St Louis UBF UBF Bible Study : Galatians 2:1-10

Bible Study Materials

Galatians 2:1-10

by Paul Choi 01/12/2014

Question

Galatians Lesson 2

TO PRESERVE THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL

Galatians 2:1–10

Key Verse: 2:5

To what does “fourteen years later” refer? What motivated Paul to visit Jerusalem? (1–2,4) [Based on his use of the words “privately” and “in response to a revelation,” Paul’s trip to Jerusalem seems to be prior to his going to the Jerusalem Council, which was a public event and instigated by a sharp dispute and debate at Antioch with the circumcision group (Ac15:1–2).] Who was with him? In Paul’s mind, why was this matter so serious? (2b)

Who was Titus? (3b; Tit1:4–5) How did his presence with Paul in Jerusalem further validate the Gentile gospel ministry and set a precedent for all Gentile believers? Who were the “false brothers,” and what was their real motive in forcing Gentiles to be circumcised? (4)

Read verse 5. How did Paul express his uncompromising spirit with the false brothers? (5a) Why did he oppose them so strongly? (5b) What is “the truth of the gospel”?(1Co15:3–4; Gal2:16)

What can we learn from Paul’s shepherd’s concern for Gentile believers? Why was preserving the truth of the gospel so crucial for the Galatians, and, for the history of Christian missions? How is the gospel truth being challenged in our time, and what can we do to preserve it? (5a)

How did the leaders in Jerusalem respond to Paul and his message? (6–9) How could they agree to part ways amicably and work for the gospel respectively? (8–10) How would the Jerusalem leaders’ acceptance help Paul in his Gentile ministry?

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Galatians Lesson 2[1]-questions.doc

Message

TO PRESERVE THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL

Galatians 2:1-10

Key Verse: 2:5 “We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you.”

In today’s passage we learn how Paul fought to preserve the truth of the gospel and to protect his sheep, as a good shepherd. He also teaches us how to remain in the truth of the gospel. His life reminds us of Jesus who lived and died for the truth of God and for his sheep. May God teach us Paul’s humility, fighting spirit, and shepherd heart for God’s flock of sheep. Amen.

Look at verses 1,2. “Fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I did this privately to those who seemed to be leaders, for fear that I was running or had run my race in vain.” We don’t know exactly when Paul and his companion, Barnabas and Titus, went up to Jerusalem. It could be fourteen years later after Paul was converted to Christianity. Based on his use of the words “privately” and “in response to a revelation,” Paul’s trip to Jerusalem seems to be prior to his going to the Jerusalem Council, which was a public event and instigated by a sharp dispute and debate at Antioch with the circumcision group. (Ac15:1–2) We are not sure of the date of his visit to Jerusalem, but we know why he went there. Paul was sent from the Antioch church to confirm his gospel teaching and his Gentile ministry at the Jerusalem church, which was the headquarters of the Christian church at that time. As Paul mentioned in chapter 1:12, he received the gospel of Christ directly by Christ. No one taught the gospel to Paul, but Paul received the gospel by Christ. Paul wanted to make sure of his teaching about the gospel.

Paul also wanted to receive approval for his gentile ministry. There was a great work of the Holy Spirit among the Gentiles in the Antioch church. (Ac 11:26) Gentiles are non-Jews. They were lawless people. They had no knowledge about salvation and the kingdom of God. But when they heard from Paul about the gospel of Jesus Christ, they were changed. They accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and became children of God. The great numbers of Greek-speaking gentiles became Christians and received the Holy Spirit. They enjoyed true love and real freedom through the forgiveness of sin. They were happy with Jesus and joyful in Jesus. However, some men who came from Judea, the so-called, ‘Judaizers’ or ‘circumcision group’ came to the Antioch church and said to the Gentile believers, “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” (Ac 15:1) This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. (Ac 15:2) Paul wanted to make sure about the gospel of Christ to the Gentile believers. He wanted to preserve the truth of the gospel of Christ and to protect the Gentile believers, his sheep.

Here we learn Paul’s humility for the unity of the church and co-operation with other co-workers. Paul could have worked his gentile ministry by himself separately from the Jerusalem church without any connections. In fact, he did not need any recognition or confirmation for his work from the Jerusalem church. But he humbled himself and learned how to be unified with the Jerusalem church and co-operate together with other co-workers. The work of God is no one-man show. We need unity and harmony in Christ. Even Jesus worked together with John the Baptist and his disciples. Recently, there has been a great work of the Holy Spirit in El Camino UBF LA. Missionary John Baik could have worked all by himself without any connection with other local UBF chapters. He has enough leaders and co-workers in his ministry. Still, he humbled himself and worked together with others. God blesses his ministry all the more. Unity, harmony, and co-operation are essential requirements for each ministry to build up the body of Christ. At the same time, these are the most forgotten elements which are missed by immature leaders.

Look at verses 3,4. “Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves.” Our St. Louis UBF is still a Korean-dominated ministry. My friend Michael Lanier came from Springfield, Illinois, the heartland of America. He is not familiar with hot and spicy food. Suppose a friendly Korean missionary insisted that Michael eat Kimchi and rice to make Michael more familiar with Korean food and culture. Even though the missionary did it out of love and friendship, it could be torture for Michael. Michael is Michael. He enjoys freedom in Jesus in choosing his food and flavor.

Titus was a Greek. He was a one of the Gentile believers who was converted to Christianity by Paul. Titus was a promising spiritual leader. In fact, later he was left in Crete as a young pastor in Paul’s place. Titus received real freedom through faith in Christ Jesus. His sins were forgiven and he was justified through faith in Christ Jesus. He did not know what circumcision was and why it was necessary for him because he was a Greek. However, he was challenged by the Jewish circumcision group. They tried to make him be circumcised in order to be saved. According to Paul, the circumcision group sneaked into to spy on the freedom which the Gentile believers have in Christ Jesus and to make them slaves again. (4)

How did Paul deal with them? Look at verse 5. “We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you.” In this letter, Paul describes their conflict with soft words, “We did not give in to them,”, but in reality their conflict was accompanied by a sharp dispute and severe rebuke by Paul. Paul was humble, gentle, and patient, since he was born again. He remembered the grace of God more than anyone else. He learned how to deny himself and be submissive to others. He became a gentile to win the Gentiles and he became weak to win the weak. (1Co 9:22) But, for the sake of the truth of the gospel of Christ, he did not give in. He did not compromise. He fought a good fight to the end to preserve the truth of the gospel of Christ. In Antioch, he even rebuked Peter harshly, the top disciple of Jesus, when Peter did not live based on the truth of the gospel of Christ. What is the truth of the gospel of Christ? It is that Christ died for our sins and rose again from the dead, and that we all, Jews and Gentiles, are saved only by God’s grace and justified through faith in Jesus Christ. (1 Co 15:3,4, Gal 2:16, Eph2:8) Since the Gentiles were justified through faith in Jesus Christ, they did not need to receive circumcision. They didn’t have to be the Jews for their salvation. Circumcision should not be a requirement for salvation. Paul fought for this truth, the truth of the gospel of Christ Jesus.

Paul also fought for Titus and all the Gentile believers as their shepherd. If Titus was circumcised in Jerusalem, all other Gentile believers would be compelled to be circumcised. Titus could be the firstfruit of all the Gentile believers in the case of circumcision. Paul fought a good fight to protect his sheep from the wolves. Paul was a good shepherd. He was ready to give his life for the sheep. (Jn 10:11) We know how much Paul suffered for the gospel of the Christ during his missionary journey. In Iconium he was almost stoned to death while he was preaching to the Gentiles. He was often arrested, and was imprisoned many times. He was rejected, opposed, and persecuted by the evil Jewish mob. But Paul did not give up. He loved God’s flock of sheep and built Christ’s churches wherever he went. In Ephesus for two whole years he taught the word to the Gentiles in the hall of Tyrannus. (Ac 19:9,10) The word of God spread to the entire area of Asia. He witnessed that God loves Jews and Gentiles equally. He knew that Christ Jesus died for both Jews and Gentiles. He saw how the Gentiles enjoyed freedom and how they became children of God by believing Jesus Christ, not by observing the Jewish law. To Paul, the gentile believers were his precious, lovely sheep. They were bought by the precious blood of Christ Jesus. He did not want to see his sheep confused and led astray by the Jewish customs. Paul did not give in to the circumcision group. He fought to the end to protect his sheep from the wolves.

In the movie ‘The Mission’, Jesuit Father Gabriel fights to the end to protect his sheep, the native Indian believers in South America, from the Portugal army, who tried to make them slaves. Father Gabriel risked his life and went into the jungle in South America and evangelized a town. All the townspeople accepted Christ Jesus and became believers of God. However, the town was occupied by the Portuguese authority, which allowed slavery. Father Gabriel was determined to fight in order to protect his Indian sheep from the Portuguese invaders. He did not fight against them with guns and powder. He fought them with non-violence. While the enemies invaded and destroyed the whole town, Father Gabriel and all his sheep worshiped God in their church and praised him. Father Gabriel and all his Indian sheep were shot down by the army and his mission was over. But their sacrificial death was not in vain. Their blood for the truth of the gospel became the foundation to evangelize the whole of South America.

Paul’s shepherd life for the Gentiles and Father Gabriel’s sacrificial death for the Indians reminds me of Jesus, the good shepherd who laid down his life for the sheep. Jesus did not give in to evil. He fought a good fight for his sheep. He did not fight with swords and spears. He fought with obedience and love. He submitted himself to the will of God on the cross. He won over evil with good. He himself became the sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the world. He gave his life for his sheep.

Look at verse 5 again. “We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you.” Because Paul fought for the truth of the gospel, the Gentile believers could keep the truth of the gospel. The truth of the gospel could remain with them. They could continue to freely preach the good news of salvation to other Gentile friends and relatives with confidence. We also pray and fight in this corrupt and perverse generation so that the truth of the gospel may remain with us. We call this generation the post-modern generation. In this post-modern generation plural relativism is prevailing. Many say that there is no absolute truth in the world. If something sounds or feels true, it will be truth for them. They deny the absolute truth of God. Some claim the universal concept of God. Have you ever seen the bumper sticker for “coexist”? They say that all religions are the same and that whatever they believe, they will be okay. This is a very subtle and serious challenge to the truth of the gospel of Christ. We believe that there is only one true God, who created the heavens and the earth. The Creator God sent Jesus Christ, his one and only Son, to die for our sins and that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (Jn 14:6) There is no other name under heaven given to us for our salvation but the name Jesus Christ. (Ac 4:12) We are not exclusive. Our God loves everybody and anybody. His love is universal. He gives equal opportunity to be saved through faith in Jesus Christ. We must fight a good fight to preserve the truth of the gospel in this confused and corrupted post-modern generation. We must not compromise with the worldly and ungodly consensus and give in to secular humanistic philosophies. Paul said in Romans 12:2, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Amen.

In verses 6-10 Paul finally receives the confirmation and approval about his teaching and the Gentile ministry from the top leaders of the Jerusalem church. Paul found that the church leaders did not add anything to his gospel message. They also approved of Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles as they did to Peter’s ministry for the Jews. They also stood on the side of the truth of the gospel, that the Gentiles could be justified through faith in Jesus without being circumcised. God gave a great victory to Paul and his ministry. In reality, the truth of God won over the false teachings.

In our Christian life we may be tolerant about what to eat and how to be clothed, or whether we raise our hands during the worship service. In church, what kind of music we play for worship and how many times we have communion a year do not necessarily become big issues. The important thing is to preserve the truth of the gospel of Christ. Each Sunday, the gospel of Christ stained by the blood of Jesus should be proclaimed. In worship service, we may feel the deep love of Christ and the grace of God through fellowship with the Holy Spirit. We need brotherhood and unity in Christ Jesus. In each family, proper discipline and spiritual order should be respected. It makes our church and family healthy and strong in Christ. In the world we should live as a salt and light to the world. How can we remain in the truth of the gospel? We must repent of our sins and receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth.(Jn 14:17, 15:26) It leads us to the truth. The Holy Spirit strengthens our faith and enables us to bear the fruits of eternal life. The life filled with the Holy Spirit and guided by the Holy Spirit makes us remain in the truth of the gospel. We also must read the Bible, the word of truth, and obey its teachings. The Bible makes us wise for salvation and grows us to be useful servants of God. (2 Tim 3:15,16) Morning devotion and regular Bible reading help us to remain in the truth of God. All things on this earth change. But Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Heb 13:8) Jesus’ love never changes and his life leads us to the truth. May God help us to remain in the truth of the gospel in this corrupt and perverse generation. Amen.

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