GALATIANS LESSON 4


     We will begin the next lesson with Galatians 2:11 "But when Peter
was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be
blamed."

     We see, in this, a confrontation between Paul and Peter. Since
Paul was primarily ministering to Gentile believers and Peter was
ministering to Jewish converts, it would be a natural thing for them
to bring different messages. I do not believe this is speaking of
that, however. It appears there was a definite difference in Paul and
Peter's belief. This is really in an area where Paul had preached
more. It appears that Peter, from time to time, went around the area
and checked on the churches. Many Jews had converted to Christianity,
as well as the Gentiles. It appears that Peter was like an overseer.
Paul did not talk behind Peter's back, but met with him in person to
accuse him of error. This trip to Antioch was probably quite a bit
later than Paul's visit to Jerusalem, that we read about in the last
lesson.

     Galatians 2:12 "For before that certain came from James, he did
eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and
separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision."

     It seems that Peter had eaten with the Gentiles, until these men
came from James. Peter withdrew himself {as the Jews had done in times
past} from the Gentiles, while the men from James were there. You
remember, James was the head of the church in Jerusalem, which was
almost entirely made up of Jewish converts. Peter, it seemed, did not
want a report going back to James of his fellowshipping with the
Gentiles. It appears to me, from this, that perhaps the teaching of
the keeping of the law by the converted Jews has come from James.
Peter did not want a bad report going back to James.

     Galatians 2:13 "And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him;
insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their
dissimulation."

     "Dissembled", in the verse above, means to act hypocritically in
concert with. "Dissimulation" means hypocrisy, deceit, or
condemnation. This, then, is a terrible accusation of Paul against
Peter. Until this happened, Paul had thought the last one to do this
would be Barnabas. For anyone to be one way in front of one group of
people, and be another way in front of another group would be
hypocrisy. We must remember, however, that the church was in its
formative stage here. It was very difficult for those who had begun
with the law {even Paul} to just be transformed overnight in their
thinking, and do an about face on all the things they had been taught.
Part of their problem arose from the fact that, they had separate
rules for the Jews and the Gentiles. Even Paul, sometimes conformed to
the wishes of the people around him when he made decisions, such as
when he circumcised Timothy. In those early days, they did things,
they would not have done later to try to get into a certain group to
preach. They bowed to the customs of the people, so they would be
allowed to preach there.

     Galatians 2:14 "But when I saw that they walked not uprightly
according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before [them]
all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and
not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the
Jews?"

     Paul is questioning Peter, why he lived one way before these
Jewish brothers arrived, and then changed when they came. Even though
Peter knew the Gentiles had been accepted of God in their
uncircumcised condition, he still felt that it would be good if they
would not fight the Jews on this issue. It seems that many of the
Christians were afraid of the Jews. It appears to me, that Paul is
saying, make up your mind whether you are a Jew or a Christian, and
live accordingly. Let the Gentiles alone. If they are good enough for
God in the condition He called them, then leave them alone. Do not try
to make them conform to Jewish customs.

     Galatians 2:15 "We [who are] Jews by nature, and not sinners of
the Gentiles,"

     Paul is saying, that he, too, had been a Jew by birth. "Sinners
of the Gentiles" is a sarcastic remark about how the Jews had always
looked down on the Gentiles.

     Galatians 2:16 "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works
of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in
Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and
not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no
flesh be justified."

     Paul is reminding Peter and the others, that even though they had
been Jews, they had to come to Christ through faith, not works. It was
not the keeping of the law that saved Abraham. His faith was counted
unto him as righteousness. By the law, no one would be saved, because
all have sinned and deserve death. "Justified", means just as if I had
never sinned.  Look, with me, at the next Scriptures which say it so
well.  Romans 3:19 "Now we know that what things soever the law saith,
it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be
stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God." Romans 3:20
"Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified
in his sight: for by the law [is] the knowledge of sin." Romans 3:21
"But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being
witnessed by the law and the prophets;"  Romans 3:22 "Even the
righteousness of God [which is] by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and
upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:" Romans 3:23
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"  Romans
3:24 "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that
is in Christ Jesus:"  This next Scripture says it all. Romans 3:28
"Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the
deeds of the law."

     Galatians 2:17 "But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ,
we ourselves also are found sinners, [is] therefore Christ the
minister of sin? God forbid."

     A Christian is a believer in and a follower of the Lord Jesus
Christ. If we have made Christ the Lord of our life, then we no longer
make our decisions. Christ makes the decisions. Christ will never
decide to sin. The Lord Jesus Christ will not live in the person who
habitually sins. We must let Jesus Christ become so real in our lives
that we will be a reflection of Him.

     Galatians 2:18 "For if I build again the things which I
destroyed, I make myself a transgressor."

     This is just saying, if you go back into sin after you have
received forgiveness for the sin, you make yourself a transgressor.
"Transgressor" here, means, violator or breaker. God gives us freedom
from sin. It is our obligation to live in the salvation provided for
us. Romans 6:4 "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into
death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of
the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."

     Galatians 2:19 "For I through the law am dead to the law, that I
might live unto God."

     Jesus became our substitute for our sin on the cross. He
fulfilled the law for each of us who will accept it. The law is of
none effect in the believer. The price has been paid in full. Romans
7:5 "For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by
the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death."
Romans 7:6 "But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead
wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and
not [in] the oldness of the letter."  Sin, for the Christian, died on
the Lord's body on the cross. We live in Him.

     Galatians 2:20 "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live;
yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in
the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and
gave himself for me."

     I have possibly used this Scripture more than any other in these
Bible studies. This tells exactly what happens to the believer in
Christ. My flesh must be crucified that my spirit might live. My own
personal belief is that the real me is spirit. That spirit took up a
dwelling place in my body. The soul is the will. My spirit and my body
are constantly fighting for control of my will. When I become a
Christian and make Jesus Christ Lord of my life, my flesh loses this
battle. The Spirit of the risen Christ takes up abode in me, and He is
in control of me. I have turned my will over to God. It is my faith in
God which gave me the confidence to turn myself over to the will of
God. Christ lives in me to the glory of God. There is no need for me
to worry, because He has everything under control. Temptations fade
away, because I have turned the decision making over to Him. Christ in
me, the hope of glory.

     Galatians 2:21 "I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if
righteousness [come] by the law, then Christ is dead in vain."

     If we could have been saved by the law, then it would have been
useless for Jesus to give His body on the cross for us. Romans 10:3
"For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to
establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto
the righteousness of God."  Hebrews 7:11 "If therefore perfection were
by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the
law,) what further need [was there] that another priest should rise
after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of
Aaron?"  Galatians 3:21  "[Is] the law then against the promises of
God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have
given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law." The law
was our schoolmaster to reveal to us how badly we needed a Saviour.
Christ gave His body on the cross that we might live. He purchased our
salvation with His precious blood. He quickens our spirit to eternal
life in Him.



































                        Galatians 4 Questions

1.  Quote Galatians chapter 2 verse 11.
2.  Who was Paul primarily ministering to?
3.  Who was Peter ministering to primarily?
4.  What had Peter done before certain men came from James, that he
    was not doing after they came?
5.  Why had Peter done this?
6.  What does this indicate?
7.  What does "dissembled" mean in verse 13?
8.  What is Paul accusing Peter of being?
9.  What is one thing we need to keep in mind about these churches?
10. Sometimes, to be able to preach in a certain area, they bowed to
    the _________ of the people.
11. In verse 14, what does Paul say to Peter?
12. Paul is saying, if these Gentiles are alright with God, _______
    ______ _____.
13. What was Paul, by nature?
14. What did the statement "sinners of the Gentiles" mean?
15. Man is not justified by the works of the _______.
16. What does justify mean in the sight of God?
17. Who can be justified by the law?
18. How had even these Jews come to Christ?
19. What was counted unto Abraham as righteousness?
20. What does justified mean?
21. By the law is the knowledge of ___.
22. Quote Romans chapter 3 verses 22 and 23.
23. What had Paul concluded from Romans chapter 3 verse 28?
24. What is a Christian?
25. How can a Christian make himself a transgressor?
26. What does transgressor mean?
27. Quote Romans chapter 6 verse 4.
28. I am dead to the law that I might live unto ____.
29. Memorize and quote Galatians chapter 2 verse 20.
30. What does the author believe about the spirit, the body, and the
    soul?
31. What would cause the Lord Jesus Christ to be dead in vain?