the worst party on Earth

Galatians 2:11-14

10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

11 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. 12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. 13 For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. 14 And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.

In Galatians 2:11-14 Paul opposes Peter, or Cephas. Paul and Peter were friends and working together to advance the Kingdom of God, but when Paul felt that Peter was not living out the Gospel, he was not afraid to “oppose him to his face because he stood condemned.” 

I’m sure that there have been times in all of our lives when we knew something was wrong, but were too afraid to stand up for what we believed in because we were afraid of what people might think of us or that we could ruin a friendship. In this instance, however, Paul demonstrates that nothing is more important than what God wants us to do and is willing to endure the conflict with Peter if it means obeying God.

The passage says that “before certain men cam from James, he Peter was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party.”

In Acts 10:28, after a vision about how God can make even unclean animals acceptable to eat Peter says, “You yourself know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.” After this, Peter realizes that God wants him to preach to the Gentiles and begins to do so. After James comes, however, he stops and separates himself from the Gentiles. 

Peter stopped doing what God told him was right and Paul noticed it. He saw that Peter was being hypocritical and asked, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?” Paul questions how he can expect the Gentiles to live like Jews if he is not even living like a Jew himself.

Answer This:

1.   Are there areas in your life where you know you should be standing up for what you believe in, but are too afraid to do so?

2.   Are you truly living as you say a Christian should or are you being hypocritical?

3. “For am I now seeking the _____________ of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please _________?”

4. Take a minute and journal about this passage.

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Written by Hannah