“HE STOOD CONDEMNED!”

Galatians 2:1-14                                             (ESV)

“1 Then after fourteen years I (Paul) 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 (Peter) 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 (Peter) 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 (Peter) 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?" 

Far too often try to ADD to Scripture with WORDS that are”less offensive” than Scripture, losing some of the effectiveness of those WORDS!  Paul said I AM NOT RUNNING from TRUTH and confronted Cephas (Peter) to correct his behavior of Jewish supremacy.  

In 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, Paul also writes “And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with LOFTY SPEECH or WISDOM.  For I decided to know nothing among you except JESUS CHRIST and HIM CRUCIFIED.  And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and MY SPEECH AND MY MESSAGE were NOT IN PLAUSIBLE WORDS OF WISDOM, but in demonstration of the SPIRIT and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of GOD!”

Anytime we start to think that we can change peoples minds with our LOFTY SPEECH, we are elevating ourselves above them, maybe with no intention of doing so.  The HOLY SPIRIT of GOD is the ONLY method of changing a heart!  Even Peter was falling into this trap and Paul says “HE STOOD CONDEMNED”!  We must return to preaching JESUS CHRIST alone and HIM CRUCIFIED and let the HOLY SPIRIT clean up their acts!!!