was so that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will be justified.

17 But if we ourselves are also found to be “sinners” while seeking to be justified by Christ, is Christ then a promoter of sin? Absolutely not!

18 If I rebuild those things that I tore down, I show myself to 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 comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.

Paul reminds Peter that the Gentiles are justified the same way as the Jewish people are justified - by faith

Justified - made righteous, declared righteous or sinless

how - imputation of of the righteousness of Jesus while our sins are imputed onto him

by faith in Jesus Christ

Faith - confidence or reliance on someone

we have faith, confidence or rely that Jesus has become unrighteous so that we can become righteous

More than Jesus died on the cross

we died as well… our sinful spirit and we are a new creation in Christ

I have been crucified with Christ, it is not longer I who lives but Christ in me

this too is not because of something that I have done

but because of the faith that I have in Him

This is the way to salvation

we add nothing else to it

it is not faith plus…

it is not because God knew you would

there is not anything in us that God said I need that one so that I can do

Romans says, “Jacob I loved and Esau I hated.”

If we say that there is anything else that is needed, then we say Jesus died for nothing

If you could have to pay some, then Jesus did not pay it all

Discussion Questions

Exalting Jesus in Galatians Reflect and Discuss

1. If someone is a good employee, an unselfish friend, and an advocate for the poor, should we consider that person a Christian? Explain.

2. How would you counsel someone who claimed to believe in justification by faith but showed no signs of love for Christ?

3. Briefly explain the doctrine of justification by faith in terms that an unbeliever with no Bible knowledge could understand.

4. Why does it rob God of glory when we add to faith other requirements for justification? How do people attempt to justify themselves today?

5. Why is it so significant that we view justification as a once-for-all declaration and not a process?

6. How is the justification of a sinner different from having one’s sins ignored or swept under the rug?

7. Faith is clearly crucial for our justification, but what role does it play in our lives after that point?

8. What’s the potential danger in the following statement: Jesus has done so much for me, so now I must work for Him?

9. How should the reality of Christ’s indwelling presence affect your everyday life?

10. Luther referred to justification by faith as the doctrine on which the church stands or falls. Why does this doctrine affect everything about the church’s life and witness?