If you'd like to turn with me now to Galatians chapter 2, we'll be reading from verses 11 to 21. That's Galatians chapter 2, verses 11 to 21. But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
For before that certain came from James. He did eat with the Gentiles, but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him, insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.
But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them, before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? We, who are Jews by nature, are not sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith, but by the faith of Jesus Christ. Even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law. For by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
But if while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid! For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.
And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God, for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. As I mentioned earlier in the service, keeping the purity of the church is so important.
We are to stand on the word of God, we are not to fall away from what the scripture teaches. For where a church stumbles and falls from orthodoxy, then there will be a failure to preach the weight of the law that brings about a contrite and broken spirit, and also a false gospel will be preached which has no power to save the sinner. Throughout history, churches have departed from the truth.
At times there have been churches founded on the rock that is Christ, holding fast to the word of God, doctrinally sound, and that doctrine being lived out in the life of the church. These were healthy churches, yet now those churches have disappeared. Or even worse, they follow after another gospel.
Others may look on the outside to be doctrinally sound, yet the practise is far from that. They pay lip service to the gospel, but chase after another. And as I mentioned earlier, a church must believe, confess, and act rightly, or they will stray from the truth.
Inch by inch, they will change direction, and they will walk away from the word of God. Like a disease that slowly ravages the body, the church becomes sicker and sicker, not even recognising that they are ill. And then sooner or later, the church will die.
They will die either numerically or spiritually, because they have departed from believing the truth, confessing the truth, or acting in accordance with the truth. And Paul is concerned that this is what will be happening to the churches in Galatia here, in the verses we have read. In chapter 1, Paul spoke about how they are slowly chasing after another gospel.
And Paul is determined, by the grace of God, that they will return to the true gospel. And as we see here, certain things happen that cause people to stumble. Peter acted in a manner that was not in accordance with the gospel that he preached.
And Paul reminds the churches here of how he corrected Paul, who was in need of correction. He reminds them of why correction is required when error is present. And then Paul reminds the church that true correction always includes the gospel.
So, in verse 11, we read, The method of correction here was face-to-face correction. And this was also done in public, as we see in the details in verse 14. This is a simple thing to understand.
Face-to-face. Paul corrected Peter directly to Peter. Paul's own issue.
Not in Peter's theology, because we know from Acts that Peter preached the true gospel. But what Peter was doing was not living correctly in light of the gospel that he believed and proclaimed. Now, there is a quote, allegedly by Francis of Assisi, which says, That is nonsense.
The gospel needs proclaiming. No one can know the gospel by our actions. However, if Peter preaches the true gospel, but behaves in a manner that is not worthy of the gospel, in a manner that divides the church and does away with the work of the gospel, then, at best, this is confusing to the believers.
And, at worst, it will lead people astray and cause division in the church. Therefore, our actions are important. Now, what I don't want you to take away from this sermon is that every correction needs to be public.
There are some, even of the faith in the Christian world, that are proud and enjoy condemning others. Jesus speaks about this in Matthew 7, verses 3 to 5. Jesus is saying, look, we must check ourselves, examine ourselves. What are our motives for correction? If we are puffed up in pride and we spend the majority of our time finding fault with other Christians, and we spend more time doing that than talking about Christ, then our correction will more than likely lack Christ and the gospel.
It will be all condemnation and no proclamation. All law, no gospel. All pride, and no Christ.
The emphasis will be on the error, and there will be no mention of salvation. And then these people will go around, not with their eyes on heaven, but on this world, raging and roaring, knocking people over with that beam that is in their eye. But Paul isn't like this.
Paul isn't doing this. He's being very careful. He's wise with his words to Peter, and he's wise with the people he corrects.
Paul has a rod for the sheep and a bullet for the wolves. Paul makes a distinction between sheep and wolves. In verse 4, Paul had spoken about false brethren coming in, in Jerusalem.
He recognised them as such because they didn't repent, and they sought to preach a false gospel and to bring believers under bondage. So Paul had a bullet for them. Not a literal bullet, but a bullet that was condemning them and removing them from the church.
You see, a wolf will be sneaky. A wolf will not be corrected. Again, they may give lip service where needed, but will bring in a gospel of bondage.
Again, wisdom is needed. Clarity is needed. Paul heard their gospel, opposed it.
When they failed to deny what they were teaching, he rejected them as brothers. But in the case of Peter, again, Paul deals with him differently. He endeavoured to correct him and did not withstand him as an enemy of the gospel, but as a brother in Christ.
And we'll see how he does that shortly. But first, let's look at the reason why Paul corrected Peter, why there was a need for a face-to-face correction in public. Verses 12 to 13.
For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles, but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him, insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. As verse 11 states, Peter was to be blamed.
Peter was at fault for causing division in the church. He didn't do this by believing or proclaiming another gospel, but as I've said before, by acting in a manner that was not in line with the gospel of Christ. Peter was happily eating with the Gentiles.
He would eat the food that they ate. Peter knew that the food was not unclean of itself, and that every creature was good to eat and should be received with thanksgiving. He was using his Christian liberty in a correct way.
And in doing this, Peter was showing that the ceremonial law had been abolished. Peter was eating with the Gentiles in the knowledge that Jesus had saved these people. The gospel had been preached.
There was no longer Jew, there was no longer Gentile, but followers of Christ. Here in Antioch, there was a people united by their faith in Christ. One church, one Lord, one faith, one baptism.
They believed that Christ had cleansed them from unrighteousness. He had atoned for their sins. He had suffered and died for their iniquities.
He had imputed his righteousness to them, clothed them in the robes of his righteousness. They were no longer dead in trespasses and sins. They were walking in newness of life.
No longer Jew, no longer Gentile, but saints together. Brothers and sisters in Christ. They believed this, they confessed this, and they lived this.
It was a wonderful picture of the church in action. And part of that was they were eating together in unity. But back to Peter.
He believed this and he was living this until some Jewish men came from James. Peter, out of fear, withdrew from eating with Gentile converts. So here is a pillar of the church who at Pentecost preached to the masses, declaring Christ and him crucified.
And now he was causing division. His actions were dividing the church. It created a stumbling block too for other Jewish converts, even Barnabas.
You see, wolves come into the church to draw people away from the gospel. And that's what these men of the circumcision came to do. But weak Christians can be a stumbling block to others and cause division.
You see, here we have division and Christians stumbling because Peter feared the Jews and separated himself from Gentile Christians and Barnabas went with it too. Peter caused Barnabas to stumble. So Paul cannot allow this to carry on.
A gospel that had been believed and preached was now being divided. The gospel that had saved was being diminished by the actions of Peter and he was separating the church. If Paul was to allow this, it would only cause further division.
It was such a public act, it required a public rebuke. Paul looked at what was happening and saw all the dangers of what was to come. Peter had failed to act in accordance with the gospel.
He had failed to correct these men and send them away. Paul writes that they walked not rightly according to the truth of the gospel. Paul is saying here that the false converts, those of the circumcision, believed not in the gospel but straddled between gospel and works.
They sought to join the law, the law of men and the gospel of Christ and bring them together for salvation. They sought to serve God and Baal, as John Gill puts it. So let's look at how the scripture declares unity between believers, the unity that was being severed by Peter and his actions.
Romans 10-12, For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. And later in Paul's letter to the Galatians, we read in chapter 3, verse 28, There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female, for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. Again, Paul writing to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians states in chapter 2, that all believers are saints.
Unto the church of God which at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, call to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours. See, Paul is of the view that there is no difference between believers. For those who truly trust in Christ, they are all saints, they are all together as one.
But Peter and his actions is attacking what the gospel achieves and gives to the believer. The gospel is at stake here. So let's now look at how Paul corrects Peter.
And we're going to deal with the rest of the passage now. But we'll just remind ourselves of what it says. 14 to 21.
But when I saw that they walked not uprightly, according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compelst thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? We who are Jews by nature are not sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ. Even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law. For by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners. Is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
I do not frustrate the grace of God. For if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. So firstly, in this section now, Paul brings the charge, charged Peter with hypocrisy.
Peter and the other Christians had gone away, and were not walking in accordance with the Gospel. And the charge of hypocrisy really relates to Peter's actions, and how before he would eat with the Gentiles, and after he would depart from them to be with the Jews. You see, Peter was born a Jew, to Jewish parents, brought up in the Jewish religion.
And was obliged to observe the laws given to him as a Jew. Even though, as we know from Scripture, some of those laws were men's laws that had been introduced. The Jews had perverted what God had given them.
Yet, Peter was drawn to keep them. And in particular, we see the Sadducees and the Pharisees corrupting the Word of God. But now as a Christian and saved by faith, he no longer needed to keep the ceremonial laws.
He ate with Gentiles who were uncircumcised, and he fellowshiped with them. He lived in the freedom of Christ, and was one with the Gentiles. But we know that he departed, and that him departing undermined the power of the Gospel.
Peter lacked integrity and honour in this situation. And he turned the wonderful truth of the Gospel, and added works to it. Paul, as part of the correction, points out the sin.
And in verses 15 to 21, brings the wonderful truth that destroys any false view that Jew or Gentile is under the old covenant of works. Paul makes it clear that Peter and the other Jews by birth, who were under the law, know themselves that they can never ever be justified by the keeping of the law. It is only by faith that anyone is justified.
And if we seek to justify ourselves through any work of our own, then there is no justification at all. Our best efforts are as filthy rags. The arrogance we must have if we think we do in fact play a role in our own salvation, or that we add anything to our account.
Paul reminds Peter of a truth that he already knows. A truth that he believes and confesses himself, but is not living out in faith. And Paul then, as part of this correction, he anticipates an argument that will be pitched against him.
The legalistic Jew will say, well, then if we are justified by faith in Christ alone, without the law, then the believer can go on and live how they like. They can sin and not care because they are saved. And that's making Christ a minister of sin.
You see, the Jews want to bring in the law and force obedience to the old covenant as if it is required to prevent sin. Paul rejects this emphatically. He declares, God forbid.
And then in verse 18, points out why believing that the ceremonial laws are needed for justification and to prevent people from sinning is absolutely abhorrent. Paul knows that the gospel has destroyed the ceremonial laws. The curtain has been torn.
The temple where sacrifices were made has been destroyed. No need for these things. Paul then declares that he is dead to the law.
What it means is that he has ceased to observe the law as a means of justification. He's dead to that. The law cannot bring him life.
The law cannot justify him because Paul is incapable of keeping it. He now lives unto God because he is justified by faith in Christ. And he builds further on this, stating that he is dead to the law because he's been crucified with Christ.
And he's now alive in Christ who was raised from the dead. And now Paul lives because Christ lives in him. Christ lives in Paul spiritually because Paul is united to Jesus.
Christ is the vine, Paul the branch. The life from the vine feeds, nourishes and brings life to the branch. And now Paul who lives in this world, walks around in this world, does so in faith.
Focused on Christ his saviour, clinging to him, looking to please his master. The master who gave his life for Paul. The Jews were motivated by the law, seeking to keep it for their justification.
Believing that it was necessary for salvation. Paul states that he's motivated to keep God's commandments, not for justification, but because he is bound to his saviour in love. And whatever works Paul did for Christ was done from a heart of love that had been redeemed by the blood of Christ.
For if righteousness and justification comes through the law, then Christ's death was unnecessary and in vain. As Paul says, let us not frustrate the grace of God with such nonsense. So how does this work for us today? Well, if today you think like the Jews did, if you believe that you are capable of justifying yourself to God by your own works, then salvation is not yours.
If you are a Christian and are slipping in your thoughts, maybe walking in a manner that Peter did, acting in a manner unworthy of your calling, then take note of Paul's correction of Peter. Remember that you are not justified by your works, but by Christ's work. Christian, you are justified.
God has declared you as righteous. 1 Corinthians 6.11 And such were some of you, but you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of God. You are not justified by a moral change.
For even a non-believer can improve their behaviour. It doesn't mean they are acceptable to God. And justification does not depend on anything wrought in you or done by you.
You are justified by faith, which is a gift from God. And it's not by works of the law. Your faith is in Christ and who he is and all that he is, and what he has done on the cross, believing and trusting that it was for you.
Romans 5.9 declares that you, Christian, are justified by his blood and you will be saved from the wrath to come through Christ. The death of Christ satisfied the justice of God. Otherwise you, Christian, would have to pay that measure in full and the wrath of God would have been upon you.
Yet remember, whilst you were a sinner, Christ died for you. His death paid for your sins in full. The Lord's righteousness has been imputed to you and your sins imputed to him.
It is faith in this work of Christ that justifies. So, Christian, rest in Christ and his righteousness. Do not look to works to justify, but do good works from a place of rest, trusting in Christ and seeking to love and honour the one who has saved you.
Seeking to do your Master's will. Look to your calling in Christ. Look to all that he has called you to do.
He has saved you from this world of sin and death and brought you to newness of life. And he has saved you unto the good works that he has in store for you. Remember that you are justified solely by Christ and not works.
And it is for this reason why Paul rebuked Peter publicly. Peter believed and confessed and preached that a believer is to be justified by faith alone in Christ. Yet when he failed to practise it, that, he drew others away.
Christian, do not go down that path. Fix your eyes upon the one who saves, who alone will keep you from falling and will present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. For it is Christ's work that washes you, justifies you, cleanses you and brings you to newness of life.
So what about those who may not believe in the true gospel and are not trusting in Christ? Well, the scriptures teach that you are dead in trespasses and sin. Therefore call on the name of the Lord, for he is good and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy unto all that call upon his name. For in Christ and Christ alone can man be saved.
So we see there from these few chapters, even a man of God, such as Peter, who preached to the masses can fall and slide when fear comes in. He believed and confessed what was good and right but fell away through fear when he was called to act in a right manner. And Paul didn't direct Peter to himself, but to Christ.
So where the things of this world may gather around us, we do not give way and seek to battle against these things in our own strength. But we remember the gospel. We fall at the throne of grace.
Remember that we are justified by Christ and Christ alone for his glory. Amen. Unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.
Amen.
(Transcribed by TurboScribe.ai)