Never Submit

Galatians 2:1-5   
1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me. 2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain. 3 Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 4 And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage), 5 to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

Paul was shown by God that he had to go with Barnabas and Titus to Jerusalem to tell the gospel that he preached to the nations.  He also preached these words of life and reconciliation with God in Christ to fellow Jews who had a standing among their people, telling them privately as Jesus did with Nicodemus so that he kept an inroad into their hearing.  The pressure to follow the law came from some who crept into the church to disrupt the gospel with added requirements and judgment.  Even these were jealous of the freedom seen in Christ’s people, and so they did all they could to re-enslave the believers to the law of works.  But Paul and company stood firm against the assaults and valiant for the truth.  We are given this example to stand for the gospel of salvation in Christ alone, not by a list of added works and guilt.