Reading: Galatians 2:1-21

Questions for the Verses 2:2 ~ To whom did Paul previously preach the gospel? 2:1 ~ What city did he preach in after that? 2:4 ~ What danger did the false brethren bring to the church in Jerusalem? 2:5 ~ Did Paul give in to the false teachers? 2:7 ~ What group of people did Peter preach to? What group did Paul preach to? 2:12 ~ Why did Peter stop eating with Gentile Christians? 2:16 ~ What does not justify a man? What does justify a man? 2:19 ~ What is the result of being “dead to the law”? 2:20 ~ What is the source of the Christian’s new life?

Understanding the Word Paul mentions “circumcision” and “uncircumcision” several times in this chapter, but what do those words mean? “Circumcision” refers to a special command that God gave to the Jews in the Old Testament – obedience set them apart as God’s chosen nation (Genesis 17:9-10). Paul uses the word “circumcision” to refer to Jewish believers. “Uncircumcision,” by contrast, refers to Gentiles (people of any other race than Jewish). The words “Jew” and “Gentile” also appear throughout this chapter. Paul had to deal face-to-face with a conflict between the two groups in the church. After spending time preaching to Gentiles, Paul went to Jerusalem. While he was there, false teachers started demanding that Titus (a Greek man serving with Paul) be circumcised; in other words, they wanted to force a Gentile believer to submit to Jewish custom and tradition. Paul strongly withstood this pressure, knowing that it would lead to bondage. The leaders in the Jerusalem church understood that Paul was God’s special missionary to Gentiles (Acts 9:15) and they gladly supported him in his gospel preaching. Unfortunately, the story doesn’t stop there. Peter (whose ministry was primarily to Jews) failed to stand up to the pressure from the false teachers. He normally enjoyed fellowship with Gentile Christians, but when some Jewish Christians came to visit, Peter spent time with them and abandoned the Gentiles. Paul actually had to stand up and confront Peter in front of everyone! What made this error so important? At the heart of the circumcision vs. uncircumcision conflict, the truth of the gospel was at stake. Beginning in verse 16, Paul explains that requiring people to make external changes (like circumcision) doesn’t save them. When he writes about being “justified,” he is talking about salvation: God takes away a man’s sin and gives him Jesus Christ’s righteousness instead. “This trade isn’t the result of law-keeping or good works,” Paul says, “It is by faith – believing in Jesus Christ.” This is key to understanding the “purity of the gospel” that chapter 1 presents. The conflict wasn’t just ethnic (Jews and Gentiles); it was really a theological struggle between “what I can do” (works of the Law) and “what Christ already did” (justification by faith). Some Christians were worried that if Paul preached that salvation was not based on obeying the Law and doing good works, people might think that sin was acceptable! Paul’s answer to that accusation is powerful: “May it never be! On the contrary, if I preached that obeying the Old Testament Law was necessary for salvation, I would be the sinner!” In verse 20, he brings the matter to the balanced conclusion: salvation is by faith (not by works of the Law) and it results in good works (Christ living in me).

Key Verse: Galatians 2:20
Applying the Word Paul does not turn his back on standards of right living and obedience, but he does strongly teach that external rules are worthless apart from the enabling life of Christ. If you are trying to be a successful Christian in your own strength, you are on the wrong path. Examine your heart and life: first ask yourself if the things that you do are obedient to God, then look closely at your motive and your strength. If your motive is people-pleasing or your strength is your own effort and will-power, your heart needs to change. Realize that Christ living in you is the only means to right living and do right by faith, not self-strength. Throughout your life, you’ll meet other Christians who are different from you: some will have higher standards than you, some will seem to have more freedom. How should you react to these people? Galatians 2 warns us about some wrong reactions. When you meet people who live by stricter rules than you, don’t be hypocritically pious in order to impress them. Continue to live in the Christ-filled obedience that God’s Word teaches you. And if you meet Christians whose lifestyle is less strict than yours, do not condemn them or demand that they be like you. Again, continue to live a Christ-filled life and love them. For Paul’s long explanation of getting along with Christians who act differently, read I Corinthians 8-10.

Questions for Your Heart

• If you have been saved, your life should be characterized by obedience to God. What areas in your life display disobedience to God?
• If salvation is not through human effort, should the obedience of a Christian be merely human effort?
• Is right living based on external rules? If not, what is it based on?
• Who lives in you to enable you to live a life of faith?
• Think about Paul’s rebuke of the false teachers: is it right to demand that all other Christians have the same external appearance and standards as you?
• Think about Paul’s rebuke to Peter: is it right to act more spiritual in order to impress people?