This study covers Galatians 2:1-10:
NLT: “Then fourteen years later I went back to Jerusalem again, this time with Barnabas; and Titus came along, too. 2 I went there because God revealed to me that I should go. While I was there I met privately with those considered to be leaders of the church and shared with them the message I had been preaching to the Gentiles. I wanted to make sure that we were in agreement, for fear that all my efforts had been wasted and I was running the race for nothing. 3 And they supported me and did not even demand that my companion Titus be circumcised, though he was a Gentile.
“4 Even that question came up only because of some so-called believers there—false ones, really—who were secretly brought in. They sneaked in to spy on us and take away the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. They wanted to enslave us and force us to follow their Jewish regulations. 5 But we refused to give in to them for a single moment. We wanted to preserve the truth of the gospel message for you.
“6 And the leaders of the church had nothing to add to what I was preaching. (By the way, their reputation as great leaders made no difference to me, for God has no favorites.) 7 Instead, they saw that God had given me the responsibility of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as he had given Peter the responsibility of preaching to the Jews. 8 For the same God who worked through Peter as the apostle to the Jews also worked through me as the apostle to the Gentiles.
“9 In fact, James, Peter, and John, who were known as pillars of the church, recognized the gift God had given me, and they accepted Barnabas and me as their co-workers. They encouraged us to keep preaching to the Gentiles, while they continued their work with the Jews. 10 Their only suggestion was that we keep on helping the poor, which I have always been eager to do.”
NASB: “Then after an interval of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also. 2 It was because of a revelation that I went up; and I submitted to them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but I did so in private to those who were of reputation, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain. 3 But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 4 But it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage. 5 But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.
“6 But from those who were of high reputation (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—well, those who were of reputation contributed nothing to me. 7 But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised 8 (for He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles), 9 and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 They only asked us to remember the poor—the very thing I also was eager to do.”
The second chapter of the letter continues with Paul telling about his past. This is where he starts to show the Galatians the problem that these people were causing with their false teachings. What was happening in Galatia was not the first time that the subject of circumcision had arisen. On one of Paul’s visits to Jerusalem, when he brought the Gentile Titus, it was addressed. Some believe Paul is speaking of the trip mentioned in Acts 15 and others feel he is speaking of Acts 11:27-30. More on this in my next post.
Take note of verse six as it shares a couple important points. I know there are some who try and portray Paul in a negative light and I disagree with them. Here we see that Paul shared with the apostles in Jerusalem what he had been teaching. The apostles were approving and did not tell him to change anything, nor did they add anything to what was being taught. They recognized and approved the ministry God had given Paul.
The other aspect of verse six is how Paul shows that though a person may seem to be important, that it shouldn’t make any difference to us. For me, this goes along with what Paul taught in one of his letters to the believers in Corinth, where he shared how we are all part of the body of Christ and equally needful. (See 1 Corinthians 12:12-27.) Believers in Jesus are all members of the same one body, though we will have differing functions or abilities. The Holy Spirit places us into this one body, gifting us as he desires. The believer who is an apostle cannot look down on the believer who is an encourager. The believer who helps others is not to feel they are anything less because they are not a teacher. I love this area of Corinthians and if believers would get this message deep in their hearts, many things would change.
Paul uses a powerful illustration and shows what adding rules and laws to the gospel would do. Let’s look at verse four again, “Even that question came up only because of some so-called believers there—false ones, really—who were secretly brought in. They sneaked in to spy on us and take away the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. They wanted to enslave us and force us to follow their Jewish regulations.”
First, note that Paul calls them false believers. If you will recall back in chapter one, he shares that those who teach a different gospel pervert the gospel of Christ and are, in actuality, teaching a different gospel that is not any good news. If the gospel is distorted, it is no longer true, and those teaching it are not real believers in the true gospel message as taught by the apostles. This is strong stuff.
Second, these false believers had taken note of the liberty and freedom that Christians had. They infiltrated the group in Jerusalem, with the desire to bring them into bondage to the law and rules. Galatians 4:17 shares how in the instance with the Galatians, these people wanted to win them over, but their purpose was not for good. They had much zeal, but wanted to build their own following. They were not happy with people being free in Christ Jesus.
Third, these false teachers wanted to enslave believers. No wonder the Galatians had lost their joy (you will see this in chapter 4). They changed from freedom in Christ to being in slavery. This is a powerful illustration. Can you relate to that state and feeling?
Whether it is forcing people to follow Jewish regulations or any other list of rules, it not only perverts the gospel, but it brings one into slavery. Though they tried, these false believers did not persuade Paul or the other apostles to change and Titus was not circumcised.
In verse five Paul emphasizes, “But we refused to give in to them for a single moment. We wanted to preserve the truth of the gospel message for you.” If we want to preserve the gospel message, we must not add to it.
Can we see why Paul pronounced a curse upon those who would pervert and distort the gospel? If the gospel message is distorted, it is no longer good news. It is no gospel at all. There is either the one gospel or no gospel as it cannot be changed and yet be good news. The gospel brings freedom in Christ Jesus. Changing the gospel brings bondage and slavery.
Slavery. That is what your faith will turn into if you make the change from following God by faith to trying to make yourself righteous by any works.
In Romans, Paul shared that we did not receive a spirit that makes us a slave again to fear…but that we received the Spirit of Sonship. (Romans 8:15) Following a list of rules brings with it fear. It places the emphasis on your deeds and actions.
And that is what rule following is all about- YOU. The focus shifts from Christ in you to what YOU do and don’t do. You turn from being justified by faith in Jesus to seeking to be justified by your actions. No matter how much you try and how many rules you follow, not one soul will ever be justified by these deeds.
And, no, this isn’t at all about easy believism or greasy grace. It isn’t about living however you want. It is about a changed heart. A heart where God writes his laws inside us, where it isn’t about following a list of rules, but doing what we do because we love God and wish to please him.
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