11 When Cephas came to Antioch, however, I opposed him to his face, because he stood to be condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself, for fear of those in the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.

14 When I saw that they were not walking in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “If you, who are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

15 We who are Jews by birth and not Gentile “sinners” 16 know that a man is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Paul Bogg

This passage tells me three things. First, if two of the most well-known Christians in history, Peter and Barnabas (so well known that our church is named after one of them!), could walk in a manner that is contrary to the truth of the gospel, then anyone can. It means that no matter how old or young you are, how mature in faith or knowledgeable you are about who Jesus is, it is possible to make decisions that are not in line with the truth of the gospel.

Secondly, making decisions that aren't in line with the truth of the gospel is redeemable. Although Peter stood to be condemned, a word of correction from Paul helped Peter see the reality of his actions in light of the truth of the gospel. Peter's actions don't end in condemnation – he continues to stand as a man saved by grace alone.

Lastly, if you are saved by the grace of the gospel of Jesus Christ and then go on living as though it is your good works that gets you right before God, that is always a very serious problem. It is doubly serious in this passage because of the potential impact Peter could have. Peter was a “capital A” Apostle of Jesus, and by his actions he had already led other Christians (such as Barnabas) into acting the same way. Paul's recognition of the seriousness of the matter caused him to confront Peter on the spot, in front of everyone else in the church.

So let's be reminded of the truth of the gospel today: we have been saved by grace alone, justified by faith in Christ, freed from needing to work for our salvation, so that we might live and eat together as one family in Christ. It’s so great that the gospel breaks all barriers – like Paul says a little further on in Galatians 3:28: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paul is a member of our Bossley Park morning congregation.