Standing firm in gospel Freedom Galatians 2:1-14 · Join the Journey

Standing firm in gospel Freedom

Galatians 2:1-14

Imagine a prisoner who has been pardoned. The prison door is opened. The chains are removed.

The guard says, "You're free to go." But instead of walking out, the prisoner stays in the cell because it's familiar.

There is a scene in the movie The Shawshank Redemption where an older inmate named Brooks is released after spending most of his life in prison. Freedom terrified him because prison was all he knew. As Red, Morgan Freeman charter, later explains, “ These walls are funny. First you hate’em, then you get used to ‘em. Enough time passes, you get so you depend on them. That’s institutionalized.”

That's what legalism does. It convinces people that the prison cell is safer than freedom. It teaches us to depend on rules, performance, and religious activity instead of depending on Jesus.

Some people trust Jesus for salvation but spend the rest of their lives acting as if they still have to earn God's acceptance. They leave the prison of sin only to build a new prison of performance.

That's exactly what Paul is confronting in Galatians 2. Jesus has already opened the prison door. Through His death and resurrection, He has set us free. So don't go back to the cell God rescued you from.

Last week we learned from Paul’s story that no one is to far gone to be saved and used by God through His grace and for His glory.

Today Paul reminds us that the gospel doesn't just save us. The gospel sets us free. And once Jesus has set us free, we must refuse to let anyone put us back into bondage.

If you have your bibles

Galatians 2:1-4

Galatians 2:1–4

Remember last week Paul after his conversion immediately started preaching Jesus. The gospel was revealed to him directly from God and not by any man. It wasn’t until 3 years later that Paul went to Peter. But not until 14 years that Paul went to the other apostles and elders in Jerusalem.

Paul took Barnabas, a Jewish follower of Jesus and Titus, a Gentile follower of Jesus with him. Titus would be a test case. Would they force the law on Titus a Gentile believer or not.

Most likely this trip was when Paul went to Jerusalem after Agabus had prophesied about the coming famine in Acts 11. That prompted Paul and Barnabas to start collecting relief for the believers that would be facing the famine. Something Paul talks about in both his letters to the Corinthian churches and the letter to the Roman churches.

Paul used this trip to meet privately with the other apostles to be sure that he wasn’t running or had run in vain. Paul wasn't questioning whether his gospel was true. He received that gospel from Christ. He wanted to ensure there was unity among the apostles so the church wouldn't be divided.

But not even Titus was compelled to submit to the rites of the law. Now all this came about because there were those who had snuck in trying to twist and trip up believers.

Galatians 2:5-10

Galatians 2:5–10

The other apostles were in agreement with the ministry of Paul the gospel they preached was the same gospel that Paul had preached. Paul was right to not give these false believers a moment and to preserve the truth of the gospel and his calling to minister to the Gentiles.

These false believers were trying to spy on their freedom in Jesus and the enslave them to the law.

Peter himself would say this,

Acts 15:10-11

Acts 15:10–11

“ Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

Peter knew this. He believed this. He preached this. Yet as we're about to see, even mature believers can drift from the truth they know when they start fearing people more than God.

The apostles added nothing to Paul’s message and agreed that Paul should go to the Gentiles and proclaim the good news of Jesus.

The false teachers wanted believers to think: "Jesus is good, but Jesus isn't enough."

That's still happening today.

People say:

• Jesus plus church attendance.

• Jesus plus good behavior.

• Jesus plus a certain political view.

• Jesus plus a certain style of worship.

• Jesus plus cleaning up your life first.

But the gospel says:

You are saved by grace through faith in Jesus alone.

Good works matter. Obedience matters. Holiness matters. But they are the result of salvation, not the requirement for salvation. When we add something to Jesus, we aren't improving the gospel—we're replacing it.

So stand firm. When guilt says you're not good enough, stand firm.

When pride says you've earned God's favor, stand firm.

When religion says do more, stand firm. When Satan whispers that you must prove yourself, stand firm.

Jesus is enough.

But Paul’s troubles didn’t stop there.

Galatians 2:11-14

Galatians 2:11–14

These false believers were leading people astray, including Peter and Barnabas. Peter would eat with people who weren’t Jews. But after these false believers stirred up trouble even Peter feared them and started drawing back from them.

Friends we have this today. One of the greatest dangers to the church has never been just people outside the church. Often it has been religious people inside the church who begin adding man-made rules where God has given freedom.

Every generation has its list.

• Christians don't dress like that.

• Christians don't listen to that.

• Christians don't associate with those people.

• Christians don't go there.

• Christians don't talk to them.

Now certainly there are sinful things believers should avoid. But there is a difference between God's commands and our preferences.

The Pharisees were experts at turning preferences into requirements. And when we do that, we can push people away from Jesus instead of drawing them toward Him.

God doesn’t show favoritism. James says,

James 2:1-5

James 2:1–5

My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?

Even Jesus hung out with the very people that church folks complain about.

Mark 2:15

15 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.

Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners. Many followed him.

This was Paul’s approach as well. The Corinthians Paul says,

1 Corinthians 9:19-23

1 Corinthians 9:19–23

Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

Paul was free from everyone because of the gospel, but Paul willing became a servant to everyone, so that by all possible means he might save some.

Notice Paul's response wasn't isolation.

He didn't hide from lost people.

He moved toward them.

The gospel doesn't free us from people. It frees us for people.

Many Christians spend more time avoiding lost people than building relationships with them.

But if all of our friends already know Jesus, who are we trying to reach?

Let me ask you a hard question.

When was the last time you intentionally spent time with someone who didn't know Jesus?

Not accidentally.

Intentionally.

Because if Jesus came to seek and save the lost, shouldn't His followers be doing the same?

As Journey Church All of us go out to build authentic relationships with the lost in our community and around the world to communicate the gospel of Jesus.

That means:

• Learn your neighbor's name.

• Invite a coworker to lunch.

• Attend community events.

• Volunteer where non-Christians are.

• Invite someone to church.

• Share your testimony when opportunities arise.

• Ask people how you can pray for them.

Most people aren't reached through a sermon. Most people are reached through a relationship.

God has already placed people in your life that I may never meet.

The question isn't whether you know lost people. The question is whether you're intentionally trying to point them to Jesus.

Peter was acting hypocritical so Paul calls him out to his face.

Paul loved Peter enough to confront him. Notice what Paul didn't do.

He didn't gossip about Peter.

He didn't start a Facebook post about Peter.

He didn't build a group of people who agreed with him about Peter.

He went directly to Peter.

So often when our brother or sister is in the wrong we don’t do this. Instead we either talk about them or ignore them. but we don’t hold them accountable.

That’s not how we operate here at Journey Church. As Journey Church we build strong relationships, walking side by side through the messiness of life with prayer, accountability, and encouragement.

That's biblical accountability. Most people want encouragement. Few people want accountability. Yet accountability is one of God's greatest gifts to His church.

A good friend doesn't just tell you what you want to hear. A good friend tells you what you need to hear.

Let me ask you:

Who in your life has permission to tell you that you're wrong?

Who can challenge your decisions?

Who can ask the hard questions?

Who can point out blind spots?

If nobody can, you're in a dangerous place spiritually.

Accountability is rarely clean or easy. Most of the time it’s messy and hard. But it was what Peter, Barnabas and the church needed. And we do too.

That means:

• Giving people permission to ask hard questions.

• Being honest about struggles.

• Receiving correction without becoming defensive.

• Loving people enough to speak the truth.

• Restoring people rather than condemning them.

Accountability isn't punishment. Accountability is rescue.

Peter wasn't being attacked by Paul. Peter was being loved by Paul.

Sometimes the most loving thing you can say to someone is: "Brother, sister, I'm concerned about the direction you're heading." And sometimes the most spiritual response is: "Thank you for caring enough to tell me."

In Galatians 2 we see two dangers.

One is legalism.

The other is hypocrisy.

The false teachers wanted to enslave believers to rules. Peter's fear led him to live inconsistently with the gospel he believed. And if we're honest, we're tempted by both.

Sometimes we try to earn God's favor. That's legalism.

Sometimes we care more about people's approval than God's approval. That's hypocrisy.

The false teachers struggled with one. Peter struggled with the other.

And if we're honest, we struggle with both.

The answer to both problems is the same. The gospel.

The gospel reminds us that Jesus has already done what we could never do. He lived the perfect life we couldn't live. He died the death we deserved. He rose again victorious over sin and death. And through faith in Him we are completely forgiven, completely accepted, and completely free.

So stand firm in that freedom.

Don't go back to the chains.

Don't add to the gospel.

Don't compromise the gospel.

Stand firm in the grace that saved you.

Maybe today you've been trying to earn God's acceptance. You need to stop striving and start trusting. Jesus has already done the work.

Maybe today you've drifted into hypocrisy, caring more about what people think than what God says. Today is the day to repent and return.

Jesus followers, stop carrying the backpack.

Stop trying to earn what Jesus has already given.

Stop living for the approval of people.

Stand firm in the freedom of the gospel.

And if you've never trusted Jesus, today can be the day everything changes.

Lay down the burden.

Walk out of the prison cell.

Turn from your sins.

Put your faith in Jesus.

Meet Him in baptism today and begin a new life in Christ.