Then after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me. And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain. Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage), to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you (NKJV).
QUICK REVIEW FROM LAST TIME: Last time we were looking at Paul’s journey to Jerusalem with Barnabas and Titus. Titus being a Greek, had not been circumcised. It was not a big deal with the apostles, but it was being made a big deal by what Paul identified as “false brethren.” These were brethren that had a false understanding of the law and circumcision to whom Paul said that they did not submit.
To whom Paul said that they did not submit. We will come back to this. Last time, we looked at Romans 4 to receive a fuller understanding of the issue of circumcision and faith. We read in Romans 4:9-10 how Paul established the fact that Abraham was “justified” by God before he received the “sign” of circumcision in his flesh.
Today we will pick up at Romans 4:11-5:5: 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised. The father of Jews received the promise by “faith” as Abraham did. That promise was Jesus, the Messiah, who is the Son of God.
Can you see how “FAITH” OR “BELIEVING” is the foundation issue that Paul is making? Circumcision followed faith as a sign. Many were circumcised who did not have the “faith” of Abraham. This is what Jesus, His apostles, and Paul discovered in their preaching to the Jews, and faith was lacking!
The Promise Granted Through Faith: 13 For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, 15 because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression. That is the purpose of the law, the pointing out of sin and the human inability to keep the law and all of its requirements! We will see in Galatians that the law was a “schoolmaster.” It was to bring us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith. It was to help grow us up to receive the real through faith. The real is Jesus the Christ, the Son of God who brings us to “son-ship” through faith in His finished work. We will see this more clearly in Galatians 3.
16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all 17 (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed — God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; 18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” 19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
23 Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, 24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was delivered up because of our offenses and was raised because of our justification. In other words, the cross because of our sins and the resurrection so we might be justified.
Beloved, this is the foundation for everything we are to believe and have the confidence to receive. This is the foundation that Peter laid in Acts 2 as he gives to those Jews in Jerusalem the “keys of the kingdom” promised to him and the other apostles in Matthew 16:19. There are four keys within Peter’s sermon, 1) David’s Greater Son is enthroned on an eternal throne at God’s right hand. 2) That Jesus is laying the foundation for His house, His Church. 3) That Jesus is now head over all things. A new administration has begun in Messiah. 4) The beginning of the mandate to disciple the nations. The beginning nation is a “Redeemed Israel. Those Jews being convicted in their heart asked Peter and the others, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Peter laid it out for them in verse 38-39,
“Then Peter said to them. Repent, and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” Why baptism in Jesus name? Because the Jews had been baptized into Moses and the law, but Jesus has “fulfilled the law” and had come to “BUILD” a new house that He is head of (see Hebrews chapter 3). Those Jews entered into a new identity in Christ through faith in His name. Note Moses, note the law, but faith in the “Son of God” who Abraham saw by faith as his seed and the blessings promised.
Faith Triumphs in Trouble: Romans 5:1-5, Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now, hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us (NKJV).
Not only are we given the promises of faith, but also the means to growing strong in that faith through the process of tribulation. What if the Lord’s church focused on the present tribulation instead of arguing over some so-called future “Great Tribulation” which the Bible and history reveal happened already in the “destruction of Jerusalem” and the total annihilation of the Jewish legal and governmental system. This is a subject for another time!
Back to Galatians 2 and verse 3, Yet not even Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. In other words, those apostles did not make a big deal out of the fact that Titus had not been circumcised. But others that Paul called “false brethren” did make it a central issue! Today, many false brethren take people down a track that does not generate true biblical faith. Many have faith in a program, a ministry, in gifts, in their accomplishments, etc. Only one faith matters, faith in Christ alone and the righteousness which He imputes to those who believe and receive His life through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Note verse 4 of Galatians 2, And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage), 5 to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you” (NKJV).
How important is this to understand? It is essential because it is central to freedom and liberty in Christ our Lord. Even today, “LIBERTY” IS UNDER ATTACK. Liberty is not a license to sin or do whatever I want to do. Liberty is to know Jesus Christ and to serve God the Father without any religious strings attached. It is simply to fully trust Christ and all He accomplished for us in the cross and in the power of His resurrection and the receiving of the Holy Spirit who breaths God’s life into our now regenerated spirit so that we can serve God acceptably without fear of wrath, but reverently with godly fear or reverence.
Paul, Barnabas, and Titus did not spend any time submitting to these religious individuals who did not either understand the liberty these men enjoyed or did not want what they had. And apparently, the latter was true because they came in deceptively by sneaking in with their agenda.
It is no different today. I am sorry to say that there are still those who do not understand what Paul is teaching and put God’s people into religious bondage through systems that are legalistic and not full of the liberty and freedom Christ has purchased for His redeemed Community, His Church, His House, His “living stones” built together in Him as Peter describes in 1 Peter 2.