OUR FATHER WHO SALVATION IS BY GRACE AND NOT BY WORKS
Chapter 2 verses 1 - 5 of his letter to the believers in Galatia, the Apostle Paul related the story of his second journey to Jerusalem where, fourteen years later, he travelled with his companions Barnabas and Titus to meet with the original apostles so that he would calibrate the gospel he was preaching to the gentiles against theirs so that he didnˋt spread false doctrine and end up expending all his effort in vain.
To his chagrin, Paul discovered that there were those in Jerusalem who were carrying false doctrine where those who were in Christ were being compelled to be circumcised.
In fact, while Paul and his travelling companions were at the Jerusalem church, a cadre of spies had been sent into their midst in order to find material with which to accuse Paul and his companions and to ultimately bring them under subjection to the false doctrine they were purveying.
Discovering that Titus was and uncircumcthat ised Greek, the false brethren tried to compel Paul and those who were with him to accept that circumcision was still a requirement for non-jewish believers.
Paul explained that they did not fall for this falsity for even an hour and this uncompromising fidelity to the true gospel was important because it prevented them from carrying false doctrines back to the Galatians and infecting them with the same deception so that the original work that was being done could successfully continue with derailment.
1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me. 2 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. 3 Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 4 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.
Amen.
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