Sermon: One Gospel for All People Galatians 2:1-14
Truth Taught-There is only one Gospel message for all people,
whether Jew or Gentile
Introduction
The Gospel that Paul received from Jesus Christ was the same Gospel the other Apostles preached as well. The message is that the world stands condemned but God moves to save all who will come to Him by faith in His Son.
John 3:16–19 (ESV)
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.
Notice that Jesus did not come into the world to condemn it. John tells us that the world was already condemned. Jesus came so save all who would believe. He tells us salvation is based on whether or not a person believes. If you believe then you are no longer condemned but if you do not believe you remain in your condemned state. The reason people do not believe is because light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.
I’ve heard people say things like I can’t believe but John tells us the reason they refuse to believe is because they love their sin more than they love Jesus. Because they love sin they remain in their sin and are condemned for their sin. God does not keep someone in unbelief whose eyes have been opened to their sin and to their hope in Jesus. The rest of the Bible gives us more insight into some of the inner workings of God drawing sinners etc. Here, in John 3:16 all sinners are called to believe.
This is the Gospel all the Apostles preached. This is the glorious Gospel the Judaizers were trying to pervert by adding works to it. Praise God the Gospel has been preserved for us.
To rightly understand this section before us this morning in Galatians, one thing that is important to know is that the Jewish Church had become centered in Jerusalem with Peter, James and John as the pillars. Antioch was the center for the Gentile Church with Paul and Barnabas as the pillars.
One important issue as Paul continues to affirm the one true Gospel by grace through faith is to show the Galatians that there is only one Gospel for all people. It does not matter if you’re Jew or Gentile, salvation comes by grace through the finished work of Jesus on the cross and regardless of your ethnic roots, this Gospel is the same for all people. One Gospel for the world. The Jews must be saved the same way Gentiles are, through Christ alone. The Gospel of free grace is the Gospel that says, all can be saved regardless of one’s nationality or ethnic roots.
Galatians 2:1–14 (ESV)
2 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 2 I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. 3 But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. 4 Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— 5 to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. 6 And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. 7 On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised 8 (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), 9 and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.
11 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?”
1. Christians are Free from the Burden of the Law (2:1-5)
2 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 2 I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. 3 But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. 4 Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— 5 to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.
The Apostle Paul tells us that after fourteen years, he makes the trip to Jerusalem. This seemingly long amount of time is important in order for the Apostle to show everyone that he has been preaching the Gospel given by Jesus not man for fourteen years. His missionary efforts to the Gentiles have been going on for a long time. He has seen many true conversions.
When he makes the trip to Jerusalem, he takes Barnabas and Titus with him.
He goes there, not because he had been summoned by the Apostles in Jerusalem but because Jesus had sent him.
2 I went up because of a revelation…
He went there and met with the Apostles and laid out to them the Gospel he had been preaching. This is not saying the Paul somehow was confused or doubting his message but he wanted everyone to be on the same page. When they, those in Jerusalem who have influence, namely the other Apostles affirm his message it doesn’t give Paul any more authority but it serves to shut down the Judaizers who were saying that Paul’s Gospel was not the same one the other Apostles in Jerusalem preached.
Not only that but He also took Titus with him who was not Jewish but a Gentile so that they would also affirm Titus’ salvation as a Gentile who did not seek to keep the Jewish ceremonial Law and he remaining uncircumcised was proof.
Do you see what Paul was doing? If Titus is accepted by Peter, James and John as a Christian then the Judaizer’s argument is short-circuited. Titus did not add to the Gospel any Jewish traditions and he is a Christian so, Jewish tradition is not part of the Gospel.
3 But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek.
While Paul was working to maintain the true Gospel there were others also at work seeking to twist it.
4 Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery—
Galatians 5:1 (ESV)
5 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
I want us to catch something important here. These people who were seeking to destroy Paul and the message he preached were not Christians. He does not call them weak Christians or confused Christians but false Christians. They were NOT Christians at all. These false brothers entered the Church secretly. Heresy seems to most often enter secretly even unnoticed at first. False doctrine creeps in many times unannounced.
Much the same was taking place in the Church years later when Peter wrote…
2 Peter 2:1–3 (ESV)
2 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
False teaching starts very small hardly noticed at all. Then it grows until the true faith is not even seen anymore.
William Perkins who was a Cambridge Theologian in the 1500s tells us…The time when a ship sinketh, we often observe: but the time when it first drew water, we do not.
Just a little accommodation here and a little sugar coating there and a little pleasing man and a little let’s not be too offensive then the next thing you know there is no true Gospel and no saving faith left at all. Beloved, just a small shift, hardly noticed at first can lead us to no salvation at all. It’s like two drops of water falling on a roof, one ends up going down the west side of the roof and ends up in the Pacific Ocean and the other down the east side of the roof and ends up in the Atlantic Ocean and at the beginning may have only been a few inches apart. That’s how false teaching works.
Paul holds his ground. He preserves the true message of Christ.
5 to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.
2. Paul’s Gospel was the Same as Peter, James and John’s Gospel
6 And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. 7 On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised 8 (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), 9 and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.
The point Paul makes here is the three pillars, Peter James and John did not add anything to his message nor his apostleship. They were on the same page as far as Paul being a legitimate Apostle and preaching the true Gospel.
9 and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.
They accepted one another as Apostles and decided that Paul would go to the Gentiles and they would concentrate their efforts on the Jerusalem Christians. This division of labor is not hard set but generally speaking.
1 Corinthians 15:11 (ESV)
11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
We must also understand what the Gospel produces within all who believe.
10 Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.
The Gospel of free grace does not include any works but it is the basis of good works. In other words, once we are saved by free grace then we will work to extend love to others. Here all the Apostles are very concerned that the poor are cared for.
I pray that your belief and trust in Christ is producing steadfast love for others. Love and good works can be the litmus test that shows that you’re truly are saved. For the person who claims to be a Christian and has no works, they should really examine whether they truly are saved.
This then, leads us to Gospel Conduct…
3. Gospel Conduct: Should Jewish Christians Eat with Gentile Christians?
11 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 we should understand here is that Paul and Peter were never at odds when it came to what the Gospel is but they did have a dispute as to Gospel conduct. Were Christian Gentiles still to be viewed as unclean?
Not long after Paul went to Jerusalem bringing Barnabas and Titus with him, Peter came to Antioch where the Gentile Church was centered. Paul, Barnabas and Titus were all accepted by the Apostles in Jerusalem.
The issue was that Peter was eating with Gentile Christians at Antioch until certain Jews showed up. When they arrived, Peter withdrew and was no longer eating with his Gentile brothers.
Peter knew the truth, however, in this case he did not live it out. Here, Peter withdrew his fellowship from the Gentile Christians when the Jews arrived at Antioch. Peter was failing to live up to his convictions.
Peter’s fear of man even affected Barnabas…
13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.
Peter allowed the fear of man to lead him astray. While he knew the true Gospel, at least in that moment he was not living out the true Gospel. Because if the Gospel declares that salvation is for all people who come to Jesus by faith and it does not matter who you are whether you’re a Jew or Gentile, rich or poor then all who are in Christ are brothers and sisters and should fellowship together. A meal is a wonderful way to do this. Peter was wrong. His conduct was not consistent with what he preached.
As we rejoice in the wonderful work of God in our lives, bringing us from death to life, we too should rejoice when God brings others to life spiritually regardless who they are.
Romans 15:7 (ESV)
7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
Conclusion
The Gospel of free grace must change us. It brings us into fellowship with those not like us. If we look around this room, we will see many different people from different settings, some you have a lot in common with and others perhaps nothing in common. Do you know what we do have in common? Jesus.
I pray you go out of your way to care for your brothers and sisters here. I pray you show that you’ve been saved by grace as you extend love to others. Go out of your way to love the people here.
Since there is only one Gospel and since Jews and Gentiles must be saved the same way then there is really no difference. All must come to God through Christ.
Benediction:
1 Thessalonians 5:23–24 (ESV)
23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
Resources Used:
Galatians by Peter Barnes
Galatians by William Hendriksen
