Galatians – Week 1 – Day 4

READ 

Galatians 2:1-3 

1 Then fourteen years later I went back to Jerusalem again, this time with Barnabas; and Titus came along, too. 2 I went there because God revealed to me that I should go. While I was there I met privately with those considered to be leaders of the church and shared with them the message I had been preaching to the Gentiles. I wanted to make sure that we were in agreement, for fear that all my efforts had been wasted and I was running the race for nothing. 3 And they supported me and did not even demand that my companion Titus be circumcised, though he was a Gentile. 

Paul wanted to make sure that what he was teaching the Gentiles was not different than what the leaders of the church were teaching. This reveals Paul’s sensitivity and being open for counsel even though he was convinced what he was teaching had come directly from God. Some will not even consult with others when they are convinced God revealed something to them. The debate at the time was whether males had to be circumcised as well as believe in Jesus to be true believers. The leaders of the church supported Paul’s teaching that one only need believe in Jesus for salvation.  

REFLECT 

Even though you are convinced of what you believe the Bible teaches, are you open to talk to church leaders and more mature believers to hear what they think? You should be. 

RESPOND 

Many people think they know what the Bible teaches until they are asked where the Bible teaches it. Those can be called “notional Christians.” They have notions about what the Bible says but those opinions are not in agreement with what the Bible actually teaches. Such people need more mature believers to help them think more clearly about what the Bible says.