Galatians 2:11-14

It is a bigger deal than you realize.

How many of you like movies?

What is your favorite movie?

What is the underlying worldview or thought of the movie?

You see every movie, TV show, news article, etc. has an underlying world view or teaching. It is impossible not to. The writer or director can’t help but interject how they see the world or what they find to be important.

The same is true in how we interact with others and the decisions we make. We can’t help but to teach others things about us and our worldview through those actions. Even if those actions don’t line up with what we really believe.

This is especially true when we are in positions of leadership or influence. I have to be careful that the way I act or talk does not influence you guys negatively. If I teach something that is not biblical (even by accident) you may believe it and it impact your view of God and what it means to be a christian for the rest of your lives.

To those who know you are a Christian they are learning what that means by watching you. Sometimes, you may act a way that is contrary to the gospel and it may not seem like such a big deal, but others may be confused and even led astray by your actions.

This is something that was true even for the apostles. Peter was a well known leader in the church and even he fell victim to this mistake and led others in the wrong direction. Until, he was called out by Paul in front of everyone!

Read (Remember Cephas is Peter)

Galatians 2:11–14 ESV

But when Cephas came to Antioch, 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. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that their conduct was not in step 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 force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

So Peter had come to Antioch, possibly to visit with Paul, and when he came he spent time with the gentile believers. We read specifically that he eat with them.

Now in the Jewish tradition of the day it was offensive that he was even associating with Gentiles, much less eating with them. We know that the Jews had dietary regulations that the gentiles did not and it was likely that Peter was not observing those regulations while eating with them. In a sense Peter was not living up to Jewish standards.

This, however, was not really an issue because as a Christian he was no longer required to adhere to the law like he once was. Peter had the freedom in Christ to do these things. So Peter was teaching by his actions that one must not need to be under the law to be a Christian and he was right in doing so. Up to this point everything is fine.

But then “certain men came from James” and Peter’s actions changed. There is a good chance that these men where Jewish Christians and there presence may have been what changed Peter’s actions or it could have been some message that came from James that made him go a different direction. Either way Paul saw the change in Peter’s actions and he saw the danger in the message presented through those actions.

Peter may have thought that the change in his behavior was not a big deal. Maybe he felt like it didn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things. But Paul say clearly the message that was being sent.

To those around him Peter’s actions were seen as supporting that only those who practiced Jewish law (the circumcised) were truly Christian. Or at least that the gentile Christians we sub-par Christians. Now I do not think Peter meant to send that message and I don’t think he truly believed that message but it is what his actions were teaching.

This is exactly what Paul is dealing with when it comes to the church in Galatia. Peter had fallen trap to teaching through his actions the vary distorted gospel Paul was fighting. His actions seemed like such a confirmation of this distorted gospel that others were led astray.

Now what does this have to do with us?

What Paul is about to make crystal clear is that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. We must understand that we are saved and sustained through faith and not by anything you or I have done.

Maybe this is something you do not understand yet. Maybe you still feel like you must follow a set of rules to be saved. or maybe you understand that you are saved by grace alone but your actions are of someone trying to earn salvation. What we need to understand is that we can do nothing to earn our salvation and that when we live contrary to that others will get confused and led astray.

In other words if you truly believe you are saved by Christ’s work and not by your own then stop trying to earn salvation. Stop trying to prove to God how good of a person you are and live in His grace and mercy.

In the same thought stop trying to convince everyone else that they have to reach some standard of conduct to be saved. Don’t let your actions or your words teach someone else that they must do this or that before God can accept them.

Make sure your conduct is in step with the truth of the Gospel.

Next week we will begin to really unpack the idea of being justified by faith.

Life Group Questions:

Do you have trouble truly believing that you do not have to “prove yourself” before God can love you?

Why do you think it is so important to understand that we are not saved by anything we do?

Do you think your actions agree with your belief on this matter?

Peter was a leader in the church and had lots of influence. Do you believe that your actions and words influence anyone? If so, who?

If we are not saved by anything we do, do you think our actions still have importance and why?