This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus in order to enslave us. But we did not give up and submit to these people for even a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would be preserved for you. 2:4-5
I think that Paul sometimes gets a bad rap. He is accused by feminists today of being a male chauvinist, and he was not the most popular guy among the Apostles or the first century Jews. He was considered a rebel and a trouble maker; zealous against the church before his conversion and many would say too zealous and argumentative after his conversion. These first 3 chapters of Galatians outline some of his wrangles with others. He preaches against the Judaizers who force gentiles to obey the Jewish law plus have faith (instead of faith alone) and he criticizes the Galatian church for giving in to them. He talks about his prickly interactions with the original Apostles and even how he called Peter out in front of everyone else.
Yet, while Paul was never one to pull punches, he did everything he did for the glory of God and the sake of the gospel. Paul was one who realized that words and actions have consequences and a little compromise today could have great ramifications tomorrow. Consider his attitude in the verses above. He talks about the fake brothers (Judaizers) who had snuck in to try and get the new churches to toe the line of Jewish tradition and law. Paul says he didn’t give into them for even a moment because that would mean corrupting the truth of the gospel for generations to come. I doubt that Paul realized he was writing the New Testament or that someone like me would be writing about him almost 2000 years later. But he did understand that people were depending on him doing that right thing and that if the gospel were to spread in his day it would have to be perfectly preserved by him.
Now we stand looking back into history and hindsight is truly 20/20. We can see the impact that his faithfulness and integrity with the gospel made on the church and world thousands of years later. We can also see all the other faithful ones who have gone before us and how we are here today because they were faithful and didn’t give in for even a moment. We see a church that is spread across the world and a gospel that is still true and still preached everywhere because they did not compromise. Sadly, we can also look back and see others who did compromise their integrity and the truth of the gospel; we can see cults, false religions, false prophets, and the prosperity preachers of today. The question is, “When people in the future look back on you and your life what will they see?” Will they see someone who sacrificed everything for the glory of God and the integrity of the gospel? Will they be standing in the truth then because you were faithful to the truth now?
