Frustrating The Grace Of God

Galatians 2:11-17

Chiquita, the donkey my family had when I was in high school, loved to be around people. She would nearly always run to us when we went near her pen, and could be ridden or led nearly anywhere with no halter or rope. If someone left her gate open, she would follow us around, including into the house if we weren’t paying attention. Keeping the gate closed was more for keeping her from getting into things she shouldn’t than for preventing running away.

In spite of her love for people, and enjoyment of climbing around the hills, periodically, her natural instincts as a donkey would surface. She would baulk, and refuse to move, or run away to keep you from catching her. We figured out that it was just donkey instinct when we discovered that if you just walked away, she’d instantly come to you with a very apologetic attitude.

Spirit filled Christians, who love the Lord, still have that old sin nature in them and from time to time yield to it, Peter and Paul were in full agreement that keeping the Jewish Law had nothing to do with being a Christian, according to the preceding verses. In spite of that, Peter yielded to human nature at Antioch, because of peer pressure. His actions caused others to fall into the deceitfulness or hypocrisy. The word translated ‘dissimulation’ is the root word for ‘hypocrisy‘.

“But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?” (Galatians 2:11-14)

To impose the Jewish Law on the Christian gentiles to satisfy unbelieving Jews was wrong, and Paul found it necessary to confront Peter with what he was doing. James 2:9-10 makes it clear that his actions were a violation of the very law they were purporting to uphold. “But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”

The Jews knew that Genesis 15:6, speaking of Abraham, said “And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” This was written more than five hundred years before the Law was given. They also knew that the Law did not promise justification, only a good life on earth. As Jews, they knew that justification could only come through the Messiah.

“We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” (Galatians 2:15-16)

Because they knew the Law could not save them, Peter and the other Jews at Antioch had believed in Christ for salvation. They had believed themselves free of sin in keeping the law, but receiving Christ required acknowledging their sin. This did not make Christ a participant in or enabler of their sin. To go back and declare that obedience to the law is required after deciding that justification is through Christ alone is to imply that we were wrong in accepting Christ.

Christ has taken the law and nailed it to the cross according to Colossians 2:13-14. “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;” Going back to practicing the law amounts to taking it down from the cross and rejecting what Christ did. “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” (Galatians 5:4)


“But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” (Galatians 2:17-21)

As Christians, Christ has provided everything, and our life is to be completely through his leadership and power. To try to live under the law, or depend on it, implies that His sacrifice had no value. That is a serious error, and we can expect judgment.

“He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?” (Hebrews 10:28-29)