The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ.
Summary: “Go along to get along” is a well-known saying. It means we should compromise our beliefs if that helps us “get along” with others. Things were no different in Paul’s day.
Why does anybody do anything?
I feel like I want to throw a little shade on Paul’s words in this verse. After all, can anyone really know “why” someone else does something? However, since Paul is the one writing this, and his words ended up in the Bible, I am going to give him the benefit of the doubt. After all, Paul has an inside track to God, and God knows our hearts (Psalm 44:20-21).
There is another reason to believe Paul that has nothing to do with spiritual insight. Paul is logical, and there might be a method to his madness in this case.
The Gospel Paul preaches is simple. We are justified (saved) by faith in Jesus, not by obedience to the Law (Galatians 2:15). Apparently, judging from Paul’s letter, the circumcision group (Galatians 2:12) had been teaching the Galatians that they needed to be circumcised to be justified before God.
Applying Paul’s logic, why would someone do that?
People obey the law for one of two reasons. They obey out of love for God or out of fear. People who love God will love the Son (1 John 5:1). If someone understands the Gospel of Jesus, they understand that faith in Jesus is all they need. If they are a Jew when they believe in Jesus, then they will remain a Jew after they believe in Jesus. If a person is a Gentile when they come to Christ, they remain a Gentile after they believe. The Council of apostles and elders in Jerusalem confirmed this in their letter to the believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia (Acts 15:22-29).
Why, then, teach something that the apostles and elders did not require?
Since the answer cannot be love, it must be fear.
Having been a Pharisee who persecuted Christians, Paul knows a fair amount about the tensions between the new faith in Jesus and the old faith in Moses. He understands both the drive to persecute others and the consequences of being persecuted.
The people who taught that believers needed to be circumcised were seeking a middle ground. They were looking for compromise. Paul correctly concludes that “they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ.”
Once we go down the path of compromise, there is no end to it. One compromise leads to another and another. The end result is that we fall back into slavery under the law (Galatians 2:4).
Application: Keep our eyes on Jesus!
Food for Thought: How are disagreements between churches today similar to Paul’s disagreement with the circumcision group?
How are disagreements between churches today similar to Paul’s disagreement with the circumcision group?
I feel like I’m still young to the whole churches differences and I personally don’t know of the details of them if they are having any disagreements. I pray for unity and that they focus on issues that really matter about salvation and glorifying God and that nobody trys to twist the word of God. that they try to keep in mind the church is always being watched and that it’s best to keep disagreements worked out at a low level one on one as stated in Matthew 18.
Now that I’ve re-read. The question I was thinking about churches that share at same believe in the work on the cross, God’s Word and the Trinity. Not other religions/churches. I’ll wait for others comments. With the verses to help explain.
Tim,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! There is wisdom in your words!!
You write: “the church is always being watched” and this is true. God is not far away. He is here among us. It is wise to work out our differences, whether personal or doctrinally, on a low level apart from the core issues of salvation through faith in Jesus.
Thank you!
Thanks Tim. I appreciate and respect how you answered this question. There are sometimes problems with churches. There is also a lot right with many churches and how they interact with each other. I think we can tend to see the negative and not the positive. We tend to see the mistakes and not the successes. And the gospel itself is often a unifying element in areas where there is disagreement. Churches following Christ and His word tend to come to agreement at the gospel.
Rich,
What a GREAT point! Even coming from different backgrounds, we are often able to come together on the important person of Jesus Christ. Amen!
Thanks! 🙂
How are disagreements between churches today similar to Paul’s disagreement with the circumcision group?
GOD”S WORD IS SIMPLE!
A very serious student of the Bible. Once wrote, “ The Scriptures are shallow enough for a babe to come and drink without fear of drowning and deep enough for a maturing believer to swim in without ever touching the bottom. “
The most memorized, hold onto verse verse in the New Testament is found in the Fourth Gospel:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16
GODS WORD IS BIGGER THAN HIS CREATION!
EPHESIANS 4:1-32, God tells us.
Ephesians 4:1-6, Believers are united by God in the power of the Holy Spirit.
7-16, Believers are given varied gifts, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, and called to unite, honor our differences and become united into the body of Christ on earth.
17-24, Believers are to turn from their old ways, to being continually renewed the spirit of our minds, as we put on our new creation.
25-31, Believers are to reject all lying, half-truths, rumors and speak truths to all. Angry at sin, alert to satan and his works to turn us from God.
32, Believers are empowered to be kind, helpful to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving, just as God in Christ also forgave each of us.
At the same time Jesus tells us, Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division. Luke 12:51
1 Corinthians 1:10,
I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, be perfectly united in your way of thinking and in your judgment about matters of the faith.
Jude 9, Seek harmony and no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
Romans 16:17
I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit. For there must also be factions among you,
19 These are the ones who are [agitators] causing divisions—worldly-minded [secular, unspiritual, carnal, merely sensual—unsaved], devoid of the Spirit.
Titus 3:10, Reject a factious man after a first and second warning,
Out Sovereign Lord, Jesus Christ has chosen to empower His church to be His body ministering to this world, by distributing spiritual gifts to all believers according to His knowledge of each of us. All have individual specific powers of Christ which are required for the entire body to function effectively. The body of Jesus Christ is effective as each member focuses their time and efforts on earth, allowing Christ to work through each according to their individual gift or gifts.
Satan has chosen to use his limited powers focused on getting believers to believe his lies that hands should be teachers, helpers should be leaders, those with hostility use their judgement regarding distribution and on he goes.
Satan comes into the church desguised as an angel of light and deceives believers believers regarding Gods plan as he seeks the destruction of all that is good. While we are tasked with discerning our daily assignments and in the power of Jesus Christ, taking corrective action.
Ron,
Excellent research and a helpful perspective! Thank you!
I especially appreciated Luke 12:51 — “At the same time Jesus tells us, Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division.”
In light of my thinking today, I wonder if Jesus was referring to the division between Spirit and flesh — the same one Paul has been talking about.
And so we “see” a matrix forming in our minds of the meaningful division between Light and Dark, Good and Evil, and the incidental or meaningless divisions between your church and mine.
Thank you, Ron!
Great question and what a ball running through the truths spinning through my brain. Thank you for your blog and feedback Jeff.
Blessings,
Ron
🙂