Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me. And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain. [Acts 15] (GALTIANS 2:1-2)
In our previous lesson, Paul justified his authority as an apostle by proclaiming, But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. (Galatians 1:15-17) But when he did eventually go to Jerusalem, he went privately to those who were of reputation, in other words the leaders of the church. He wanted to make sure that he and they were in agreement of the gospel message he preached to the Gentiles, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain.
Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage), to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. (Galatians 2:3-5) Paul was referring to the time ...certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren [in Antioch, Acts 14:26], “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” (Acts 15:1)
Paul's message to the Gentiles and to all of us was that salvation came through faith alone in Christ Jesus. There was and is nothing else we can do to add to or take way from our salvation. These false brethren came for the sole purpose of trying to sabotage the faith of the Gentiles by trying to convince them that they had to become circumcised to be saved. Therefore, after Paul and Barnabas private meeting with the apostles and other leaders in the church, they wrote a letter to the Gentile churches stating, Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law” —to whom we gave no such commandment— it seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will also report the same things by word of mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. (Acts 15:24-29)
But from those who seemed to be something—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man—for those who seemed to be something added nothing to me. But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do. (Galatians 2:6-10)
Paul had referred to the practice of remembering the poor to the church in Corinth when he said, Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come. And when I come, whomever you approve by your letters I will send to bear your gift to Jerusalem. (Acts 16:1-3) We studied this in detail in a previous lesson, but it was important for the churches to send help to the church "headquarters" in Jerusalem, because the apostles had committed themselves ...continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word. (Acts 6:4)
Paul's main purpose in this section was to reiterate that whether we're circumcised or uncircumcised doesn't matter. The liberty which we have in Christ Jesus comes through our faith in Him alone. Being a Jew doesn't make a person better than a Gentile. Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; (Romans 1:5-6) For so the Lord has commanded us:‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’” [Isaiah 49:6] (Acts 13:47) God shows personal favoritism to no man!
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