The Reality of Legalism – part 1 (Galatians 2:11-14)

The Reality of Legalism

Galatians 2:11-14

March 23, 2014

 

Last week, we saw Paul give a recount of a prior event in his life.

 

His point was to give vindication to God’s gospel,

As the one and only true gospel,

And the one that God has chosen to protect.

 

• Paul spoke of how he went to Jerusalem in order to have a meeting with the

big-wigs of the church to determine their official doctrine on circumcision.

 

• Of course while they were there, Paul says that God showed up and

determined what our official position would be.

 

• The only choice that anyone could come to was that I was a true apostle of

God, that salvation was by grace alone through faith alone, and that faith

was the only thing that Gentiles needed to offer God in order to be saved.

 

Any notion of additional works…

Any notion of legalism…

Had to be thrown out the window.

 

God’s gospel is that man is saved by grace through faith.

 

Tonight Paul continues giving illustrations from the past

In order to drive home his point.

 

Now Paul relates a time when Peter came to Antioch,

And Paul reveals an altercation the two had at that time.

 

One could see many reasons why Paul mentions this confrontation

• To defend his own apostolic authority.

• To reveal to the Galatians that his rebuke is not personal.

• But mostly to show the Galatians the destructive effects of both practicing legalism, and letting it endure.

 

Perhaps it is possible that the Galatians failed to see

Just how dangerous their flirtation with legalism had become.

 

After all, it is just circumcision. It’s not like it was some carnal practice.

Why was Paul getting so bent out of shape?

 

Well as you and I know, it was not circumcision that got Paul so irate.

Acts 16:1-3 “Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. And a disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek, and he was well spoken of by the brethren who were in Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted this man to go with him; and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.”

It was in the very regions of Galatia that Paul circumcised Timothy.

So we know circumcision wasn’t the issue.

 

In fact, Paul even wrote to the Corinthians:

1 Corinthians 7:19 “Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God.”

 

Paul’s disgust was not over the actual practice of circumcision

But the legalism which was enforcing it.

 

And tonight, Paul will reveal to the Galatians

That regardless of the actual event it inspires,

Legalism is a dangerous cancer that has no place in the Church.

• It doesn’t matter if the issue is circumcision…

• It doesn’t matter if the issue is Saturday worship…

• It doesn’t matter if the issue is baptism…

• It doesn’t matter if the issue is what direction you pray in…

• It doesn’t matter if the issue is where you eat your meals…

 

If legalism is the motive behind it, it must be dealt with.

 

And to reveal that point,

Paul recalls a confrontation with Peter in which legalism had reared it’s ugly head.

Only in this event the issue wasn’t in regard to circumcision, but in regard to where you eat your meals.

 

There are two main points tonight.

#1 THE EVENT

Galatians 2:11-12

 

You will notice right off the bat that Paul recalls an event

In which he and Peter were at odds.

 

“But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.”

 

Now we are all aware of Peter.

One moment the hero, the next moment the goat.

One moment confessing Christ, the next moment rebuking Him.

 

In the passage we studied last week, we just saw Peter standing before the counsel and giving brilliant testimony as to how God used him to bring salvation to the Gentiles.

 

Of course the hero of the day was God, but Peter was certainly on the right team.

 

Well, according to Paul, after that event, Peter then traveled to Antioch.

This was in the region of Galatia.

 

Most likely Peter, having won a major victory with the decision of the counsel, was now (in typical Peter fashion) acting out on their decision.

 

Since Gentiles were now part of the family, Peter was going all the way.

But when he got there, it eventually led to an altercation.

 

Paul says, “I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.”

 

Some translate it that Peter was “self-condemned”.

The idea is that deep down, whatever Peter did,

He knew that it was wrong when he did it.

 

Paul was God’s agent of conviction to openly confront Peter’s condemning action and pull him back onto the straight and narrow.

 

WHAT WAS IT THAT PETER DID?

(12) “For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision.”

 

And so now we have a clearer picture.

 

When Peter came to Antioch, he came with proper motives.

• These were brothers,

• These were free,

• These were made clean by Christ,

• So Peter could openly and freely fellowship with them.

 

In fact, “he used to eat with the Gentiles;”

 

No doubt this spoke of casual fellowship,

But also of the partaking of the Lord’s supper with them.

 

Formerly such action was strictly forbidden, as Gentiles were seen as unclean, But now, because of the blood of Christ,

There was absolutely nothing wrong with Peter’s actions.

 

In fact, God had personally taught this lesson to Peter.

READ ACTS 11:1-18

 

And all Peter was doing was walking in his new found freedom.

 

BUT THEN SOMETHING HAPPENED

“the coming of certain men from James”

 

It is probably better understood that these men

Merely said James had sent them, but that he actually did not.

 

In fact, we read last week, that even James was aware

That there were some people who pretended to act on his authority

That he in no way approved of.

 

Acts 15:24 “Since we have heard that some of our number to whom we gave no instruction have disturbed you with their words, unsettling your souls,”

 

No doubt it was men like this who came to Peter.

• They were legalists.

• They were Judaizers.

• They were outward Jewish zealots, and they wore their religion on their garments.

 

They were the Christian version of the Pharisee

(Not true Christians, just as the Pharisees were not true Jews).

 

But they walked around in their outward legalism,

Putting their piety on display, and no doubt

Looked down on anyone who was less holy than they.

 

And their condescending attitude eventually got to Peter.

 

“but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof,”

 

The Greek text indicates here that Peter’s action

WAS NOT A SUDDEN BREAK, but a gradual one.

 

Peter knew what he was doing was wrong,

And therefore did not immediately do it,

But did it stealthily so as not to attract attention to himself.

 

• He gradually began to pull away from the Gentiles.

• Declining their invitations…

• Eventually skipping their love feasts…

• Until he began to “hold himself aloof,”

 

Just like a scene from a school play ground in which someone seeking popularity is seen talking to the wrong type of kid, Peter pulls away and joins the crowd.

 

Paul even tells us why he did it.

“fearing the party of the circumcision.”

 

Paul says Peter did it because he feared them.

 

It is important to note that the Judaizers claimed to be Christian,

And so they would have had NO PHYSICAL THREAT over Peter.

 

That could not possibly have been what Peter feared.

Rather, Peter feared the loss of status, or being verbally maligned by them.

 

And because Peter feared their verbal jabs,

He pulled away and fell into their same ways of legalism.

 

NOW LET’S ANALYZE THE SITUATION

 

Is it that big of a deal?

 

I mean, it’s just eating meals.

 

And certainly there are no commands that say who you have to eat with.

Why worry about such a little, insignificant event?

 

#2 THE EFFECTS

Galatians 2:13-14

 

As we read those two verses,

Hopefully you saw the disastrous effects of Peter’s choice.

 

Let’s look at three things that arose

From Peter’s little insignificant display of legalism.

 

1) THE BODY WAS DIVIDED (13)

 

Peter made a small, sly, and secretive choice not to eat with Gentiles,

But to separate from them.

 

Surely no one would notice, and it wouldn’t be that big of a deal.

 

“The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy”

 

Now certainly we understand that Peter was a man of much authority and clout, and we do learn again that teaching of the Lord, “To whom much is given, much is required.”

 

The esteemed of the world must be even more careful how they walk.

That is even why Paul told Timothy:

 

1 Timothy 5:19-20 “Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses. Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning.”

 

Certainly Peter’s status in the church did not help the situation.

 

Regardless of how hard he tried, his decision became obvious and

“the rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy.”

 

It was just one little choice,

And now the Church has been split right down the middle.

 

HOW BAD IS THE SPLIT?

“with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.”

 

WHY DID PAUL MENTION THAT?

• It was not to get Barnabas in trouble, but to reveal the scope of the division. Barnabas was “The son of encouragement.”

• Barnabas accepted everyone (Remember John Mark)

• Barnabas was as easy to get along with as anyone in the world.

 

So when he falls into the division, it is a serious division.

 

One little choice by Peter to follow legalism,

And the entire church at Antioch was split right down the middle.

 

This is one of the reasons that legalism is so dangerous.

IT IS THE NATURAL INCLINATION OF THE HUMAN FLESH.

 

• Your flesh desperately wants to fall into legalism.

• Your flesh desperately wants a reason to glorify itself.

• And if you open the door, it can carry you away in an instant.

 

All Peter did was secretly go along,

And the entire church was split asunder.

 

GOD DOES NOT WANT HIS CHURCH SPLIT

 

Romans 15:7 “Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.”

 

1 Corinthians 1:10 “Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.”

 

God hates division in the body,

And that is precisely what legalism accomplishes.

It cannot be tolerated.

 

But that is not the only effect of legalism.

 

The Body was Divided

2) THE GOSPEL WAS DISTORTED (14a)

“But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel”

 

This is the real issue at hand.

 

Peter never verbally preached a sermon,

And there is not one recorded by any of the other Jews either.

 

But, by pulling away from the Gentiles,

It is obvious that the message they believe

Is that regardless of the work of Jesus on the cross,

There is still an obvious advantage to being Jewish.

 

Their action attacked the sufficiency of the work of Jesus.

 

Their action said that the blood of Jesus on the cross

Could not make a Gentile equal with a Jew.

 

And of course this is an absolute heresy!

 

John 12:32 “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.”

 

That statement by Jesus was one of

The greatest statements of sufficiency He ever made.

 

His death may be limited in application,

But it is absolutely unlimited in sufficiency!

 

It magnifies other truths He gave:

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

 

John 4:21-24 “Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. “You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

 

Paul wrote on this very topic to the Ephesians.

Ephesians 2:13-22 “But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR; for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.”

 

The point to all those passages is that the blood of Jesus

Is 100% sufficient by itself to save the vilest sinner

And transform him into a child of God.

 

And amongst children of God there is NO DISTINCTION

Paul will say later:

Galatians 3:28 “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

 

The point is that

When we act like there is benefit in any work of the flesh,

Rather it be circumcision, baptism, or who you eat with,

We are taking away from the sufficiency of the death of Christ.

 

That was actually the message that Peter was now preaching.

 

By holding himself aloof,

• He preached to everyone that it was still beneficial to be Jewish,

• And therefore all the Jews separated as well,

• And any lost Gentile would be drastically confused as to how to be saved.

 

One little, silent act of legalism and:

The Body was Divided

The Gospel was Distorted

 

3) THE REBUKE WAS DESERVED (14b)

“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?”

 

Now of course that is not all of the rebuke.

We will finish this discourse next week.

 

But here Paul has Peter over a barrel.

 

Peter, are you saved by being Jewish?

If Peter answers no: Then why are you magnifying Judaism?

If Peter answers yes: Then why do you live like a Gentile?

 

Paul had already nailed Peter’s action in verse 13 as “hypocrisy”

 

Peter’s actions did not match his heart,

And HYPOCRISY ALWAYS WARRANTS A REBUKE from the Father.

 

You cannot claim that the blood of Jesus

Is sufficient to cleans us from all sin

And then require a person to do something else

In order to be saved.

NOW, WHY DID PAUL MENTION THIS ALTERCATION TO THE GALATIANS?

 

Because they needed to understand

The magnitude of the decision that is before them.

 

IN OUR DAY OF BLIND TOLERANCE,

LEGALISM CANNOT BE TOLERATED.

 

Legalism is no laughing matter.

It is lethally destructive,

And the Galatian church must not fall into it’s trap.

 

THE SAME IS FOR US

• We must watch out for this doctrine of Satan which always places too much emphasis on the work of man.

 

• And we must be careful to avoid it, for the consequences of yielding to it are nothing short of disastrous.

 

Legalism divides the body, distorts the gospel, and deserves a rebuke.

 

And that means that any expression of it

In our lives, our church, or our message must be rooted out.