Blending in or Standing out from the crowd? Galatians 2:11-21

Pause for thought

Paul was not so enamoured by Peter and the other Jewish leaders that he failed to see that Peter and those that followed him were not holding firmly to the truth of the gospel they said they believed. Peter and co found it easier to blend in and only eat with the Jews, which meant betraying his fellow gentile Christian’s. The matter was settled because Paul was not afraid to speak out 2:11-16.

Paul did not allow reputation obscure truth 2:6 We should respect Christian leadership but remember they are not infallible. Remember it was only Paul who saw that they were not following the truth 2:14 Peter was a true leader because he humbly received Paul’s correction.

We can see from Galatians that the temptation to blend in with the crowd is not a new temptation! Let us pray that we shall not be found wanting in our time of testing.

To seek to be certain of salvation through keeping the Law, is to reject the grace of Jesus Christ. “There was no sin that Paul and the other apostles so much detested as the contempt of grace, and the refusal of Christ, and yet there is no sin more common” Martin Luther.

God’s way of salvation depends on Jesus Christ, not on our own efforts. Even knowing this we must be on guard lest we be tempted to see christian service, Offerings, or any efforts of my own a substitute for faith 2:17-18

Memory verse

I am not one of those who treats the grace of God as meaningless. For if we could be saved by keeping the Law, then there was no need for Christ to die. Galatians 2:21 N.L.T.

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