Justification By Faith
Galatians 2:11-21
What is justification? First, justification is the opposite of condemnation!
In the Webster dictionary, justifying is an action that is conformable to law.
In law, justifying is showing in court why a defendant did what he or she was charged with doing.
In God's Law, Justification is the judicial act of God, by which He pardons "all" sin of those that place their "Faith" in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
What are the facts?
God declares every believer righteous, on the basis of the blood shed by Jesus Christ!
The most simple meaning of "justification" is "to be declared righteous"!
The justification of each believer is a gift of "God's Grace"!
Rom 3:24 Being "justified freely by his grace" through the redemption "that is in Christ Jesus":
Justification can come only by "Faith"!
Rom 5:1 Therefore being "justified by faith", we have peace with God "through our Lord Jesus Christ":
Justification is only possible through the blood Christ Jesus shed on the Cross!
Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now "justified by his blood", we shall be "saved from wrath through him".
Justification has nothing to do with keeping man-made Laws!
Rom 3:20 Therefore "by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified" in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
The greatest thing we realize as Christians is the truth that we are justified by God and not by something we can do ourselves!
One of the biggest problems we have in any Church is that so many drift away from the truth.
In this lesson we will deal with some of the problems that are in every Church.
Let's continue to see the truth of God's Grace.
*****Gal 2:11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
We will first see that every believer that becomes a backslider must be confronted.
Before Peter had come to the Church in Antioch we know that there had already been that first council in Jerusalem and the direction of the Church was already laid out by all the Apostles and James the half-brother of the Lord.
Act 15:24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
Act 15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
Act 15:29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
Act 15:30 So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:
Act 15:31 Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.
It was after all these things that Peter came to the Church in Antioch of Syria.
Antioch of Syria was a great Church and was made up mostly of Gentiles but there were also many Jews.
It was from this great Church of Antioch of Syria where missionaries were first sent out into the uttermost part of this world in obedience to the Words of Jesus Christ.
Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
It was therefore extremely important that the message that would be going out to the world would be comprised of the entire truth of the "Gospel".
This incident with Peter is not mentioned anywhere else in the New Testament.
This incident also indicates that Peter may have been trying to seek a compromise with those so-called Judaizers.
It is also important for us all to see that the Apostle Paul stood on equal ground with all the other Apostles.
Every new Church was to be established by the "Grace of God" and not by any authority handed down from Jerusalem.
Peter certainly did not intend to hinder the growth of Body of Christ but his actions would certainly do so and Paul confronted him face to face.
Paul did not go to the other leaders.
Paul did not write some new epistle about Peter.
Paul went straight to Peter and confronted him face to face.
Sometimes compromise is the right thing to do to bring peace and harmony but there can never be any compromise when it comes to salvation!
There can be no compromise with false teaching and our own actions must be according to the truth of God.
What had Peter done?
*****Gal 2:12 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.
Now we may not know why the Apostle Peter came to Antioch but God has a purpose behind everything that happens.
When Peter had gotten to Antioch, he had had no problem eating and being in fellowship with those Gentile believers.
We already know that James believed the same as Paul but in Jerusalem many legalistic Jews clinged to the Laws of Moses as the basis of their own salvation and in their zeal wanted all believers to do the same as they.
These men had come from the Church in Jerusalem but they had not been sent by James nor any of the Church elders!
Salvation comes by the "Gospel of Jesus Christ"!
The "Gospel of Jesus Christ" stands alone as the only means of salvation and cannot be added to other religious beliefs!
The word religion means actually external service.
Godliness is about saving the Soul!
When those Judaizers saw Peter in fellowship with all those Gentiles they must have confronted Peter and he then yielded to them.
To the Jew it was sin to fellowship with Gentiles!
What does God say?
Pro 29:25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.
Peter had just got caught in a snare of the Devil!
When Peter withdrew himself from the Gentiles, then the Church of Antioch was split between a gospel of works, versus the "Gospel of Grace".
Every time a Pastor compromises with legalistic believers or with any false doctrine he then becomes a people-pleaser and the Church will begin to suffer and fail!
Paul did not blame those that held to false doctrine, Paul blamed the Apostle Peter.
Paul loved Peter enough to straighten him out on the truth of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul loved the Church enough to not see it fail in his lifetime!
Paul had more zeal for the "Gospel of Grace" than he had ever been zealous for Judaism.
God had more than one purpose for the Apostle Paul!
Before Paul confronted Peter, this split of the Church in Antioch became so volatile that even Barnabas got caught up in it.
*****Gal 2:13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.
That word dissembled means: to be concealed under a false appearance or disguise.
Peter had become a hypocrite and all the Jews in the Church joined with him and also became hypocrites!
What we should realize is, that all those in a leadership position in the Church have a tremendous responsibility before the other Church members and any visitors.
We should also realize that when we say we are Christian, the world will judge us by our actions.
All the world truly hates the hypocrite!
A legalistic point of view was just about to shut the doors of the first Gentile Church!
Barnabas did not play an active part in this hypocrisy but he did get caught off guard and he began witnessing his Church fall apart.
Barnabas was reaching a point to where he was going to have to choose a side to save some part of his Church.
So what had Peter done that that had caused these things?
*****Gal 2:14 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 compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
1) Peter had become a hypocrite.
Peter had taught the truth but his life was teaching something else altogether.
2) Peter had become a people-pleaser.
Even though Peter knew better, he had followed the crowd simply because they had put much pressure on him to do so.
3) Peter had respect for some above some others.
We must live our lives according to the truth of the "Gospel of Grace"!
The "Gospel" declares that God loves all people the same:
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
The Gospel declares that God is no respecter of persons and even Peter knew this:
Act 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
The "Gospel" declares that we are to please God and if that pleases mankind then great but if that does not please mankind then it is a problem that man has and not God!
1Th 2:4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.
Paul said to Peter, "Peter, you do not even try to keep the Laws of Moses yourself, why in the world would you compel these Gentiles to do these things".
You see Peter also knew about those dietary laws of Moses.
Act 10:13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.
Act 10:14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.
Act 10:15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, "What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common".
These things teach us that even Peter was not infallible and would not have made a good Pope as some in the Catholic Church believe he did.
In reality there has never been a man that was infallible.
Only the Lord Jesus Christ was the sinless Son of God!
The Apostle Peter was a sinner saved by the "Grace of God", just like the Apostle Paul and just like we all are that know the Lord Jesus Christ on a personal level!
If you think you cannot be led astray by some false doctrine, then when you hear any such thing you must remember we are only saved by the "Grace of God".
This is still God's plan and God will never change His plan!
It is only the Living God who can justify any of us!
*****Gal 2:15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
Gal 2:16 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.
**Paul reminded these Galatians that he was also a Jew. Paul was a Jew by birth and bloodline.
**Paul reminded these Galatians how the Jews felt about themselves. The Jews considered themselves righteous by the acts of their religion which was Judaism.
The Jews considered Jehovah to be the God of the Jews but not the God of the Gentiles.
**Paul reminded these Galatians that these same Jews considered all Gentiles to be "rank sinners" unworthy of salvation.
**Then Paul reminded these Galatians that salvation did not come by bloodline. Salvation comes to all, whosoever, the same way.
Salvation comes by "Faith" but that "Faith" must be in Jesus Christ!
Every Jew that had come to Jesus Christ had to admit that their religion, their rituals, their obedience to the Law, and their works could not save them!
In fact everyone of any and all religions must admit this same thing!
1) No one is justified and made acceptable to God by any works of their own or any law that they try to keep!
What is the question?
By what means can man, God's creation, stand before our Righteous God?
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
What are the facts? Mankind can only be justified by faith!
Not just any faith but by the faith on the works of Jesus Christ!
If there were such a law or group of laws that man could live by to become justified, then we already know that there is no one who can keep even the Laws of Moses all their life without breaking one or more of those laws.
What is the result? We all come short of the Glory of God!
What did God say to Moses?
Exo 33:20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
Exo 33:21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:
Exo 33:22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:
The truth is that every thing that lives in God's presence must be perfect and complete!
For man to justify themselves they must do at least one of these 3 things.
a) Man can only deny that he or she broke God's Law.
b) Man can only say they had the right to break God's Law.
c) Man can only deny knowledge of God's Law.
What is the truth?
Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
To serve a perfect God then we ourselves must be perfect and mankind simply does not have that ability to do this.
Psa 139:6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
Is their some sort of work or some law to be kept to overcome these things? God says no!
An imperfect being can never obtain perfection it's own!
No matter what we as humans do to learn perfection, we will always come up short and there will always the thought that we can do better so we can be better!
This is a false hope!
When we believe that our salvation is dependent on some work that we can do, or some law that we can keep, we will soon realize that we are hopelessly lost forever and we will know that we have need of a Savior!
Rom 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
2) A person is justified by "Faith" of Jesus Christ and He alone.
Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Notice that we can only be "Justified" by the Faith of Jesus Christ.
**It was Jesus Christ who did the impossible!
2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, "who knew no sin"; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
It was Jesus Christ who kept all the Laws, who did all the works and He was "faithful" to do all these things for our salvation!
Justification does not mean we have been made righteous!
Justification means we will be treated as righteous because Jesus Christ was faithful to do what none of us could do!
Justification is necessary because we all have sinned and come up short of the Glory of God!
1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
**God can only justify the believer who accepts this truth of His Son Jesus Christ!
God loves each of us so much that He came to this Earth Himself, in the form of Jesus Christ, in order to "Justify" us all who would believe!
Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
God is willing to justify each of us because Jesus Christ was faithful to obey His Father!
2Co 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
Jesus Christ came into this world to conquer death because He knew we did not have that ability!
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
What is the truth?
All those that truly believe in the work of Jesus Christ to obtain our salvation are counted as righteous enough to stand before our righteous God!
Php 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Php 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Php 3:11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
What are the facts?
The fact is that God the Father, loves God the Son so much that He will justify any human being who honors His only begotten Son!
We can only stand before God if we stand in the righteousness of His Son Jesus Christ!
What are the facts?
Faith in Jesus Christ is God's righteousness and the only righteousness that can make each believer acceptable to God!
Rom 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
And no one will ever be misled by Jesus Christ!
*****Gal 2:17 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.
Gal 2:18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
We must first realize why we are sinners. We are not sinners because because we sin!
We sin because we are sinners!
Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Rom 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
The question stated in this verse is, Can Jesus Christ be making us to be even greater sinners by trusting in Him rather than trusting the Laws of Moses?
The answer is---God forbids this to happen!
Does trusting in Christ Jesus make it easy for us to break the law by knowing we will always be forgiven? We are foolish to think in this way!
Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
Rom 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Then shall we continue in sin knowing that God has more "Grace" than He does "Wrath"?
Again God forbids this also!
Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Rom 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
We must realize that "Justification" cannot come by keeping any law.
Those that make there own selves righteous by laws are sinners!
Laws can only show us how we fail!
At the same time we cannot reject the laws!
The Law still has it's place in the plan of God just as much as "Faith"!
Every "Born Again" child of God brought to Him by the "Faith" of Jesus Christ, will then seek to please God.
We cannot please God by if we are always at odds with the laws of this world.
We must only remain at odds with all those things that go against the Word of God!
Rom 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
Rom 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
We must all them live according to the ways of Jesus Christ!
2Co 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
2Co 5:15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
Living in the ways of Jesus is living in the ways of God!
*****Gal 2:19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
How can we truly live for God? God must become the controlling principle of our lives!
**1) We must die to the law.
The purpose of the Law is to show us that we are sinners.
The purpose of the Law is to show us just how far short we are of becoming righteous and perfect.
The purpose of the Law is to show us that we stand no chance of ever being accepted by a Holy God!
The Law condemns us to death!
Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: "which is the second death".
The only hope of Salvation is to die to the Law.
And there is no hope in self-righteousness!
**2) We must be crucified with Christ Jesus.
*****Gal 2:20 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.
This can only take place when we truly believe that Jesus Christ bore all our sin and actually died a sure death on Calvary's Cross!
This is the "Faith" that we must have!
If we are not identified with Christ Jesus then we cannot be saved!
Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
God can count us as already being punished only because He has accepted the death of His Son!
Our security lies in our "Faith"!
**3) We must live for God.
We must surrender ourselves to the work that God has placed before us!
We must allow Jesus Christ to live in our heart!
We cannot be in charge of our own life we must allow Christ Jesus full control of our life!
Joh 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Joh 15:6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
We must allow Jesus Christ to live through our body!
Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
**4) We must trust in the "Grace of God"!
*****Gal 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
To "frustrate" the "Grace of God" means we can make the "Grace of God" useless.
Frustrate means to set aside, make void, or make ineffective.
When we frustrate the "Grace of God" we have done away with the Love of God!
When we frustrate the "Grace of God" we have made the death of Jesus Christ meaningless!
God's Grace and God's Love are one and the same!
Faith is the key to a loving relationship with our God!
Being found in Jesus Christ is being found in His righteousness which is our only means of pleasing God!
Php 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Php 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Php 3:11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Most of us try to schedule Jesus into a small part of our lives and when we do this we have missed the purpose of the Cross!
The cross that Jesus bore was not made for carrying!
The cross that Jesus Christ bore for us was made for dying!
Mar 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
There is no pride in the weight of our own cross and the burdens we try to carry.
The purpose of the cross was to teach us to die to our own selves!
This is why Jesus spoke these words:
Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Jesus Christ carried all our burdens of sin to His death on the cross.
To be "Justified" we must die to ourselves and live a New Life through Jesus Christ!
Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Questions?
Let's Pray!
Galatians 2:11-21
What is justification? First, justification is the opposite of condemnation!
In the Webster dictionary, justifying is an action that is conformable to law.
In law, justifying is showing in court why a defendant did what he or she was charged with doing.
In God's Law, Justification is the judicial act of God, by which He pardons "all" sin of those that place their "Faith" in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
What are the facts?
God declares every believer righteous, on the basis of the blood shed by Jesus Christ!
The most simple meaning of "justification" is "to be declared righteous"!
The justification of each believer is a gift of "God's Grace"!
Rom 3:24 Being "justified freely by his grace" through the redemption "that is in Christ Jesus":
Justification can come only by "Faith"!
Rom 5:1 Therefore being "justified by faith", we have peace with God "through our Lord Jesus Christ":
Justification is only possible through the blood Christ Jesus shed on the Cross!
Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now "justified by his blood", we shall be "saved from wrath through him".
Justification has nothing to do with keeping man-made Laws!
Rom 3:20 Therefore "by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified" in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
The greatest thing we realize as Christians is the truth that we are justified by God and not by something we can do ourselves!
One of the biggest problems we have in any Church is that so many drift away from the truth.
In this lesson we will deal with some of the problems that are in every Church.
Let's continue to see the truth of God's Grace.
*****Gal 2:11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
We will first see that every believer that becomes a backslider must be confronted.
Before Peter had come to the Church in Antioch we know that there had already been that first council in Jerusalem and the direction of the Church was already laid out by all the Apostles and James the half-brother of the Lord.
Act 15:24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
Act 15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
Act 15:29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
Act 15:30 So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:
Act 15:31 Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.
It was after all these things that Peter came to the Church in Antioch of Syria.
Antioch of Syria was a great Church and was made up mostly of Gentiles but there were also many Jews.
It was from this great Church of Antioch of Syria where missionaries were first sent out into the uttermost part of this world in obedience to the Words of Jesus Christ.
Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
It was therefore extremely important that the message that would be going out to the world would be comprised of the entire truth of the "Gospel".
This incident with Peter is not mentioned anywhere else in the New Testament.
This incident also indicates that Peter may have been trying to seek a compromise with those so-called Judaizers.
It is also important for us all to see that the Apostle Paul stood on equal ground with all the other Apostles.
Every new Church was to be established by the "Grace of God" and not by any authority handed down from Jerusalem.
Peter certainly did not intend to hinder the growth of Body of Christ but his actions would certainly do so and Paul confronted him face to face.
Paul did not go to the other leaders.
Paul did not write some new epistle about Peter.
Paul went straight to Peter and confronted him face to face.
Sometimes compromise is the right thing to do to bring peace and harmony but there can never be any compromise when it comes to salvation!
There can be no compromise with false teaching and our own actions must be according to the truth of God.
What had Peter done?
*****Gal 2:12 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.
Now we may not know why the Apostle Peter came to Antioch but God has a purpose behind everything that happens.
When Peter had gotten to Antioch, he had had no problem eating and being in fellowship with those Gentile believers.
We already know that James believed the same as Paul but in Jerusalem many legalistic Jews clinged to the Laws of Moses as the basis of their own salvation and in their zeal wanted all believers to do the same as they.
These men had come from the Church in Jerusalem but they had not been sent by James nor any of the Church elders!
Salvation comes by the "Gospel of Jesus Christ"!
The "Gospel of Jesus Christ" stands alone as the only means of salvation and cannot be added to other religious beliefs!
The word religion means actually external service.
Godliness is about saving the Soul!
When those Judaizers saw Peter in fellowship with all those Gentiles they must have confronted Peter and he then yielded to them.
To the Jew it was sin to fellowship with Gentiles!
What does God say?
Pro 29:25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.
Peter had just got caught in a snare of the Devil!
When Peter withdrew himself from the Gentiles, then the Church of Antioch was split between a gospel of works, versus the "Gospel of Grace".
Every time a Pastor compromises with legalistic believers or with any false doctrine he then becomes a people-pleaser and the Church will begin to suffer and fail!
Paul did not blame those that held to false doctrine, Paul blamed the Apostle Peter.
Paul loved Peter enough to straighten him out on the truth of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul loved the Church enough to not see it fail in his lifetime!
Paul had more zeal for the "Gospel of Grace" than he had ever been zealous for Judaism.
God had more than one purpose for the Apostle Paul!
Before Paul confronted Peter, this split of the Church in Antioch became so volatile that even Barnabas got caught up in it.
*****Gal 2:13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.
That word dissembled means: to be concealed under a false appearance or disguise.
Peter had become a hypocrite and all the Jews in the Church joined with him and also became hypocrites!
What we should realize is, that all those in a leadership position in the Church have a tremendous responsibility before the other Church members and any visitors.
We should also realize that when we say we are Christian, the world will judge us by our actions.
All the world truly hates the hypocrite!
A legalistic point of view was just about to shut the doors of the first Gentile Church!
Barnabas did not play an active part in this hypocrisy but he did get caught off guard and he began witnessing his Church fall apart.
Barnabas was reaching a point to where he was going to have to choose a side to save some part of his Church.
So what had Peter done that that had caused these things?
*****Gal 2:14 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 compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
1) Peter had become a hypocrite.
Peter had taught the truth but his life was teaching something else altogether.
2) Peter had become a people-pleaser.
Even though Peter knew better, he had followed the crowd simply because they had put much pressure on him to do so.
3) Peter had respect for some above some others.
We must live our lives according to the truth of the "Gospel of Grace"!
The "Gospel" declares that God loves all people the same:
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
The Gospel declares that God is no respecter of persons and even Peter knew this:
Act 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
The "Gospel" declares that we are to please God and if that pleases mankind then great but if that does not please mankind then it is a problem that man has and not God!
1Th 2:4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.
Paul said to Peter, "Peter, you do not even try to keep the Laws of Moses yourself, why in the world would you compel these Gentiles to do these things".
You see Peter also knew about those dietary laws of Moses.
Act 10:13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.
Act 10:14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.
Act 10:15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, "What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common".
These things teach us that even Peter was not infallible and would not have made a good Pope as some in the Catholic Church believe he did.
In reality there has never been a man that was infallible.
Only the Lord Jesus Christ was the sinless Son of God!
The Apostle Peter was a sinner saved by the "Grace of God", just like the Apostle Paul and just like we all are that know the Lord Jesus Christ on a personal level!
If you think you cannot be led astray by some false doctrine, then when you hear any such thing you must remember we are only saved by the "Grace of God".
This is still God's plan and God will never change His plan!
It is only the Living God who can justify any of us!
*****Gal 2:15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
Gal 2:16 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.
**Paul reminded these Galatians that he was also a Jew. Paul was a Jew by birth and bloodline.
**Paul reminded these Galatians how the Jews felt about themselves. The Jews considered themselves righteous by the acts of their religion which was Judaism.
The Jews considered Jehovah to be the God of the Jews but not the God of the Gentiles.
**Paul reminded these Galatians that these same Jews considered all Gentiles to be "rank sinners" unworthy of salvation.
**Then Paul reminded these Galatians that salvation did not come by bloodline. Salvation comes to all, whosoever, the same way.
Salvation comes by "Faith" but that "Faith" must be in Jesus Christ!
Every Jew that had come to Jesus Christ had to admit that their religion, their rituals, their obedience to the Law, and their works could not save them!
In fact everyone of any and all religions must admit this same thing!
1) No one is justified and made acceptable to God by any works of their own or any law that they try to keep!
What is the question?
By what means can man, God's creation, stand before our Righteous God?
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
What are the facts? Mankind can only be justified by faith!
Not just any faith but by the faith on the works of Jesus Christ!
If there were such a law or group of laws that man could live by to become justified, then we already know that there is no one who can keep even the Laws of Moses all their life without breaking one or more of those laws.
What is the result? We all come short of the Glory of God!
What did God say to Moses?
Exo 33:20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
Exo 33:21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:
Exo 33:22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:
The truth is that every thing that lives in God's presence must be perfect and complete!
For man to justify themselves they must do at least one of these 3 things.
a) Man can only deny that he or she broke God's Law.
b) Man can only say they had the right to break God's Law.
c) Man can only deny knowledge of God's Law.
What is the truth?
Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
To serve a perfect God then we ourselves must be perfect and mankind simply does not have that ability to do this.
Psa 139:6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
Is their some sort of work or some law to be kept to overcome these things? God says no!
An imperfect being can never obtain perfection it's own!
No matter what we as humans do to learn perfection, we will always come up short and there will always the thought that we can do better so we can be better!
This is a false hope!
When we believe that our salvation is dependent on some work that we can do, or some law that we can keep, we will soon realize that we are hopelessly lost forever and we will know that we have need of a Savior!
Rom 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
2) A person is justified by "Faith" of Jesus Christ and He alone.
Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Notice that we can only be "Justified" by the Faith of Jesus Christ.
**It was Jesus Christ who did the impossible!
2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, "who knew no sin"; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
It was Jesus Christ who kept all the Laws, who did all the works and He was "faithful" to do all these things for our salvation!
Justification does not mean we have been made righteous!
Justification means we will be treated as righteous because Jesus Christ was faithful to do what none of us could do!
Justification is necessary because we all have sinned and come up short of the Glory of God!
1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
**God can only justify the believer who accepts this truth of His Son Jesus Christ!
God loves each of us so much that He came to this Earth Himself, in the form of Jesus Christ, in order to "Justify" us all who would believe!
Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
God is willing to justify each of us because Jesus Christ was faithful to obey His Father!
2Co 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
Jesus Christ came into this world to conquer death because He knew we did not have that ability!
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
What is the truth?
All those that truly believe in the work of Jesus Christ to obtain our salvation are counted as righteous enough to stand before our righteous God!
Php 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Php 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Php 3:11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
What are the facts?
The fact is that God the Father, loves God the Son so much that He will justify any human being who honors His only begotten Son!
We can only stand before God if we stand in the righteousness of His Son Jesus Christ!
What are the facts?
Faith in Jesus Christ is God's righteousness and the only righteousness that can make each believer acceptable to God!
Rom 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
And no one will ever be misled by Jesus Christ!
*****Gal 2:17 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.
Gal 2:18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
We must first realize why we are sinners. We are not sinners because because we sin!
We sin because we are sinners!
Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Rom 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
The question stated in this verse is, Can Jesus Christ be making us to be even greater sinners by trusting in Him rather than trusting the Laws of Moses?
The answer is---God forbids this to happen!
Does trusting in Christ Jesus make it easy for us to break the law by knowing we will always be forgiven? We are foolish to think in this way!
Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
Rom 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Then shall we continue in sin knowing that God has more "Grace" than He does "Wrath"?
Again God forbids this also!
Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Rom 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
We must realize that "Justification" cannot come by keeping any law.
Those that make there own selves righteous by laws are sinners!
Laws can only show us how we fail!
At the same time we cannot reject the laws!
The Law still has it's place in the plan of God just as much as "Faith"!
Every "Born Again" child of God brought to Him by the "Faith" of Jesus Christ, will then seek to please God.
We cannot please God by if we are always at odds with the laws of this world.
We must only remain at odds with all those things that go against the Word of God!
Rom 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
Rom 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
We must all them live according to the ways of Jesus Christ!
2Co 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
2Co 5:15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
Living in the ways of Jesus is living in the ways of God!
*****Gal 2:19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
How can we truly live for God? God must become the controlling principle of our lives!
**1) We must die to the law.
The purpose of the Law is to show us that we are sinners.
The purpose of the Law is to show us just how far short we are of becoming righteous and perfect.
The purpose of the Law is to show us that we stand no chance of ever being accepted by a Holy God!
The Law condemns us to death!
Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: "which is the second death".
The only hope of Salvation is to die to the Law.
And there is no hope in self-righteousness!
**2) We must be crucified with Christ Jesus.
*****Gal 2:20 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.
This can only take place when we truly believe that Jesus Christ bore all our sin and actually died a sure death on Calvary's Cross!
This is the "Faith" that we must have!
If we are not identified with Christ Jesus then we cannot be saved!
Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
God can count us as already being punished only because He has accepted the death of His Son!
Our security lies in our "Faith"!
**3) We must live for God.
We must surrender ourselves to the work that God has placed before us!
We must allow Jesus Christ to live in our heart!
We cannot be in charge of our own life we must allow Christ Jesus full control of our life!
Joh 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Joh 15:6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
We must allow Jesus Christ to live through our body!
Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
**4) We must trust in the "Grace of God"!
*****Gal 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
To "frustrate" the "Grace of God" means we can make the "Grace of God" useless.
Frustrate means to set aside, make void, or make ineffective.
When we frustrate the "Grace of God" we have done away with the Love of God!
When we frustrate the "Grace of God" we have made the death of Jesus Christ meaningless!
God's Grace and God's Love are one and the same!
Faith is the key to a loving relationship with our God!
Being found in Jesus Christ is being found in His righteousness which is our only means of pleasing God!
Php 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Php 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Php 3:11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Most of us try to schedule Jesus into a small part of our lives and when we do this we have missed the purpose of the Cross!
The cross that Jesus bore was not made for carrying!
The cross that Jesus Christ bore for us was made for dying!
Mar 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
There is no pride in the weight of our own cross and the burdens we try to carry.
The purpose of the cross was to teach us to die to our own selves!
This is why Jesus spoke these words:
Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Jesus Christ carried all our burdens of sin to His death on the cross.
To be "Justified" we must die to ourselves and live a New Life through Jesus Christ!
Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Questions?
Let's Pray!
