Why Can’t We Be Friends With
- Christians Of Different Races
Gal 2:1 Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.
Gal 2:2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
Gal 2:3 But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:
Paul didn’t choose to be a “long ranger.” He was going up to Jerusalem to talk to the “Big 3” and so he came in a group of 3.
Something significant is that Titus was a different race. He was an uncircumcised gentile. Why can’t you be friends with christians of a different race if the apostle Paul can?
Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
If your a Christian, no matter what you race are, you are a member of the body of Christ.
Why Can’t You Be Friends with…
- Christians Of High Reputation
Gal 2:1 Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.
Gal 2:2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
So who were the ones of reputation?
It was Peter, James, and John.
Gal 2:6 But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person🙂 for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:
In the eyes of God all born again believers are equal and have their part in the body of Christ. It is only down here than Christians have “respect of persons.” However there are many Christians who are self conscious and WILL NOT acknowledge or have anything to do with a Christian of higher reputation. I believe most of this is because of jealousy.
The apostle Paul says “but of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person:)”
So you can see that Paul is heavenly minded in this aspect. He didn’t see Peter, James, and John as such big shots that they were unapproachable. Even though these were the men who walked and talked with Jesus Christ. He also didn’t look at them with jealousy to the point he wouldn’t fellowship with them.
Jas 2:9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
You should never feel like another Christians is too much of a Christian celebrity for you to be able to approach them. We are all “ONE in Christ Jesus.”
Gal 2:7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
This doesn’t mean Paul and Peter had different gospels. They were simply preaching the same gospel to different people. For example if your a missionary to Africa, your burden is to the people of Africa. Mine is to America. We have different groups we are giving the gospel to. But it is the same gospel we are preaching.
Gal 2:8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)
Peter took the gospel to the “circumcision.”(the Jews). Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles.
Gal 2:9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
So James, Cephas(Peter), and John saw that the LORD was with Paul they gave him the right hands of fellowship. They all said “Why Can’t We Be Friends?”
Paul had a high reputation with the Pharisees before he was saved. At the same time he had a bad reputation with the church. None of the men mentioned let these things get in the way of their fellowship.
Paul even rebukes Peter in this chapter. They continue to be friends.
Gal 2:11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
Paul didn’t run behind his back and talk about him. He didn’t write a mean facebook post that had enough details to let everyone know he was talking about Peter. He “withstood him to the face.”
Gal 2:12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
Before some Jews showed up to the party Peter was eating with the Gentiles. When the Jews showed up he SEPARATED because he feared his reputation among men.
Gal 2:13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.
You always affect other people. You never only hurt yourself.
Gal 2:14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
Peter was setting a horrible example. When the Jews showed up he separated from the Gentiles to make it look like he was keeping the law.
If he is going to be a New Testament Christian and live without being in bondage to the law than why is he going to make the Gentiles think he is still keeping the law just because the Jews showed up?
Even though Paul rebukes Peter, Peter is still friends with Paul. He even writes of him in his epistle
2Pe 3:15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
Why can’t we be friends with Christians of high reputation? At the same time we can be friends with…
- Christians That Can’t Offer Us Anything
Gal 2:10 Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.
Some Christians are so jealous of the high reputation Christians that they won’t fellowship with them. While others think they are so good that they won’t have anything to do with poor saints.
Jas 2:9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin,
If you can’t be friends with a poor man than it would be hard for you to be friends with Jesus Christ.
Luk 9:58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
Something I don’t understand is why you can’t be friends with any believer. They may not have nice clothes now but at the rapture they will have the same as you. They may stink now but at the second coming they’ll have a horse that smells better than you. They have the same father as you.
A poor person said he couldn’t go to church because all the rich Christians look down on his clothes.
Jas 2:1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
Jas 2:2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
Jas 2:3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
Jas 2:4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
It’s wrong to make odds between the rich man and the poor man. If they are Christians then they are members of the same body.
So Why Can’t We Be Friends with the poor saints. Next, why can’t we be friends with…
- Christians With Right Doctrine
The rest of the study will show you the right doctrine concerning salvation that every Christian needs to be aware of.
As you know there were people going around saying that you had to be circumcised and believe on Jesus Christ to be saved. They were going around saying that you had to believe and keep the law to be saved.
Men do the same thing today. Now days they say you have to “be water baptized and believe on Jesus Christ to be saved.” They had water baptism to the simple gospel.
Rom 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
There are some people we shouldn’t fellowship with. There were some people that Paul wouldn’t fellowship with. If you go back up to Galatians 2:3-5 he mentions them. He actually calls them “false brethren.”
Gal 2:3 But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek,(there is his Christian friend of a different race) was compelled to be circumcised: (Paul knows that circumcision means nothing when it comes to salvation)
Gal 2:4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
Sometimes the “false brethren” come in “unawares” right under your nose and begin to cause trouble. The last thing I want to do is cause trouble in the church. These “false brethren” came in “privily”(secretly) and began to take away the liberty of the saints by adding circumcision and keeping the law of Moses to the perfect gospel. This is someone you shouldn’t fellowship with. Notice what Paul says next…
Gal 2:5 To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
Notice it says “to whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour;”. Paul didn’t give them the time of day. He didn’t give them PLACE because if he did he might as well save a seat for Satan.
Eph 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.
In contrast to this bad doctrine by these religious hypocrites let’s look at RIGHT DOCTRINE. Why can’t we be friends with Christians who have the RIGHT DOCTRINE. Now, your going to have disagreements on things among Christian friends. However it should never be a HUGE disagreement. For example like adding works to the simple gospel.
Now Paul is going to show you the right doctrine. Look down at verse 15.
Gal 2:15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
Paul is using the word “sinner” here in the sense of an extremely wicked person and not in the sense of Romans 3:23 which says “for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
It’s also good to note that Paul still claims to be a “jew by nature.” Spiritually speaking he is “neither jew nor greek” but physically he is still a Jew. Throughout his epistles he describes himself as “A Hebrew, an Israelite, says he is of the stock of Israel, says the Jews are his kinsmen according to the flesh, hes of the seed of Abraham, and of the tribe of benjamin.” (2 Cor 11:22, Phil 3:5, Romans 11:1, Romans 9:3)
Here is the right doctrine concerning salvation.
Gal 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
The two great things we see in this verse is…
- No one is justified by the works of the law.
Act 13:37 But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.
Act 13:38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
Act 13:39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Rom 9:31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
Rom 9:32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
- Justified by faith of Jesus Christ.
Rom 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Rom 4:6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
Rom 4:7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
Rom 4:8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
Gal 2:17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
If a saved person lives for the flesh and lives a life of sin it isn’t Christ’s fault.
Paul was accused of teaching that since we are “saved by grace through faith” that we should just live however we want to. That is what Bible believers are accused of today. Paul was also slanderously reported in this way.
Rom 3:8 And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.
Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Rom 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
We shouldn’t abuse salvation by living for the flesh. We shouldn’t take it for granted or take advantage of it. Your free from the law in the sense that you don’t have to keep the law to be saved. Your free from the law in the sense you don’t have to keep the sabbath, or abstain from meats, and things like that. However when it comes to living HOLY you should strive to be as perfect as you can.
Paul was standing up for the fact that a Christian has liberty and doesn’t have to be in bondage to the law. That means he was preaching against the men who were requiring circumcision and law keeping to be saved. So Paul says in verse 18…
Gal 2:18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
What did Paul destroy?
Gal 1:13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
Gal 1:23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.
Paul destroyed the faith of the church as a lost man. Now he is building it up and to the lost religious crowd he becomes a transgressor by not teaching circumcision for salvation.
Gal 2:18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed(the church), I make myself a transgressor.
Gal 2:19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
When you got saved you became “dead to the law.” Jesus Christ died for our breaking of the law. This satisfied the penalty of breaking the law. Romans 6:23 says “for the WAGES of sin is death.” Jesus Christ paid that sin debt for us. When you got saved you DIED WITH JESUS CHRIST. However at the same time you CAME ALIVE. This is why Paul says in the next verse…
Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: (you died with him) nevertheless I live(yet you came to life at the same time because he resurrected); yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Paul said that “Christ liveth in me.” This is a MYSTERY. Jesus Christ dwells in our sinful bodies.
Col 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Jesus Christ goes where ever you go. Not only is he omnipresent but he also lives in you.
Paul also said that he “loved me and gave himself for me.”
Gal 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:
John 3:16 said “for God so loved the world that he gave…” Love is giving and not getting.
Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
If a husband isn’t willing to give his life for his wife than he messes up the picture. Jesus Christ gave himself for the church, his bride.
1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
1Ti 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time
He gave himself a ransom for ALL MEN. It wasn’t just a few men as the Calvinist teaches.
Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Jesus Christ gave himself as the payment for sin and all you have to do is ACCEPT THE PAYMENT. Righteousness comes through believing on HIM and his finished work on the cross. You don’t get to heaven by circumcision or by any other form of keeping the law. It is all by faith. This is why Paul says in vs.21…
Gal 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
If your could establish your own righteousness and get to heaven through your own goodness than Jesus Christ died in vain. He died for no reason at all.
Rom 10:3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
