Thursday, November 29, 2012

Free Indeed - Galatians 2:11-21

11 When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong.12 Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. 14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? 15 "We who are Jews by birth and not 'Gentile sinners' 16 know that a man is not justified by observing the law,but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified. 17 "If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! 18 If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker. 19 For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God.20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" - Galatians 2:11-21

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS:
1) Why did Paul oppose the Apostle Peter? (v.11-12)
2) Who was impacted by Peter's actions? (v.13)
3) Summarize what did Paul said  in response to Peter's actions? (v.14-21)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:
1) Have you ever witnessed hypocrisy within your home church?
2) If so, what did you do about it?
3) What is your understanding of how you have been justified?

LIFE LESSONS:
1) It is possible to be very zealous for the Lord and very wrong about His will and/or ways.
2) Believers are justified by faith alone, in Christ alone!
3) No one could keep the law perfectly except for Jesus Christ! 
4) Belief in Christ's sinless perfection is what saves us.

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