True Christianity 7
CHAPTER TWO
Gal 2:1-10 NKJV
1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me.
2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain.
3 Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.
4 And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage),
5 to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
6 But from those who seemed to be something–whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man–for those who seemed to be something added nothing to me.
7 But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter
8 (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles),
9 and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.
10 They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do.
A brief recount of his experience with Titus and the Church in Jerusalem strengthens Paul’s position. After the Lord had spoken to him, Paul took Titus to Jerusalem to share his revelation of the Gospel with the apostles there.
In the light of his Gospel, the apostles there, after listening to Paul’s revelation did not try to force Titus, a Greek convert, to be circumcised – the most important rite in Judaism … in order to complete his salvation.
From the letter, we gather that some false brethren had been brought into the congregation as believers … but they had a different gospel. They insisted that the Gentile converts need to become Jews in order to truly be saved.
Circumcision is not simply a rite … it was the sign of God’s covenant between Himself and the nation of Israel. Any male, born in Israel, who was not circumcised, was cut off from the congregation or nation of Israel (Gen 17:14) …
Thus to the Jewish mind, circumcision represented being Jewish. When speaking of circumcision, the Hebrew mid immediately related to Abraham, Moses and the Law.
Exo 12:42-49 NKJV
42 It is a night of solemn observance to the LORD for bringing them out of the land of Egypt. This is that night of the LORD, a solemn observance for all the children of Israel throughout their generations.
43 And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover: No foreigner shall eat it.
44 But every man’s servant who is bought for money, when you have circumcised him, then he may eat it.
45 A sojourner and a hired servant shall not eat it.
46 In one house it shall be eaten; you shall not carry any of the flesh outside the house, nor shall you break one of its bones.
47 All the congregation of Israel shall keep it.
48 And when a stranger dwells with you and wants to keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as a native of the land. For no uncircumcised person shall eat it.
49 One law shall be for the native-born and for the stranger who dwells among you.”
Lev 12:2-3 NKJV
2 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If a woman has conceived, and borne a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of her customary impurity she shall be unclean.
3 And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.
Circumcision what not only the sign of the Abrahamic covenant, but Moses and Israel as a nation.
The Apostle Paul, after being taught by the Lord, understood that everything had changed.
The New Creation is not just an appendage to God’s covenant with Israel … in Christ there is a whole New Dispensation, a New Creation, a New Covenant, a New Nation….
God is now dealing with humanity in a different way … it is all based on Christ’s sacrifice.
The Apostles in Jerusalem perceived the grace that Paul had received and had nothing to add to his Gospel. They acknowledged that Paul had been called to the Gentile world, and gave him the right hand of fellowship.