No Return to the Law

Galatians 2:11–21 NKJV

Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews? 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 faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. “But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not! For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which 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 set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

Introduction:

Introduction:

Attention Getting: A few of years ago (2014), Lowe's produced a commercial that shows a proud do-it-yourselfer installing a new ceiling fan in his family's living room. Take a look (show Lowe’s Commercial, Ceiling Fan, 2014)

Doing-it-yourself in home improvement doesn’t always work so well. So it is when you try to do-it-yourself in personal improvement. All of us are in desperate need of help when it comes to overcoming those sinful habits and attitudes that keep us in bondage. And to try to continue doing it yourself only leads to further frustration and disaster.

Textual Segment:

Paul in his letter to the churches in Galatia, has been addressing the issue of the Judiazers. They taught you had to become Jewish first and then you could repent and become a Christian. This is another form of do it yourself religion.

Even though the apostles (specifically Peter and John) had agree that one is saved by grace through faith alone without taking any other steps first, Peter begins to separate from Gentile believers when Judaizers show up in Antioch. Paul tells us of that confrontation and explains again that the Law saves no one.

Relational Segment:

Conflict is never easy, but we must stand firmly for the truth.

I. The Hypocrisy of Peter

Galatians 2:11–13 NKJV

Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.

Explanation: Peter acted in hypcrisy:

Peter made a change:

he feared those who belonged to the group of Jewish believers in Jesus.

In the first century you had Jewish believers in Jesus – “the circumcision party” – and Gentile believers in Jesus – those who were not circumcised.He ate with Gentiles.

Peter had agreed with Paul, and the Jerusalem council, that Gentiles do not have to become Jewish before or after being saved.

There was nothing wrong with this!

What happens to Peter in ?

What does God say in

What was the final outcome of the visit to Cornelius in Acts 10:44-48?

Men came from James to Antioch

Jewish believers

Possibly Judiazers

1 thing is clear- they kept the Jewish traditions and a degree of separation between them and Gentile believers.

Peter separated himself from the gentile believers.

separate tables possibly

separate customs (went back to Jewish tradition)

Even Barnabas joined him in hypocrisy

Application:

Have you ever known someone who acts differently with different groups of people? Have you ever done so?

This is were do it yourself religion leads. Double standards an trying to look good in someone else’s eyes.

II. The Confrontation

Galatians 2:14–16 NKJV

But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews? 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 faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

Galatians 2:14-

Explanation: Paul confronts Peter publically

A public sin require a public response.

Normally, one would correct an erring brother or sister in private, but this was a public sin an had to be addressed publically.

Paul’s argument:

Peter had lived as a gentile.

He had eaten with them and been one with them.

Again, this was as it should be!

Why was he now requiring them to live as Jews?

By acting like the Judiazers, he was implying levels of believers and leaving the Gentiles out.

How does justification come according to ?

Application:

We must guard against anything which will come in and separate the believers.

Chuck Swindoll once put it this way:

Believe as I believe – no more, no less;

That I am right (and no one else) confess.

Feel as I feel, think only as I think;

Eat what I eat, and drink but what I drink.

Look as I look, do always as I do;

And then – and only then – I’ll fellowship with you. (Chuck Swindoll, Seasons of Life¸ p.286)

That is wrong!

Jesus makes us 1, not fractures and divides us.

What does say about our unity?

III. Dead to the Law Alive to God

Galatians 2:17–21 NKJV

“But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not! For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which 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 set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

Galatians 2:

Explanation:

Paul moves to the heart of his argument.

The theology behind the issue which makes it absurd to think Christians had to keep Jewish traditions.

Galatians 2:17–18 NKJV

“But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not! For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

We can’t work to earn justification.

That is why Paul is so adamant on this issue.

Trying to earn special standing with God by becoming a Jew is pointless!

Dead to the Law alive to God

Galatians 2:19 NKJV

For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God.

Galatians 2:

Dead to the law.

Dead to the law.

Alive to God

Galatians 2:20 NKJV

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

What does it mean to be crucified with Christ?

What does it mean that Christ now lives in us?

Conclusion:

Paul confronted Peter when his hypocrisy hurt the cause of Christ.

He went on to explain that we have died to the Law so that we might be alive to God.

Conflict Caused