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The Freedom Fighter – Part 2 Ch. 4. Galatians 2: 11-21. “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty” Wendell Phillips Vigilance – Spiritual vigilance Peter’s Relapse (2:11-13) Peter’s freedom threatened by his fear Free to fellowship with the Gentile believers
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The Freedom Fighter – Part 2Ch. 4 Galatians 2: 11-21
“Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty” Wendell Phillips • Vigilance – • Spiritual vigilance • Peter’s Relapse (2:11-13) • Peter’s freedom threatened by his fear • Free to fellowship with the Gentile believers • Jewish presence from Jerusalem separated him from Gentile believers • “The fear of man bringeth a snare.” Prov. 29:25 • Peter was an impulsive man
His fear leads to his fall • Tragedies • Made him hypocrites • Using the Bible doctrines to cover up • Peter led others astray with him • Barnabas • Paul’s Rebuke (2:14-21) • He builds his rebuke on doctrine to preserve liberty in Christ • The unity of the church (14) • In church (body) no racial distinction • Same faith in Christ • The justification by faith (15-16) • Watchword of the Reformation
“How can man be just with God?” (Job 9:2) • The just shall live by faith (Hab. 2:4) • Martin Luther • “The just” (Rom. 1:17) • “shall live” (Gal. 3:11) • “by faith” (Heb. 10:38)n • Justification – the act of God whereby He declares sinner righteous in Jesus Christ • Having therefore once-and-for-all justified by faith, we have peace with God (Rom. 5:1) • It is God that justifieth (Rom. 8:33) • Law reveals sin, not redeems from sin • Grace put our sins on the cross (I Cor 5:21) • Justification is not: • Forgiveness; we can sin and be guilty again • Pardon; has a record
His past sins are remembered against him no more (Ps. 32:1-2. Rom 4:1-8) • God justifies sinner, not good people (Rom 4:5) • Peter denies the truth of justification when he separated from Gentile believers • Freedom from law (17-18) • Salvation through faith in Christ, not law • Going back to Moses is denial of everything that God had done for and through Jesus • The gospel itself (19-20) • Key truth of the gospel: His death, burial, and resurrection (I cr. 15: 1-8) • We are saved by faith and live by faith (Holy Spirit lives in us) • We are identified with Christ by the Spirit (Rom. 6) • We are dead to the law • We have been raised to walk in the newness of life
The grace of God • Grace says, “There is no difference.” All are sinners and can be saved through faith in Christ. • Peter’s action says, “There is a difference and we need the law. • Law says, “Do”; grace says, ”Done”. (John 19:30 & Eph 2:8) • “If righteousness came by the law, then Christ is dead in vain”. • In I Peter Peter uses grace in every chapter. • The Believer’s Response • Peter’s response: fear and failure • Paul’s response: courage and defense • Have I been saved by the grace of God? • Any other gospel is false gospel (Gal 1:6-9)
Am I trying to mix law and grace? • Law means I must do something to please God; grace means God had finished the work for me and all I do is believe in Christ (Eph. 2:8-9) • Am I rejoicing the fact that I am justified by faith in Christ? • Justified means “just as if I had never sinned • Right standing before God (Rom. 5:1) • No need to fear judgment for our sins have already been judged in Christ on the cross (Rom 8:1) • I am walking in the liberty of grace? • Liberty doesn’t mean license, it means freedom in Christ to enjoy (Eph 2:10) • Freedom to do and not to do • We obey because of love, not because of law
Am I willing to defend the truth of the gospel? • Don’t become an evangelical detective nor fear those who deny • “Do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” (Gal 1:10) • Will meet people believing in faith and plus • Am I “walking uprightly according to the truth of the gospel”? • The best way to defend the truth is to live the truth • Trust and obey