The Great Equalizer

The Great Equalizer
Galatians 2

Last week we looked at Galatians 1, wherein the major theme was the Gospel of Christ.
The nature of the gospel was clearly set forth:
ITS MINISTERS ARE CALLED BY GOD ALONE.
ITS PRICE HAS BEEN PAID IN FULL
ITS POWER TO SAVE IS EXCLUSIVE
ITS MESSAGE WAS NOT INFLUENCED BY MAN
ITS CONVERTS ARE CHANGED BY IT
While this major theme continues throughout the letter to the Galatians, Paul also addresses some problematic issues that had risen within the church.
One of those issues was what the Bible calls "respect of persons."

This is the sin of preferring certain types of people above others and even pridefully acknowledging oneself to be better than other people for one reason or another.
This sin of respect of persons was a cancer within the church.
It was brought in by the Devil whose sole desire was to see the church corrupted.

It is out particular privilege and advantage to read the Apostle's letter to the Galatian church and avoid the same powerful temptation to sin in this way.

Let us read the text and see how Paul addresses certain false ideas that lead to respect of persons and lays out powerful truths that, if accepted, will keep a church from falling into this trap.

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In Verse 2 we see something extremely important that is often lost in the study of this subject.
Paul showed respect for authority and wisdom in dealing with the elders - that is the spiritual leaders in the church.
One mistake that is often made is the assumption that, since the leadership of the church is no better than I am, I can disrespect them as much as anyone.
The whole point of the lesson here is that we are to defer rather than differ when at all possible, putting self aside and especially respect the authority that God has placed over us.
Paul was an Apostle called of God and charged by God with the preaching of the Gospel, but He did not seek out a public confrontation with the church leadership.
Paul wisely met with the leadership of the church to tell them what God had delivered to him and to let them know how he was going to preach this gospel to the church in Jerusalem.
God blessed that wisdom and discernment in Paul's ministry.

Verse 3,4
In the next few verses we see the first of several truths that Paul points out.
This first one debunks a commonly held belief in Christians throughout church history.
TRADITIONAL RITUAL DOES NOT MAKE ME BETTER THAN SOMEONE ELSE
Titus had not observed a common traditional ritual for the Jewish people and was being blasted by the elite group of traditionalists for being less spiritual because of it.
Paul points out the areas of our life which are within the bounds of liberty and are voluntary standards.

Verse 5,6
The second Truth that Paul lays out attacks the cult of personality.
Some people are more socially apt than others.
It is common among immature Christians to perceive social ability as spiritual prowess.
POPULARITY AND ESTEEM OF MAN DOES NOT MAKE ME BETTER THAN SOMEONE ELSE.
Paul points out that popularity is empty and counted as nothing to God.
While certainly, as Paul himself said, we are to live our lives without offense as much as possible, we need not find our value in the love of others because fame and recognition are fleeting.
The major point Paul is trying to make is for those who were distracted by the cult of popularity.
They were looking at the outside while God was interested on the inside.

Verse 7-9
The third major truth that I see is one that addresses an attitude that rears its ugly head in our fundamentalist movement even today.
NO FIELD TO WHICH I AM CALLED MAKES ME BETTER THAN SOMEONE ELSE.
It was generally accepted that since the Gospel came first to the Jews, the ministry to the Jews was of greater value and importance.
Paul is pointing out that the greatest position you could ever hold on this earth is the position to which God has called you.
We must realize that the field to which God has called us does not make us better than someone else.
Whether you are a missionary, a pastor, a Sunday school teacher or a toilet scrubber - when you are following God's will for your life you are in the highest possible position.

Verse 10
While the previous point allows for targeted ministry, Verse 10 makes a clear exception to the rule.
This truth is almost parenthetical in its layout with the others but important nevertheless.
NOONE IS EXEMPT FROM REACHING OUT TO THE NEEDY.
As I was raised in the ministry, I came to understand that weekly and sometimes daily calls for help from the needy were not to go ignored.
From the first day of ministry in Fort Bragg, Gospel Light Baptist Church has had a purposeful outreach to people in need.
As our resources have increased that ministry has become formalized and even named, but the driving force has always been to show God's love to people so that we might be able to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a fashion consistent with its nature.
Never forget it, when you help the least of these you do it for God.

Now we get into a portion of the chapter that specifically addresses the problem of respect of persons.
Remember that this speaks of esteeming certain people above others.

Verse 11,12
Here we see one Apostle needing to correct another.
Paul is on equal footing with Peter and points out publicly a sin which was committed publicly.
Such is the responsibility of a leader, if a sin of this nature is committed publicly, in that same forum, before any time passes, the spiritual leadership within the group is required to point out the error.
(It is important that we do not see this as permission to publicly rebuke those whom God has placed over us - 1Ti 5:1 ¶ Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; - There is a better way to do that)
In this instance, we see that certain things become clear:
RESPECT OF PERSONS STEMS FROM A FEAR OF MAN AND A LACK OF FEAR OF GOD.
Peter was afraid of what the Jews would think so he changed his behavior.
Had he only feared God, he would have stood firm in his fellowship with the Gentile brothers and sisters.

Verse 13
Verse 13 shows us that when we show respect of persons we lead others astray.
RESPECT OF PERSON IS A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE.
Peter led others to join his "click" of elite Christians, not fellowshipping with the lower class Gentiles.

Verse 14
Here we see one more aspect of this sin:
RESPECT OF PERSONS BREEDS HYPOCRISY IN THE RESPECTOR OF PERSONS
Peter was requiring of the Gentiles something he did not require even of himself.
Such is the nature of this sin.
It makes hypocrites of the best of us.

Verse 15,16
One more truth is revealed before getting to the actual solution to the problem.
MY WORKS DO NOT MAKE ME BETTER THAN SOMEONE ELSE.
Paul points out that if we meet a list of standards or rules for the sake of conforming to said list, it is of no value to us in the way of Justification.
It is our faith that justifies us, not our works, and I can take no personal credit for faith - it is by nature a work of God.
Certainly we should understand that works necessarily follow our faith, but this is a result of the faith by which I am justified.
I may look like, dress like, smell like, and act like a perfect little Christian (and well I should) but that is not what makes me holy before God.
It is the righteousness of His Son that I wear.

Verse 17,18
These two verses are the most complex in the chapter.
Quite simply though, it means that Christ presides over our lives now as the Prime Mover and is the source of all my actions.
I no longer act simply to conform to a list of rules.
I act in response to His moving in me.
The obvious question arises then.
What if I sin?
Paul answers this, It is not that this is Christ sinning in me.
That would be unthinkable.
It is that I have pulled out that old man, the one who only knew the weak letter of the law, and I have placed that dead rotting carcass on the throne of my heart, displacing Jesus for the moment.
In doing this I am a transgressor - I am not supposed to do this.

Verse 19
here we begin to see the solution - I do not live by the rules, I live by the Spirit Who wrote them.
How can I be sure to never be a respecter of persons?
By getting out of the way and letting Him live through me.

Verse 20
Here we see the doctrine of self-death.
We must reckon ourselves as dead, crucified with Christ.
It is not that I no longer live - I live a new man, no, actually, it is Christ Who lives in me.
I then live each moment by faith in Him, whose blood was shed for me in love for me.

The conclusion is in verse 21 - where we are encouraged to not frustrate the good work that God wants to do in our lives by letting self get in the way.
This is why Christ died, so that we might live for Him.