The Fear of Man - Gospel Freedom in Galatians - October 29 Readings: Galatians 2:11-14

 

 

Gospel Freedom in Galatians  

Background: What was the key issue in the early church? Race. Culture. Issues that are still with us today. The church at its inception on Pentecost was essentially 100% Jewish and the Apostles and the church in Jerusalem seemed content to keep it that way. Then God called a Pharisee named Saul to salvation and set him aside as an Apostle to the Gentiles. Over the next 30 years, the church became primarily Gentile with a Jewish minority, and many Jews fought it. 

Galatians was Paul's first letter, written at the end of his first missionary journey when Gentiles began to come to Christ in droves. A group, sometimes called Judaizers and sometimes the circumcision party, opposed the inclusion of Gentiles in the church. If they were to be part of the church, they needed to become Jewish - follow the law and Jewish rituals. Paul fought them tooth and nail his entire ministry. The gospel was for the whole world. 

Galatians is a powerful argument for a gospel free from the works of the law. 

As often as time allows, the reader is encouraged to read the entire book - it will not take more than a few minutes. Each day we will work our way through the book passage by passage. 

Today's Reading:  Galatians 1-6  Focus Passage - Galatians 2:11-14

But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he stood condemned. 12 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. 13 Then the rest of the Jews joined his hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 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?”

Through the Bible Readings: Ezekiel 3-4, 1 Timothy 2, Psalm 119:73–80, Proverbs26:15–16 

If you wish to read through the Bible in a year, follow these readings. 

Devotional: The Fear of Man    

When I look back on my life, I see one stumbling block that has plagued me, perhaps more than any other. We have spent a lot of time discussing the issue that the book of Galatians was written to address, the gospel, and the standing of Jews and Gentiles, and as we spend the next few weeks working through this book, we will address it again and again. Today, let's look at this ugly incident in Peter's life. He is a great man of God, the leader in the church of Jerusalem. But here, Cephas (Peter is Greek, Cephas is Aramaic - both mean "Rock"), crumbles before the opinions of the other Jewish Christians. He knew better, but still, he acted to please people and not God. 

It is a good thing to treat people with respect and to be kind, but there comes a point at which we must please God and not people. Too often, when that point comes, we will sacrifice pleasing God to keep this world happy. We will sacrifice truths of God's word, what is right and what is wrong, to march in line with what the world holds at truths. We call it peer-pressure or any number of other names. It is one of our greatest temptations. 

I can look back on many times in my ministry when I knew what was right and what was wrong, but I didn't want people to be angry at me, so I didn't speak up as I should. Holding your tongue at these times never brings the blessing of God. 

Yes, there are believers who are abrasive, who seem to enjoy confrontation. There are bullies who push their opinions on others, but here we see Paul standing for gospel truth even against a powerful man like Peter. He confronted him on his hypocrisy and Peter admitted he was in the wrong (tomorrow's reading). 

Proverbs tells us that the fear of man is a snare. It traps us on the path of folly, taking us away from the things of God. May we be so committed to God that we are willing to stand for truth and righteousness (not our own opinions, but God's gospel truth!) even at the risk of angering others. We must please God first and always. 

Father, may I live to please you even if pleasing you offends others. 

Think and Pray:

Do you live under the fear of offending others? 

Do you live to please God above all else?