11 But when Cephas 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 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?" 

      Your wife catches you not moving the furniture when you vacuum, and you ask, "What’s the big deal?"  Your husband tells you not to leave the light on all night, and you ask, "What’s the big deal?"  Your parents notice you were home 15 minutes after your curfew, and you ask, "What’s the big deal?"  You decide to eat your third huge helping of tiramisu, and you ask, "What’s the big deal?"  Little things cause big consequences.

      We were traveling on vacation when the tire went flat in the middle of a downpour.  After a series of events, the culprit flattening my tire was a little nail.  A little nail caused a big event.

      Life is full of small things affecting the outcome of larger events; some good, some bad.  In this passage, a seemingly insignificant event occurred that Paul confronts in order to cease the erosion of the truth of the gospel.  In our culture, the challenge to biblical truth is constant and, if we’re not careful our perception of the truth will erode.  As Christians, we must not shrink back into isolated ineffectiveness, but strive to engage our culture with the gospel.  So, in Galatians 2:11-14 we find three ways to engage our culture with the gospel.

      The first way to engage our culture with the gospel is to oppose even the most insignificant compromises of biblical truth. (v. 11)

      Antioch is an interesting church.  We can relate to this church better than the church at Jerusalem because we are all Gentiles with various backgrounds.  Antioch was located north of Jerusalem and was evangelized by believers who fled there due to persecution following the stoning of Stephen, which, by the way was led by Paul who wrote this letter to the Galatians.  Antioch became the Gentile stronghold of faith and was so dedicated to molding their lives into the image of Christ that the term "Christian" was coined to describe them and their way of life.

      Cephas is Aramaic for "rock."  The Greek term for "rock" is Peter.  So this is the Peter, the rock, who we’re familiar with.  The Antioch church was very different from the Jerusalem church because they didn’t do things the same way, not unlike many churches from the past, and the present.  One of the things they did that the Jerusalem church didn’t do was have a meal without segregating the congregation.  Some in the Jerusalem church wouldn’t eat with Gentiles.

      It’s interesting that Peter, our rock, would play the hypocrite and treat the Christian Gentiles like second-class citizens of the Kingdom.  He ate with the Gentiles and vacillated only when Judaizers from Jerusalem came to spread their heresy.

      Paul and Peter have some history with each other and most of it good.  Paul was a guest of Peter’s in Galatians 1:18-20, then a fellow apostle in 2:1-10, and lastly, confronting Peter in this passage.  Why does Paul convey this incident at this point in the letter?  He is defending his apostleship against the false claims of the Juaizers by sharing his correcting of an apostle of Peter’s stature when he is wrong.  In Paul’s example, Peter is the one whom the Judaizers name as a leader.  If Paul can correct Peter, he can correct the Judaizers.  And, if Peter acknowledges Paul’s correction so should the Galatians.

      Notice that this correction was not done the Presbyterian way.  No committee was formed.  Matthew 18:15 was followed publicly because Peter’s sin was public.

      You may be thinking, "What’s the big deal?  So Peter wouldn’t eat with somebody."  When Jesus died on the cross, He abolished certain sacrificial and civil laws.  Dietary restrictions were no longer in effect including the restriction of eating with Gentiles.  Judaizers wanted the Law of Moses to be in effect to secure salvation.  It was the Law plus Christ for eternal life, not Christ alone.  When the gang from James came, they pressured Peter and the others who followed into eating separate from the Gentiles because of the Law of Moses, compromising the claims of the free gospel of Jesus Christ.  The closest "religion" to Christianity at this time was Judaism.  Christianity was considered a sect of Judaism for a very long time.  So, even the smallest (maybe insignificant to us) differences needed confronted.  Why?  So the gospel was not compromised.

      Notice there was no need for behind-the-back gossiping on Paul’s part.  He went to Peter’s face and confronted him on the principles of the gospel, not on personal preferences.

      Peter stood condemned.  There was no need for a trial.  He was guilty by his own actions.  I’m referring to Acts 10 where Peter saw the vision of the unclean animals down which not only negated the dietary laws but also symbolized the offering of the gospel to Gentiles.  This was in preparation for Peter to travel to Caesarea to witness Cornelius, a roman centurion, ushered into the Kingdom through Jesus Christ.  Peter knew that all peoples are equal in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.  For him to put on the mask and play the part of a Judaizer, which is what hypocrite means, was compromising the gospel.  He even witnessed Jesus dining with people these old Pharisees didn’t like in Mark 2:16.

      Paul’s defense of the gospel was swift and strong because Peter’s action compromised the free claims of grace in Christ.

      A hunter raised his rifle and took careful aim at a large bear.  When about to pull the trigger, the bear spoke in a soft soothing voice, "Isn't it better to talk than to shoot?  What do you want?  Let's negotiate the matter."  Lowering his rifle, the hunter replied, "I want a fur coat."

      "Good," said the bear, "that is a negotiable item.  I only want a full stomach, so let us sit down and negotiate a compromise."

      They sat down to negotiate and after a time the bear walked away, alone.  The negotiations had been successful.  The bear had a full stomach, and the hunter had his fur coat!

      There is no tolerant behavior effective enough to hold back the compromises our society wants the Church to make in regards to the gospel.  If you say things like "all roads lead to heaven," you have compromised the gospel.  If you think "we all pray to the same God," you have compromised the gospel.  If you think that homosexuality was a "cultural" sin of Scripture that is not applicable in today’s postmodern society, you have compromised the gospel.  If you view Scripture as a "pick-a-mix" of verses you like and verses you dislike, choosing the ones you apply to your life over the rest of God’s word, you have compromised the gospel.  If you compromise the gospel in any way, you are the gooey filling inside a world that has consumed you.

      The second way to engage our culture with the gospel is to count the cost of compromising biblical truth. (vv. 12-13)

      We have talked about the compromise that Peter committed and Paul confronted.  Now, let’s talk just a little about the results of Peter’s compromise and why Paul had to confront him.

      To review, Peter was accustomed to eating with his brothers and sisters in Christ who were Gentiles.  When Judaizers (professing Pharisees and their followers) came from Jerusalem to see what was going on in the church of Antioch, they influenced Peter to compromise the gospel by separating himself from the Gentiles when eating.

      The pressure is increasing in our society to become tolerant of beliefs and behaviors that violate biblical truth.  The black and white lines of truth have been grayed and blurred.  The demarcations of truth are being erased to form an atmosphere of tolerance that is a death nail to the proclamation of biblical truth in any society.  History has proved this over and over again.

      What are the costs of such compromise?  According to our society, dangers our children encounter are a lack of education and a trillion dollar deficit.  While these are important they are not the most important.  Even those things that are more important like pre-marital sex, STD’s, and substance abuses, are believed to be solved in ways that attempt to give students their cake and let them eat it too.

      Students will grow up to be like many adults.  Anxiety, worry, depression, greed, and lusts hallmark lives in our society instead of the peace, joy, and love of a Savior who loves them enough to have given His life as a sacrifice for their sin AND the blessings and benefits of living as dedicated subjects in King Jesus’ Kingdom.  If you want to live a life of joy and peace realize what you have and who you are in Jesus Christ.

      The result of Peter’s compromise was the same violation of biblical truth from other faithful believers.  Does your example of biblical belief and behavior set a genuine godly example for others?

A Celtic Parable:

      The early 1st century Christians were offered their lives if they would but cast a touch of incense on the fire that burned before the image of the Emperor.  A very small gesture of political support compared with being fed to the lions or being burned at the stake.  They could have argued that they could do more good by living than by dying.  "He who fights and runs away, will live to fight another day.  Better a live dog than a dead lion."  But, when men catch a glimpse of the face of God, they do not fear the face of man!

      It is much easier to give in a little than to make a stand.  Be careful that the incense you throw into the philosophical fires of our society does not compromise even the smallest of biblical truths.

      The third way to engage our culture with the gospel is to boldly proclaim biblical truth in the arena of ideas. (v. 14)

      Paul had quite the checkered past.  He was a murderer of Christians.  He persecuted the church of Jerusalem as mentioned previously.  He had a holy zeal for what he believed to be the truth even though He was wrong.  He came to Christ; actually Christ came to him as He does all believers.  He was a Pharisee and may have attended Pharisee school with some of the Judaizers who influenced Peter to compromise.  After his conversion, Paul spent years processing, studying and teaching the gospel.  Then Barnabas brought him to Antioch to help out with the ministry there.  With such a sordid past, what right does Paul have to correct anyone let alone an apostle who walked this earth with Jesus?

      Parents, ever get that question from your kids?  It goes something like this, "How can you tell me not to do something you’re guilty of doing when you were my age?"  Ever wonder how to respond to that beyond "Because I told you so."?  Here’s what you can say to win the debate, "I have lived a lot longer than you and have made my share of mistakes…none of which you can use as an excuse for poor behavior."  I like that statement; however the crux of the matter is that the truth is not based on the quality of the person, but the quality of the truth itself.  Truth is truth!  The Bible, as the inerrant Word of God is truth!  Paul’s life was changed, he wasn’t perfect.  Peter’s life was changed, he certainly wasn’t perfect.  Barnabas’ life was changed, he wasn’t perfect.  You, as a believer, are changed, but you aren’t perfect.  But, the truth never changes.  Truth always was, is, and will be truth.  Do not compromise it.  Don’t be afraid to proclaim it.  Strive to live up to it.

      There is a story about Abraham Lincoln who was arguing with a political opponent.  "How many legs does a cow have?" he asked his adversary.  "Four, of course," came the disgusted reply.  "That's right," agreed Lincoln.  "Now suppose you call the cow's tail a leg; how many legs would the cow have?  "Why, five, of course," was the confidant reply.  "Now, that's where you're wrong," said Lincoln.  "Calling a cow's tail a leg doesn't make it a leg."

      Do not compromise the truth by calling it something it isn’t.  Live what you believe!

      The purpose of Paul’s telling of this incident is to further prove his apostleship to his readers.  Know; however, that Peter did repent of his sinful compromise and counted Paul’s writings as Scripture in…

2 Peter 3:15-18