Jehoshua is on the throne of David in New Jerusalem and He is the King of a New Israel
Galatians Chapter 2
1Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.2And 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.3But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:4And 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:5To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.6But 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:7But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;8For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)9And 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.10Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.11But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.12For 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.13And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.14But 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?15We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,16Knowing 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.17But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.18For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.19For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; 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.21I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. Verses 1 and 2, fourteen years after Paul's conversion experience or his first visit to Jerusalem. Paul went up by divine Revelation to Jerusalem to communicate to the apostles the commission given to him and Barnabas by the Church. Paul laid before the pillars John, Peter and James (those of reputation) the gospel that he was preaching. Paul did this privately and not to the supposed apostles that the Judaizers elevated to disparage Paul. Verse 3, Titus would not go along with the Judaizers in being forced into the rite of circumcision. Titus was a Greek, the apostles preached the same gospel as Paul and didn't require circumcision to be brought into the Kingdom of Jehoshua Messiah. Verse 4, Paul calls these Judaizers false brethren, he doesn't even include them in the faith. They came in secretly meaning they didn't openly disclose their agenda. They also came in secretly to spy out with evil intention the liberty that the saints were enjoying in the only begotten Son. Their intention to come into the Church wasn't to edify anyone but to judge the brethren unrighteously and put them back into the bondage of the law. Verse 5 of Galatians 2: "To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you." Paul didn't give the Judaizers even a minute of his time or allow them an audience with the Church. This is an exhortation for us today that we are not to put up with any type of Judaizing doctrines and not even hear their arguments. This because giving the Judaizers our time will hinder the true gospel from going out to the world and being instilled in the Church. Verse 6 of Galatians 2: "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" This is referring to those in the Jerusalem Church that had status as apostles who were pillars of the faith as Paul states "who seemed to be somewhat in conference". The phrase "who seemed" indicates that Paul was aware of their authority and leadership within the Church. Paul says that God is no respecter of persons and that the important thing is preaching the true gospel not a persons reputation or status. When he says these ones who seemed to be in conference added nothing to him, he is saying that the esteemed apostles added nothing to his message as he was already teaching the true gospel. Verses 7 and 8 of Galatians 2: 7But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;8For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles: It was the same God who was operating in Peter to minister to the Jews and Paul to the Gentiles. The Holy Spirit fell on the Gentiles as well as the Jews showing no partiality. Verses 9 and 10 of Galatians 2: 9And 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.10Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do. The esteemed apostles acknowledged that Paul was preaching the true gospel as they "perceived that God had given him grace (divine favor and influence upon the heart). One of the purposes of grace is that it allows us to labor for the Kingdom. 1 Corinthians 15:10 (KJV) 10But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. True grace produces fruit in our lives and part of the evidence of fruit shows itself in our labouring for the Kingdom. Paul clearly says that Jehovah God bestowed grace (divine favor and influence upon the heart) and that this grace was not in vain (without success) but that the result of this grace was that he laboured more abundantly than others. The acknowledgement by the apostolic pillars that Paul was given grace by God was due to the results of Paul's labour in preaching the gospel to the Gentiles. They didn't perceive that he had grace because of some mystical spiritual goosebumps Paul was feeling due to conversion, but rather because of the fruit of Paul's Kingdom labour. The only command Paul was given to add to what he was already doing was that he remember the poor. Of course, Paul was more than willing to do this. Verse 11 of Galatians 2: "But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed" We are now about to witness a confrontation that sheds a lot of light in how we should view "the Hebrew roots" movement. Paul is about to call Peter out for hypocrisy. Verse 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 These Jews were from the Jerusalem church. All we are told in this verse is that Peter feared them or what they would think of him eating with Gentiles. Verse 13 of Galatians: "And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation." "Dissembled" Peter and the other Jews acted hypocritically in departing from the Gentiles once the circumcision party arrived. Verse 14 of Galatians 2: "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?" This one verse right here truly hurts the cause of the Hebrew roots movement. Peter was not living a Hebrew roots life. What Paul means here by "livest after the manner of Gentiles" is a little unclear but it's obvious that he wasn't keeping the law of Moses. That is the clear inference here. Paul only had a problem with Peter's hypocrisy and not that Peter was living after the manner of the Gentiles. Paul obviously did not teach believers that they had to keep the law of Moses as we further see in the rest of Galatians. Those in the Hebrew roots movement seriously have to consider this passage and its implications. If Peter himself, one of Jehoshua's 12 apostles was not living a Hebrew roots life then why do they compel others to do so. Aren't they doing the same thing that Paul is rebuking Peter for? And yet, unlike Peter most of the Hebrew roots followers are not Jewish. Verses 15 and 16 of Galatians: 15We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,16Knowing 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. Paul here is making it clear that his issue is not with Peter not living a Hebrew roots life but rather that He is trying to influence Gentiles to be under the law of Moses i.e. live after the manner of Jews. Paul makes it clear that the Mosaic law does not justify anyone but rather having the faith of Jehoshua Messiah. We as believers are not to go back to the law of Moses but rather to have the same faith that the Son of God had which is basically everything He taught and believed in regarding the gospel of the Kingdom. Certainly, Jehoshua believed in the law of Moses but He was bringing something better, a new covenant. The faith of Jehoshua includes believing that His Father is the only true God and that He is indeed the Messianic King of the Davidic dynasty. It is by the faith of Jehoshua that justifies someone without ever having kept any of the law. True faith will produce obedience to the law of Messiah which is summed up in the sermon on the mount. The sermon on the mount is the new covenant torah. Verse 17 of Galatians 2: "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." Paul contradicts the Judaizers and says that being justified by the faith of Jehoshua does not lead to sin as Jehoshua is not the minister of sin. This is because the faith of Jehoshua produces righteousness as those who are loyal to Jehoshua are loyal to His teachings which bring eternal life. Verses 18 and 19 of Galatians 2: 18For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.19For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. In context here is the law of Moses, so clearly what Paul doesn't want to rebuild is the putting law of Moses back up as a binding covenant. This is another tough scripture for the Hebrew roots movement to get around. The very thing they say we need to keep is the very thing Paul does not want to rebuild. "Dead to the law", in other words Paul is no longer under the law of Moses and is now in the new covenant living unto God who has brought in the new covenant by way of the Son of God Jehoshua. Verse 20 of Galatians 2: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; 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 says that he is united to Messiah in His death. Paul is dead to those former things including the law of Moses so that the life he now lives he lives by the faith of the Son of God. This faith is believing that Jehoshua brought in a new covenant with His law summed up in the sermon on the mount. Paul has graduated from the law of Moses i.e. the old covenant to the law of Messiah and the new covenant which indeed did revise things. We cannot keep both covenants, we are either in the old or the new. One is under Moses and the other under the Son of God. Jehoshua showed His superiority over Moses by revising some of the aspects of the Mosaic law. Paul acknowledges the sacrificial love of the Son of God who gave Himself as a ransom for us. The faith of the Son of God also includes having the same faith that Jehoshua had which was that the Father is the only true God and that we are to have trust in the Father and deny ourselves. Faith in who Jehoshua said He was is also what we are to have. This identity is that Jehoshua is the Son of God and King of Israel (John 1:49). Verse 21 of Galatians 2: "I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." Trusting in the law for salvation and trying to obtain justification by it is going backwards and seeks to undo what Jehoshua did on the cross. If we can be righteous by the works of the law then there was no need for the Son of God to die for us. Jehoshua's ransom sacrifice ended the Mosaic administration, the temple system of worship most notably. Trying to put yourself under the old covenant law is an affront to the Son of God's sacrifice which was the final day of atonement.
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