He Stood Condemned \\ Galatians

But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”
“What will they say?” All humans make decisions from that question: “What will they say?”, or “What are they saying?” We all want the approval of our team, tribe, family and whoever else might offer it to us. God has designed us to need approval.
Subsequently, we search for approval from those people or those things which mean the most to us. Kids are heavily influenced by their friends. Friends significantly impact adults, too.
This text is filled to the brim with people behaving a certain way based on the approval of others. Cephas or Peter wanted the approval of the circumcision party, so he pushed back from the Gentiles. “He stood condemned.” The Jews in this passage desired the approval of Peter and the circumcision party. The Jews were looking to Peter for leadership. “They stood condemned.” And Barnabas needed the approval of Peter, the Jews and the circumcision party because he “was led astray by their hypocrisy.” He cut off fellowship with the Gentiles as well. “He stood condemned.”
How about Paul? Was there someone’s approval that motived Paul’s behavior? Paul was the contrarian in this scenario. Paul was the outlier or minority. It’s awfully challenging to stand out from the majority. So who was motivating Paul’s behavior? Who gave Paul the strength to oppose Peter, the Jews, Barnabas and the circumcision party?
Christ Jesus was Paul’s approval so that Paul could take a hard stance in the face of real resistance. I told you last week that people will hate you when you believe and behavior on the underlining principle that you are saved by grace. Many times you will not fit in with this party or this party. You will find yourself to be an outsider.
So how could one man fight against the many? How could Paul: “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love” (1 Corinthians 16:13). Paul gave us the answer in v.14. “But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel…” The gospel of Jesus Christ will change your behavior. Sometimes you will not fit in with the majority, and sometimes your iconoclastic or rebellious heart must fit in with the majority, because of the truth of the gospel. The truth of the gospel is a straight line.
We would never admit it, but we need Pauls in our life. Pauls hurt our feelings but they love us with the truth of the gospel. Maybe you could be your own Paul and help yourself walk in the truth of the gospel. This is why we need multiple exposures to the gospel.
Peer pressure is powerful but you need a person to help you. Let’s quickly look at this text to see 1) Condemned; 2) Conduct.
#god #Jesus #godgrace