Galatians # 4a Gal 2-10 thru 2-21
We’re going to continue on the book of GALATIANS. This book was not sent to any 1 church, but it was sent to mainly 4 churches in 4 cities, in the Providence of Galatia.
I) Last time we said that Paul was having a problem with a group of men call LEGALISTIC JUDAIZERS. These LEGALISTIC JUDAIZERS went into the churches after Paul left the church and brought in false teaching.
A) Their teaching said that after you received Jesus by faith, you have to keep the OT law to stay save or to be more spiritual.
1) Many times we do the same thing today. We think that we have to keep a set of rules and regulation to keep our salvation.
(a) Paul said in (Ephesians 2:8-9) “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.” KJV
(b) Our salvation is only based on faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
(i) Now because we are save, we want to keep the Lord’s commandments.
(ii) Jesus said in (John 14:21) “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” KJV
(iii) Because we love the Lord Jesus Christ we will keep His commandments, but salvation is only based on faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
B) In (GAL 1:10–24) Paul gives his Apostolic Credentials.
1) Those same LEGALISTIC JUDAIZERS were saying that Paul was not a true Apostle.
2) In the 1st 10 Vs of Chapter 2 talks about how the other Apostles were in agreement with him.
(a) (Galatians 2:9) Says, “And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.” KJV
(i) The “Right hands of fellowship” meant “A solemn vow of friendship and partnership.”
(ii) In other words, Paul is saying that Peter, James and John were in agreement him.
(iii) This was to oppose what the LEGALISTIC JUDAIZERS were saying.
(b) They said that the other Christian leaders were not with Paul, and that his teaching was wrong.
(i) But Paul clearly told the churches at Galatia that the Pillars of the Christian church were with him.
II) In these next passages, Paul talks about a problem that he had with Peter.
A) GAL 2:11-13
1) Let me read this to you from the NIV translation.
(a) (Galatians 2:11-13) “When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. (12) Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. (13) The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.” NIV
(b) When Peter came to Antioch, he was eating with the Gentiles on a regular basis, but when he saw some of the Jewish Christians who came from the Jerusalem church, Peter withdrew himself from the Gentiles.
(i) Peter’s example caused a division in the church.
(ii) The rest of the Jews in the church at Antioch joined Peter’s HYPOCRISY.
(c) Peter was sitting with the Gentiles, eating with them, probably eating some pork chops. (Pork was forbidden to the Jews under the OT.)
(i) Peter had no problem with this probably because of the vision that he had at the house of Simon the tanner. (See ACTS 10:9-15)
2) But when some of the Jewish Christians came, being sent from James (the pastor of the Jerusalem church), they were stocked at Peter’s conduct.
(a) Peter withdrew himself and many of the Jews follow him.
(i) Peter did not pull away from the Gentiles because of any change in doctrine, but he was afraid that the other Jews might look down upon him.
(b) Because of this, Paul rebukes Peter openly.
B) GAL 2:14-21
1) In (V 14) Paul’s rebuke started off like this, “Peter, If you, who are a Jew, do not live like a Jew but like a Gentile, why on earth do you try to make Gentiles live like Jews?”
(a) Peter’s response is not recorded. He stood condemned.
2) (V 16) is probably 1 of the most important Vs in the book.
(a) In this V when we read the word “Justified” it come from a legal term meaning “to declare righteous.”
(b) Paul is saying a man is not made righteous by observing the Law, righteousness only come by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
(i) Paul emphasizes it again at the end of (V 16) “No one will be declared righteous by the works of the law.”
(ii) No one could keep the LAW in its entirety.
(iii) All the Law could do was to reveal to us that we couldn’t keep the law and that we are sinners and we need a Saviour.
3) In (GAL 2:20) Paul says, “I am crucified with Christ.”
(a) This is in the past tense, and should read “I have been crucified.”
(i) Jesus is no longer on the cross, and neither are we.
(b) Paul said, “I was crucified with Christ nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” KJV
(i) When Jesus was raised from the dead, we too have been raised from the dead.
(ii) We don’t have to live this life like we’re defeated and still on the cross.
(c) ROM 6:1-6;11
(i) Our old has been crucified and is now dead. We are dead to sin.
(ii) You don’t want to go back and dig up that old man. That old man is sin and death.
(iii) We have died to sin and now we are alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
4) Turn with me to EPH 2:5-6
(a) We have been raised with the Lord, made spiritually alive unto God, and can now walk in the newness of life.
(b) Sin brings defeat, but Righteous, which means, “Right Standing with God”, brings the blessings of God and opens the doors for the promises of God.
(i) (2 Corinthians 5:21) Says, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” KJV
(ii) We have taken on God’s righteousness.
(iii) Don’t go back to that OLD MAN and his ways of sin.
(c) Back in (EPH 2:6) He said that we have been made to sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ.
(i) That’s a place of victory.
(d) 1 Corinthians 15:57
(i) We now have victory over SIN and Spiritual DEATH, which open the doors for us to walk in total Victory in this life.
(a) Sure, we’re going to have battles, but we don’t have to be defeated.
(ii) (2 Corinthians 2:14) Says, “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.” KJV
(iii) God doesn’t want us to have a life that is in defeat, but He wants us to have the very best.
(e) Jesus said in (John 10:10) “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” KJV
(i) The Lord wants us to have the ABUNDANT life, but it doesn’t come by keeping the OT law.
(ii) The OT law is dead. Man made Rules and Regulations do not produce life and victory.
(f) The Life and Victory that we have been promised only comes by Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, by walking with Him, and by keeping His Word and commandments.
(i) Paul said in (GAL 2:21) That if we had to go back and keep the Law to obtain righteous, then Christ died in vain.
(ii) I’m going to end with (Galatians 5:1,13) “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. (13) For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.” KJV
Galatians#4a.docx
Thursday 2/27/97