Galatians 2:6-9. 6And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. 7On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised…9and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.
The other Apostles simply recognized and affirmed Paul’s calling to the Gentiles, acknowledging his gospel message as coming from God. They did not call him, nor did they give him the gospel message; God did that through a revelation of Jesus Christ (1:12).
Paul and Barnabas were called to their mission out of their local church, the church of Antioch, through a revelation of the Holy Spirit. They weren’t sent out by the Twelve; rather, they were sent out by a local, mixed congregation of both Jews and Gentiles into the predominantly Gentile region of Galatia in Asia Minor. Paul didn’t need anything from the Twelve or from Pastor James and the Jerusalem church. Conversely, they “added nothing to him.”
As we’ve said, this is a huge moment in church history. There won’t be two brands of Christianity—one for the Jews and one for the Gentiles—nor will there be a form of Christianity that is simply Judaism 2.0. There will and must be only the pure, unadulterated gospel of Jesus Christ for the whole world, unifying the human race into a new species of Christ-imagers.
Praise God that the Apostles “added nothing.” They did not tell Paul to add circumcision, eating kosher, or Sabbath-keeping. No ritual, rite, or tradition was added to the gospel’s message of grace alone, in Christ alone, through faith alone.
The Judaizers wanted to add the law as a means of maintaining right standing with God, but the cross shows us that this is something we can never do. In fact, that was the whole point of the law: to show us that we can never earn what God is freely giving to us in Jesus. We can never earn grace. Anything we add to the gospel subtracts from the work of Christ. Only Christ can make us whole. Only faith in Christ can add His life to ours.
You: What do you tend to add to the gospel? What works, principles, or disciplines?
You in Christ: How does trying to earn God’s favor work against the truth of our union with Christ?
Christ in you: What gospel work is Christ calling you to today?
Pray: Father, You are simply asking me to receive—not to keep, maintain, or earn. Help me to never add anything to Your gospel as I receive Your grace. Amen.
