Paul's Epistles - Galatians
Part 5 – Paul
Opposes Peter
Pastor Bruce A.
Shields
House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org
INTRODUCTION
Ø Began looking at Paul’s ministry in 2011 starting with
the beginning of his journey in Christ. The foundation and start of the story
found in the book of Acts.
Ø Examined Acts 4 - 20 in 2012
Ø Finished Acts and selected chapters of Revelation
in 2013
Ø Studied Romans & started I
Corinthians in 2014
Ø Then completed I Corinthians & II
Corinthians in 2015
109 sermons and nearly four years later, I
pray you are beginning to get a grasp on the life and ministry of Paul, as well
as get an understanding from the book of Acts how a church is to operate, and
through Paul’s letters, see how we are to correct the issues we face in a
modern church.
Leaving II Corinthians, we have
begun looking at Galatians.
If you remember, the Galatian church was
founded in a land taken by the Gaul’s, whose historical persona was to embrace
change, even look for it.
Saul met the Lord on the road to Damascus
(Acts
9) and was converted and later the Lord changed Saul of Tarsus to Paul.
(Around Acts 13:9)
Paul did NOT go to Jerusalem to consult
the Apostles, but to Arabia, then back to Damascus. After 3 years, Paul went to
Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas (Peter), staying there 15 days. Then
he went to Syria and Cilicia.
After another 14 years Paul returned to
Jerusalem.
17+ years following Christ before
returning to Jerusalem.
Today we will read how Paul opposed Peter
(Cephas)
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE Galatians 2:11-21
11 When
Cephas {Peter} came to Antioch {Syria}, I opposed him to his face,
because he stood condemned. 12 For 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.
14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas 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?
15 “We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles 16 know that a person is not justified by the works of 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 the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.
17 “But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners, doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! 18 If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker.
19 “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 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. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”
I.
PETER STOPPED
PREACHING SALVATION BY FAITH
a.
Peter reverted to preaching The Law
i. Paul states this
began when certain men sent by James began speaking with peter
ii. Peter
used to eat with Gentiles, and preach Salvation by Grace
iii. After
pressure from these circumcised men, Peter changed his behavior, and teachings.
iv. Peter
“drew back” and separated himself from Gentiles out of fear of conflict with
the circumcised
b.
This is a perfect example of why we do not follow men
i. Psalm 146:3 “Do not put your trust in princes, in human
beings, who cannot save”
ii. Whether
Apostle, bishop, priest, pastor or pope, they are NOT the final word, no matter
how tall their hat, how white their robe, or how much “authority or title” has
been given to them by man, ONLY the Word of God has the final say on all
matters!
c.
The other Jews joined Peter in the Antioch Church
i. Paul, out of fear
of men (the circumcised) created the first “click” in the Antioch church.
1.
Romans 16:17-18a “I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch
out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are
contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such persons do not
serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites…”
2.
I Corinthians
1:10-13 “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but
that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been
reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my
brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I
follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided?
Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?”
3.
Luke 11:17 “But he, knowing their
thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste,
and a divided household falls.”
II.
DIVISION, JUDGMENT,
CORRECTION
a.
Peters actions and teaching caused division in the
church
i. The Jews joined
him, and he even led Barnabas astray
ii. Paul
refers to Peter’s actions as “hypocrisy”, because he rejected “Saved by Grace,
and Faith in Christ” and returned (or reverted) to The Law, which does not
save, but condemn.
iii. Peter
caused a division in the Antioch church, and their first “click”
iv. When
Paul sees this, he rebukes Peter (correcting judgment)
b.
Paul rebuked (corrected) Peter on this matter
i. “When I {Paul} saw they did not believe in line with
the Truth of the Gospel, I said to Peter, “You are a Jew living like a Gentile,
how can you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?”
ii. Paul
properly judged his brother in Christ!
iii. We are
commanded by Christ to judge our brothers and sisters according to the Word
they claim they belong.
iv. We are
NOT supposed to judge the lost, but call them to repentance and Salvation in
Christ Jesus!
v. As far as judging
we can never do, is whether someone is going to heaven or hell, for no one but
God knows the heart of man, and only Christ is worthy to judge on this matter!
c.
The difference between judging and judging
i. Judging Brothers and Sisters (Those who are Saved!)
1. Matthew 18:15-17a “If your brother
or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to
you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two
others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two
or three witnesses.’ 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the
church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would
a pagan (non-believer, unsaved)...”
2. James 5:19-20 “19 My brothers
and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth (fall into sin) and someone should bring that person back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner (a brother or sister who wandered from the Truth) from the error of
their way will save them from death
(second death at judgment day) and cover over a multitude of sins. (They will be forgiven and back
in a right standing with God)”
ii. Not judging Sinners (Unsaved)
1. John 12:47-48 “If anyone hears my words but does not keep
them, I (Jesus) do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 There is a judge for the
one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the
very words I have spoken will condemn them at the
last day.”
a.
A judgment of heaven and hell IS coming,
but on the last day!
b.
Jesus is NOT judging sinners right now,
but trying to save them!
c.
Shouldn’t we be doing the same?
2. Matthew 28:18-19a “Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been
given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
a.
The order on instruction is crucial!
i.
Make disciples
(Salvation)
ii.
Baptize fully
1
Father
(The Law)
2
Son
(Solution to Law)
3
Holy
Spirit (Connection to God)
iii.
Then teach to obey
Christ’s Teaching
d.
Paul rebuked Peter in front of the church
i. Why? Because he was
an Apostle, and his error was before the entire church, therefore the
correction had to be as well.
III.
JUSTIFICATION COMES
BY FAITH ALONE NOT LAW
a.
A person cannot be justified by the works of The Law
i. The Law only shows
the need for a Savior
ii. The Law
only condemns us
iii. Vs 16 “By the works of
the Law, no one will be justified!”
b.
When one fails, is it the fault of Christ?
i. If in seeking to be
Justified in Christ we find ourselves among sinners (in sin), is Christ a
minister of sin? (or rather, is He to blame for us falling into sin?)
1.
God forbid!
2.
Christ has not failed us, it is us who
have failed Christ.
c.
If we revert to old ways, we sin
i. If I build what I
destroy (Paul destroyed the Law by preaching Salvation by Grace, building it
again means returning to it.), THEN I would be a sinner.
ii. To
revert to the Law or ANY state of being before our Salvation by Grace in Jesus
Christ would be a departure from the Truth of the Gospel! Departure from the
Truth is sin!
1. James 5:19-20 “19 My brothers
and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth (fall into sin) and someone should bring that person back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner (a brother or sister who wandered from the Truth) from the error of
their way will save them from death
(second death at judgment day) and cover over a multitude of sins. (They will be forgiven and back
in a right standing with God)”
iii. Through the Law (which
Christ perfectly kept and suffered penalty on our behalf) I am dead to the Law
1.
Though the Law is not dead
a.
Romans 6:3-5 “don’t you know
that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his
death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through
baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead
through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5 For if we have been
united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him
in a resurrection like his.
iv. I might
live for God
1.
Only possible through Christ Jesus, not
the Law
CONCLUSION – I HAVE BEEN CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST
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 (or return to The Law or Works), for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”
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