Staying True; Galatians

May the mumbling commence!

Today begins a meander through the shorter epistles of Paul.  We tackle Galatians today – the whole letter.  I chose to focus on a passage from chapter two.  I believe it teaches us about the pitfalls of not staying true to your godly mission.  In the passage, Paul criticizes Cephas (Simon Peter) for changing his lifestyle in accordance to a changing religious climate.  Read the passage below:

When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong.  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.  The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. 

When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? 

We who are Jews by birth and not 'Gentile sinners' know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified. 

If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not!  If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker. 

For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God.  I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I 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 could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" (Verses 11-21)

How often do we change our tune when the tide of opinion turns a different direction?  Peter changed the way he related to the Gentiles around him when representatives from James came to Antioch.  Hmmm…  Antioch was the first place that the followers of Jesus were known as Christians. 

Perhaps, this little bit of conflict helped to shape the identity of Christianity as grown from the fertile soil of Jewish faith but not exactly the same.  Christianity was a young movement beginning to grow more distant with Jewish traditions.

Why did Paul confront Peter so fully?  It was because Peter was a leader.  When Joe Shmoe turns with the tides, there is barely a ripple.  But, when Peter turns with the tides, others follow.  Other Jews joined Peter in his hypocrisy – even another leader, Barnabas, changed.

Paul questioned their change of attitude.  Why this emphasis on the Jewish law?  Why should the Gentile converts to Christianity be forced to be circumcised?  Why should they be burdened with the Law of the Old Testament in its entirety?

Paul said, “No!”  We are not justified by observing the Law – even Gentiles know that.  Justification comes by faith in the grace of God.

So, there is nothing more that we need to do but believe?  Yes and no.  Paul speaks of crucifying his old self.  Christ now lives in the Christian.  Christ living in us means a transformed person.  This transformation does not make us righteous, but there must be an ongoing transformation nonetheless.  It is the byproduct of being saved by faith in the grace of God.

Help us to stand, O God!  Help us to stand and walk in your light – despite the shifting winds of opinion and worldly wisdom. 

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out