Amazing Grace – Week 3 (9-24-23)
Amazing Grace
September 24, 2023
Christ Alone
Watered-Down vs Christ-Centered
Galatians 2:11-14
When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For 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 Cephas 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?
Acts 10:34-35
Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.
What changed his belief?
Does God choose some and not choose others?
Was afraid of what others would think…
Have you ever made a poor decision because you were afraid what others would think?
2 Words:
hypokrisis – play-acting, wearing a mask
orthopodeo – “acting in line”
:: podeo – podiatrist (walk)
:: otho – Orthodontist (straight)
“Walk” is all encompassing
Galatians 2:15-16
“We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles 16 know that a person is NOT justified by the works of 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 the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.
Justified – to be declared righteous
Faith in Christ + Jewish Customs = New Life
Faith in Christ = New life in Christ
Galatians 2:17-19
“But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners, doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! 18 If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker. “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God.
Galatians 2:20-21
20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now 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!”
Sometimes the only one fooled by our play-acting is us!
Do you spend far too much energy trying to appear righteous?