Gospel to the Uncircumcised

Then after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. I went in response to a revelation and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race in vain. Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.

As for those who were held in high esteem—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism—they added nothing to my message. On the contrary, they recognized that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised. For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle to the circumcised, was also at work in me as an apostle to the Gentiles. James, Cephas and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along. Galatians 2:1-10

The gospel had made great progress among the Gentiles who were evangelized by Paul. After several years of Church building, there arose a dissension between some former Pharisees and the apostles, regarding certain requirements for salvation. Some ultra-legalistic Jewish posers were insisting that there could be no salvation without circumcision, and there were questions about Jewish believers socializing with the Gentiles. They called a council in Jerusalem to hammer out these details of just what is and is not acceptable in the Church. Paul and Barnabas went in for the meeting, taking Titus with them. Titus was a test-case, being an uncircumcised Gentile who was a born-again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. This story is detailed in Acts chapter 15.

Paul, having preached the gospel for these fourteen-plus years to Gentiles, and having seen many of them saved, saw this as a good opportunity to share with the “esteemed leaders” his message and method of church planting. He was somewhat apprehensive about how they would receive it. We have seen in Galatians chapter 1 what Paul’s message was: salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone, and anything added to that is simply a lie. Grace! Not works! Knowing Paul’s determination in this matter of grace, I doubt that there was ever any question of him changing his message. The question would have been about his continued fellowship with the other leaders.

This issue was so touchy with the Judaizers that they “spied on our freedom” (watched them at toilet) to notice whether or not Titus had been circumcised. Paul, Barnabas and Titus stood their ground of grace, and the issue was left alone. Paul would not tolerate any compromise of grace. To compromise would negate the gospel.

Paul notes that those “highly esteemed leaders,” James, Peter and John, of course, had nothing to add to his message. They recognized authority when they saw it, and Paul knew exactly what he was appointed to do. “He who knows, and knows that he knows…” always commands respect. So they encouraged him to continue teaching the Gentiles, as they would continue teaching the Jews, the wonderful gospel of Jesus Christ. Thus, the Church remained intact in a situation that could have been divisive. Paul made it clear that he never needed their approval for his work, but he was obviously happy to have it. No one likes to perform an important work amidst controversy with one’s own people. They believed in the same Lord, they should be able to enjoy fellowship together in the truth.

One matter was important to all of them: their care for the impoverished saints at Jerusalem. This was a work of benevolence all the churches and evangelists were glad to share. Paul was eager to continue helping those beleaguered brethren, in any way they could be helped.