What happensPermalink
Fourteen years after his conversion, Paul returned to Jerusalem with Barnabas and Titus to confirm the gospel he preached. Though Titus was Greek, he was not required to be circumcised, proving that Gentile believers are fully accepted by faith. The apostles in Jerusalem affirmed his gospel and mission to the Gentiles. When Peter—out of fear of criticism from Jewish believers—withdrew from eating with Gentiles, Paul confronted him publicly because his behavior denied the truth that believers are justified by faith, not by the law.
Why it mattersPermalink
Faith in Christ brings real freedom, not only in belief but in daily life. When fear or habit leads us back to old boundaries, we must remember that Christ’s death has already made us clean.
Key versePermalink
A person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ.