Paul Defends His Faith – Galatians 2

Joy: You’re listening to the Lifting Her Voice podcast, Episode #164.  Today we’ll read Galatians chapter 2 together:  Paul defends his faith in Jerusalem and calls Peter out on his hypocrisy.

Welcome to the Lifting Her Voice podcast.  I’m your host, Joy Miller, and I invite you to grab your Bible and join me as we simply read God’s word together.  Some things require discipline and sometimes that’s just not easy to muster by yourself, no matter how badly you want to do it or how much you know you should.  It’s just easier to do it with a friend.  So refill your coffee or tea, get comfortable in your favorite chair and follow along as I read aloud.  I’m so glad you’re here!

Welcome

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Galatians Chapter 2

Paul Defends His Gospel at Jerusalem

Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also. 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. But not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. 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. 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.

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. On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised, just as Peter was for the circumcised, since the one at work in Peter for an apostleship to the circumcised was also at work in me for the Gentiles. 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. They asked only that we would remember the poor, which I had made every effort to do.

Freedom from the Law

But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he stood condemned. 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. Then the rest of the Jews joined his hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 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?”

We are Jews by birth and not “Gentile sinners,” 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. 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! If I rebuild those things that I tore down, I show myself to be a lawbreaker. For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live for God.

Live by Faith

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. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.

Closing Thoughts

Okay, it’s been a whole 24 hours so, if you’re like me, we need to go back and re-read that last verse of the previous chapter to fill in the last 14 years.  It might be easiest to go back to that Paul Timelineat blueletterbible.com but we know from piecing together what we’ve read in the last four chapters that Paul was converted on the road to Damascus and then spent three years in training for apostleship in Arabia; not with other apostles but with the Lord.  

Then he went to Jerusalem and met with the other apostles, they sent him out, and now 14 years after his conversion, he’s made another trip to Jerusalem.  The details are sketchy, but the point is they all decided that Paul and his team had been called to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles and James, John, & Peter to the Jews.  It was all good until Antioch, where Paul confronts Peter about what he saw as hypocrisy.  

Peter apparently ate regularly with the Gentiles until a group of Jews came from James.  Peter then separated himself from the Gentiles because he feared the condemnation from those who insisted that salvation came through circumcision.  

Paul Calls Peter Out

Paul called Peter out and basically asked Peter how he could expect Gentiles to live like Jews – in other words, according to the law – when even Peter couldn’t do it.  As the text says, they both knew that a person is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ.  

Paul goes on to explain that through the law, he had died to the law.  He then goes on to pen one of the most poignant and beautiful word pictures of our position with and through and because of Christ’s atoning death on the cross.  Let’s pray.

Prayer

Father God, thank You that righteousness does not come through the law.  We see in this passage how pillars of the faith like Peter and Barnabas could so easily slip back into those old beliefs.  Thank You that Christ’s death means life for us.  Thank You that my old life has been crucified with Christ and that I quite literally no longer live, but it is Christ living in me.  Help each of us to live everyday by faith in Jesus so that others might know the wonderful truth of his saving grace.  Amen.

Thank you for joining me here today.  I pray God will grow in you what has been planted and watered here.  In this time of unprecedented struggle worldwide, we can look to God for guidance and comfort.  Be sensitive to those in your circle of influence who need a word of encouragement and invite them to join us.  If you like this show, it would be great if you give it a five-star review.  Don’t forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  See you right here tomorrow.  Be well!

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible(r), Copyright (c) 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible(r) and CSB(r) are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.