Gospel Outreach International

What happens when even trusted church leaders compromise the truth of the gospel? In this powerful Bible study on Galatians 2:11-21, we discover how the Apostle Paul confronted Peter’s hypocrisy in Antioch, revealing a timeless lesson about the dangers of religious legalism and the liberating truth that we are justified by faith in Christ alone, not by works of the law. This study challenges us to examine our own lives and ask whether we, like Peter, have allowed fear of others’ opinions to compromise our witness to God’s grace.

yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. Galatians 2:16

• Paul publicly confronted Peter (Cephas) in Antioch for withdrawing from eating with Gentiles when certain men from James arrived
• Peter’s behavior was hypocritical and influenced even Barnabas to join in the hypocrisy
• The Jewish faith had strict eating rules that prohibited sitting down with Gentiles, creating serious divisions
• Peter had forgotten the vision God gave him (Acts 10) about not calling unclean what God calls clean
• Christians today sometimes repeat the same mistakes by creating nationalist or isolationist churches instead of maintaining unity in Christ
• Paul demonstrated boldness in confronting wrong behavior, even when it came from a respected leader
• Hypocrisy is one of the greatest sins Christians can commit and a major turn-off for outsiders
• Justification comes through faith in Christ Jesus, not by works of the law
• Being “justified” means standing before God “just as if I’d never sinned” - the slate is completely wiped clean
• Christians are called to continually build up their faith and grow as mature believers
• The foundation of Christian faith is that we are saved by faith and we grow by faith

For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. Galatians 2:19

This study brings us back to the heart of the gospel - that we stand before God not because of our own goodness or religious performance, but solely through faith in what Jesus accomplished on the cross. It’s a beautiful reminder that when we put our trust in Christ, the slate is wiped clean completely. As the study emphasizes, our faith may sometimes feel weak, but when it’s placed in Jesus and his finished work, it’s strong because he is strong. The challenge for us is to keep building on this foundation, growing in our faith while never forgetting that it’s Christ who lives in us. Let’s be bold like Paul in standing up for truth, humble enough to admit when we’re wrong like Peter needed to be, and always remember that Jesus gave himself up for us - that’s the basis of everything.

Bible References

• Galatians 2:11-21
• Galatians 2:11-21
• 2 Corinthians
• Acts 10
• Acts