DAY 6
Then after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. I went in response to a revelation and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race in vain. Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.
Galatians 2:1-10 NIV
As for those who were held in high esteem —whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism —they added nothing to my message. On the contrary, they recognized that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised. For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle to the circumcised, was also at work in me as an apostle to the Gentiles. James, Cephas and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along.
When we examine this verse, it gives us context about why Paul took Titus with him to Jerusalem. Titus was a “Greek”. The significance of Paul bringing an uncircumcised Greek to circumcised Jews was a clear demonstration that Christianity is about who I am, not what I do.
Paul writes, “…whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favouritism…”, which captures the truth of grace.
It’s not about your title or how many “good” things you’ve done that qualifies you into being favoured by God, but it’s simply about accepting Jesus.
Jesus changed the scoreboard. Paul was using Titus as a vivid and living illustration that it wasn’t about whether he was a Jew or Greek, circumcised or uncircumcised, popular or unpopular among men, but that he accepted Jesus.
Today I want to encourage you: there’s nothing you can do to get yourself closer to God. By giving your life to Jesus, you are accepted and you are qualified.
This is the message of grace.
Question
If you are accepted and qualified by God, how does that change the way you approach God?