Today, we continue our series entitled “Living the Grace Life,” where we will learn to embrace and walk in God’s unmerited, unearned, and often undeserved favor throughout 2025.
As part of this series, I am teaching a verse-by-verse exposition of the book of Galatians. Let’s get into it.
Key scriptures for this year:
2 Corinthians 9:8 TPT
“Yes, God is more than ready to overwhelm you with every form of grace, so that you will have more than enough of everything–every moment and in every way. He will make you overflow with abundance in every good thing you do.”
Galatians 5:4 TPT
“If you want to be made right with God by fulfilling the obligations of the law, you have cut off more than your flesh–you have cut yourselves off from Christ and have fallen away from the revelation of grace!”
Romans 6:14 ERV
“Sin will not be your master, because you are not under law. You now live under God’s grace.”
1 Corinthians 15:10 NIV
“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them–yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.”
Scripture(s) we will study today:
Galatians 2:11-14 TPT
“But when Cephas [Peter] came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, for he was clearly in the wrong. Before certain men came from James, he was eating freely with the non-Jewish believers. But when they arrived, he withdrew from them and wouldn’t even eat with the Gentiles, because he was afraid of those who promoted circumcision. And the other Jewish believers joined him in this hypocrisy, to the extent that even Barnabas was swept away by their duplicity! But when I saw that they were straying from the truth of the Gospel, I said to Cephas in front of everyone, ‘If you, who are a Jew, live like a non-Jew when it’s convenient, how can you force non-Jews to live like Jews?'”
Ephesians 4:15 NIV
“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.”
Matthew 18:15 NIV
“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.”
Setting the Stage:
Over the past few messages, we’ve been exploring how grace breaks the poverty mindset and how God wants wealthy people to use their resources for good. We’ve established that the Word of God is the Will of God on paper and that getting into God’s Word for yourself transforms your thinking and your results.
Today, we see a dramatic shift in the text. Paul moves from discussing ministry to the poor to confronting the most prominent apostle in the early church: Peter (called Cephas). This confrontation reveals something powerful about living #TheGraceLife: sometimes grace requires courageous confrontation when people’s lives are at stake.
What we’re about to study shows us that defending the truth of grace is not optional; it’s essential. Even when it means standing up to leaders we respect, the truth must be protected from compromise. We must speak the truth in love.
So, what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. Grace Gives You the Courage to Confront Error, Even in Leadership.
Paul didn’t hesitate to confront Peter publicly because Peter’s actions threatened the very foundation of the Gospel and everything God was building through Paul. When Peter withdrew from eating with Gentile believers because he feared the circumcised (the Jews), he was cowering to those who were still focused on keeping The Law over the freedom of God’s grace.
How this applies to you:
— Understand that grace doesn’t make you passive; it makes you bold. When you know you’re accepted by God and you are empowered by His grace, you don’t have to fear man’s approval or rejection. Paul could confront Peter because his confidence was in God’s grace, not in Peter’s approval.
— I need to point out that Peter was considered the leader of the New Covenant movement, but since he was only ministering to the Jews, he could not see the blindspot he had for the Gentiles. He was so used to being around Jews that he did not even realize he was still holding an issue in his heart against the Gentiles, and when Paul saw this, he called it out. See, even the most well-intentioned people can have flaws and blindspots they cannot see until someone points them out.
— Recognize that sometimes the greatest threat to the power of God’s grace comes from within the church. Peter wasn’t a false teacher or an enemy of the Gospel. He was the lead apostle! But his fear of man caused him to compromise the message of grace. We just recognize that leaders are still humans, and no one is above error.
— Don’t be intimidated by titles, positions, or reputations when the truth is at stake. Peter was considered the main leader, but when Peter’s actions contradicted God’s grace, which is basically God’s heart for all people, Paul didn’t let Peter’s status stop him from speaking the truth. We can learn from this.
— Remember that confrontation motivated by love for truth is different from confrontation motivated by personal offense. Paul wasn’t angry at Peter personally. He was protecting the Gospel and the unity God has called us into. When you confront an error, make sure your motivation is protecting the truth, not defending your ego.
— Grace empowers you to speak the truth even when it’s uncomfortable. When you know God has already accepted you and you are being led by His Spirit, you have the freedom and courage to say what needs to be said when truth is threatened.
— Understand that silence in the face of error can be participation in error. Paul didn’t just disagree privately. He confronted Peter publicly because Peter’s error was public. When error affects others, private disagreement isn’t enough. If it was a public error, there needs to be a public acknowledgment of the error.
— Remember that love sometimes requires uncomfortable conversations. Paul loved Peter enough to risk their relationship to save Peter from compromise. Sometimes, the most loving thing you can do is tell someone they’re wrong, even if this person is a leader.
2. The Greatest Danger to Grace Is Not Opposition, It’s Compromise.
Peter didn’t start preaching against the freedom of God’s grace. He simply withdrew from fellowship with Gentile believers. He was fine being around Gentiles when his Jewish convert followers were not around. But when they came around, he disconnected himself from the Gentiles. This seemingly small action had massive implications because it suggested that law-keeping was necessary for full acceptance and that Gentiles were still not truly accepted.
How this applies to you:
— Recognize that compromise often starts with small actions, not big declarations. Peter didn’t preach circumcision. He just stopped eating with uncircumcised believers. Small compromises in your behavior can send big messages about what you really believe.
— Understand that your actions speak louder than your theology. Peter could say he believed in grace, while his actions suggested otherwise. What you do reveals what you really believe more than what you say.
— Be aware that the fear of man is often the root of compromise. Peter withdrew because he “was afraid of those who promoted circumcision.” When you fear people more than God, you’ll compromise God’s truth to avoid conflict. Grace gives you the courage to live consistently regardless of who’s watching.
— Remember that compromise is contagious. The text says that “the other Jewish believers joined him in this hypocrisy, to the extent that even Barnabas was swept away.” I know that got Paul really upset because Barnabas was his friend. When leaders compromise, others follow. If you are a leader, your compromise doesn’t just affect you; it also influences others to compromise.
— Understand that hypocrisy undermines the power of grace. Paul called Peter’s behavior “hypocrisy” because Peter was living in two different ways depending on his audience.
— Guard against changing your behavior and compromising your convictions to please others. Peter knew better, but pressure caused him to fall back into old patterns. When you’re under stress or facing criticism, you can be tempted to abandon God’s truth for whatever you deem to be convenient in the moment.
3. Protecting the Truth of Grace Is Worth Any Cost.
Paul was willing to risk his relationship with Peter and potentially create division in the church because the truth of grace was non-negotiable. This teaches us that some things are more important than unity, comfort, or human relationships.
How this applies to you:
— Understand that God’s grace is not a secondary issue. It’s actually the foundation of the New Covenant. Paul didn’t see this as a minor disagreement about table fellowship. He saw it as a threat to the core message of the Gospel. When grace is compromised, everything else is threatened.
— Be willing to stand alone when necessary. Paul confronted Peter “to his face” and in front of everyone. Sometimes, protecting the truth means being willing to be the only one who speaks up. Don’t wait for others to take the lead when you know what’s right.
— Temporary conflict is better than permanent compromise. Paul risked immediate tension with Peter to prevent long-term damage to the Gospel. Sometimes, you have to choose between peace and truth, and truth must win.
— Recognize that grace is worth fighting for because people’s freedom depends on it. This wasn’t just about Paul and Peter–it was about whether Gentile believers would experience full acceptance in Christ. When you defend grace, you’re defending other people’s freedom and the purity of the Gospel.
— Sometimes, operating in God’s grace may make you look ungracious. But the freedom of God’s grace does not mean that everything is accepted. Paul confronted Peter in love, not in hatred. You can defend truth firmly while maintaining a heart of love. Grace doesn’t mean you never confront error. It means you do so with the right motivation.
— Remember that Jesus Himself confronted error directly when truth was at stake. Jesus called the Pharisees “whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean” (Matthew 23:27). He also overturned tables in the temple, drove out the money changers, and declared, “My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers” (Matthew 21:13).
— Jesus didn’t use gentle suggestions when religious leaders were misleading people or corrupting God’s house. He used strong, direct action. His confrontations weren’t motivated by anger or personal offense, but by love for His Father’s house and concern for people being deceived. When the Gospel is being compromised or people are being led astray, defending the truth sometimes requires bold action, not just polite conversation. Jesus shows us that there’s a time for gentle teaching and a time for strong correction, and God will give you the wisdom to know the difference.
4. Living the Grace Life Means Being Consistent in Public and Private.
Peter’s problem wasn’t that he was living wrong–it was that he was living differently depending on his audience. This inconsistency sent mixed messages about grace and created confusion about what God required.
How this applies to you:
— Live the same way regardless of who’s watching. I am the same guy in church, in Corporate America, at home, and in the grocery store. God’s grace gives you the freedom to be authentic in every setting. When you know you’re accepted by God, you don’t have to perform differently for different audiences.
— Don’t let the fear of judgment cause you to hide your freedom in God or His grace. Peter feared the judgment of the circumcised, so he withdrew from the Gentile fellowship. When you let others’ opinions control your behavior, you’re not living as your authentic self.
— Remember that consistency in God and His grace builds trust and credibility. When people see you living the same way in every context, they trust that your faith is real. Inconsistency undermines your witness and confuses those who are watching your life. I have people tell me all the time that my strongest witness is my consistency.
— Live openly in the grace that Jesus purchased for you. Jesus paid too high a price for your freedom for you to hide it or compromise it. Live boldly in the grace that cost Jesus everything.
— Remember that your authentic life in grace is your greatest testimony. People are drawn to authenticity, not performance. When you live consistently in grace, you show others what freedom in Christ actually looks like.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I thank you for the courage to confront things that I need to confront.
I declare that I will not compromise the gospel of grace, even if it costs me a relationship, or even if it costs me popularity, I’m going to do what you lead me to do.
I will walk in the authenticity of my assignment.
I will walk in the grace that you have bestowed upon me.
I refuse to change because of people’s opinions, and if I have to confront a leader, I have to confront them in love.
I declare that I have the grace to do it.
I’m walking in my divine assignment.
I am promoting unity in the body of Christ, and I will not allow division to go unchecked.
I am living #TheGraceLife, and GREATER IS COMING FOR ME!
I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen!
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!
