Paul continues this letter by reprimanding Peter’s hypocrisy in Antioch. Peter was residing there, preaching and teaching the Gospel to Jews and Gentiles. He was not following Jewish customs. When some Jewish Christians came to town, Peter suddenly began to act like a Jew. This threw the locals into confusion and suddenly there was a divide between the Jewish and Gentile Church.
Paul called Peter out. Paul asked the hard question – “If you who are Jewish live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you can compel the Gentiles to act like the Jews?” It was hypocritical and it was a terrible message for Peter – the one that led the first Gentile to Christ – to be sending. That was and is the Church’s issue for the ages.
Christians have a terrible way of compelling people to meet certain standards and checklists when they have no interest in doing the same. It is the sinful nature within us that drives us to take control of our faith and transform it into a religious exercise rather than yielding to God’s Spirit. That was Paul’s point in this letter.
Galatians 2:20 is one of those verses in the Bible that sums up the truth and the plan for living as a child of God. Paul tells us, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live!” The “me” that walks day to day is dead! The Christ that was crucified and resurrected to new life is alive!
Paul goes on to explain that our lives now are Christ-led. We trust God to lead us by faith and then we follow that lead. When our daily lives begin to look like we are taking control; we immediately yield to God’s leadership and allow Him to transform us into His image and likeness. If we do it any other way, our actions actually render the grace we have been given useless.
Paul’s criticism of Peter becomes a criticism of us. How can we expect others to live a self-imposed religious life when we fail completely at the same. We have to adopt the mindset that we can be content to pray and grow in faith and allow God to lead and transform our lives. It is a simple plan, but certainly not easy. Dying to ourselves is one of the most difficult daily tasks to complete as a human being. We have to adopt Paul’s heart and let the life we live be a life of faith in the Son of God who loves us and gave Himself for us.
God Bless You
11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he [i]stood condemned. 12 For prior to the coming of certain men from [j]James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing [k]the party of the circumcision. 13 The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that they were not [l]straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews? [m]
15 “We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles; 16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of [n]the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of [o]the Law; since by the works of [p]the Law no [q]flesh will be justified. 17 But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? May it never be! 18 For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 19 For through [r]the Law I died to [s]the Law, so that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and [t]the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through [u]the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”
Walking With God 