Galatians 2:1-5 Not Running in Vain
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: May 27, 2020 Galatians 2:1-5
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.
(Understanding the Text) Fourteen years pass from the time of Paul’s first visit to the church leaders in Jerusalem to the time of his second visit to the church leaders in Jerusalem. During that time, Paul had gone to Cilicia/Syria and preached the gospel there. Then he had stayed a while in the church of Antioch after Barnabas brought him in to help train the Gentile converts there. Then the Spirit called on Paul and Barnabas to begin actively taking the gospel into Gentile territory, and they went on their first missionary journey. When that was finished, they returned to Antioch and stayed there for quite a while. However, the Judaizers came and started trying to proselytize the Antioch Christians into Judaism. Paul and Barnabas adamantly opposed them and argued with them. There was a lot of turmoil in the church. Now here is where the Galatians and Acts accounts together make things more interesting.
Evidently, Titus was a member of the church of Antioch. Some people believe that Luke was Titus’ brother and that Luke was also a member of the Antioch church. However, since Luke doesn’t have a firsthand account here, it may be that he was not yet a member and/or not yet acquainted with Paul. Anyway, in the Acts account it seems as though it was just logical to go to get the “authorities” to settle things at the church in Jerusalem; however, Paul is saying that this was not the case. He did not go there to get Peter and James’ approval because he thought that they had authority over him. Left to himself, Paul would have kept the battle going at Antioch without worrying about what Jerusalem said, but he says that he went up because God sent him a revelation to go. When he went, he took Titus with him. Why? Was it because Titus was prime exhibit number one of a Gentile believer who was definitely saved and didn’t need to be proselytized in order to be saved? Or was it simply because it was standard practice now for Paul and Barnabas to travel with a younger believer who needed to gain experience and who could act as a go-fer and help with the heavy lifting? I think the latter based on Paul’s personality and track record.
The Acts account says that the church of Antioch officially sent them. “And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers” (Acts 15:2-3). Paul says that they were sent to Jerusalem because of a revelation. ” I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. I went up because of a revelation” This makes sense based on past experiences of the Antioch church. The first missionary trip was because of a revelation. “Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them” (Acts 13:1-2). Thus, the revelation might not have been Paul’s. There were other prophets there besides Paul and Barnabas including Simeon, Lucius, and Manaen. It stands to reason that with all the turmoil in the church that they would have fasted and prayed to God for a solution. God’s solution was to send them to Jerusalem to speak with Peter and James and John. This was James, Jesus’ brother, because by now James the brother of John really had already died.
Now, Galatians gives a peek at behind the scenes. Evidently, Paul and Barnabas had no intention of calling a full council with debate. They were just intending to speak to some of the leaders about their concerns. However, the Judaizers got wind of what was going on and were slipped into the meeting. The Judaizers interrupted their recounting of what they had been teaching and a full-on debate ensued. In the end, the Judaizers lost, and Titus was considered to be saved even though he was not circumcised.
Paul is recounting this meeting to the Galatians to show that this fight about circumcision had already been won. This was not something new. This was something that the church had already decided about. Thus, the Judaizers were going against not just Paul, but also the decision made by other apostles, such as James, Peter, and John. Paul had the official sanction of other leaders. These Judaizers were in the wrong and not following what the apostles had decided and what inspiration from God had revealed. Paul was not the outsider. These Judaizers were the outsiders.
Galatians paints a picture of Paul as someone who has sought confirmation for His ideas. It is true that he studied alone and that he had individual revelations from God, but His strong stance is also based on seeking confirmation with other believers, whether the prophets of Antioch, the church council at Jerusalem, or Peter himself. Paul did not just decide by himself on his course of action. He made sure that he was not off track by consulting with Spirit-filled Christians.
(Revelation of God) God does not only speak through one person or group. Instead, He speaks in a way that directs us to interact with each other and prayerfully study when we have differences. He wants us to speak with each other, and listen to each other.
(Application / Prayer) My application for myself is that even when something has been shown to be of God with all kinds of signs and formalities and scripture, there will still be people who believe what they want to believe because they are stubborn and refuse to change their ideas in the face of proof that God is not behind their ideas. This has happened with the anti-trinitarians who point to tradition to back up their ideas. This is true of the politically conservative Christians who keep waving around political slogans and pictures of God which are unscriptural. This is true of politically liberal Christians who keep waving around political slogans and philosophies of God which are unscriptural. We humans believe whatever our natural tendency is even when God keeps telling us that we are wrong. I pray that I will listen to You when You are telling me to stop believing or acting in a certain way and that I will be open to changing when You ask me to go in a new direction that is not natural to me. Help me to go with Your will rather than my own.