The Condition of Your Walk

March 1   The Condition of Your Walk   Galatians 2:1-14

Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me. 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. Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 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), to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.  But from those who seemed to be something—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man—for those who seemed to be something added nothing to me.  But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter 8 (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do. Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed;  for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews?     Galatians 2:1-14
A man was sitting at a stop light one morning. The lady in front of him was going through papers on the seat of her car, and when the light changed to green, she did not obey its command. She remained in her idle position until the light turned red again. So he began screaming epithets and beating on his steering wheel. His expressions of disgust were        interrupted by a policeman, gun drawn, tapping on his window. Against his protests of, “You can’t arrest me for hollering in my car,” the officer ordered him into the back seat of his police car. After about two hours in a holding cell, the arresting officer advised him he was free to go. He said, “I knew you couldn’t arrest me for what I was yelling in my own car. You haven’t heard the last of this.” The officer replied, “I didn’t arrest you for shouting in your car. I was directly behind you at the light. I saw you screaming and beating your steering wheel, and I said to myself, “What a jerk. But there is nothing I can do to him for throwing a fit in his own car.” Then I noticed the cross hanging from your rear view mirror, the bright yellow “Choose Life” license tag, and the “Jesus Is Coming Soon” bumper sticker, and I thought you must have stolen the car.” When Paul went to Jerusalem he found inconsistencies within the church there. Paul knew that the proper standard of conduct is “the truth of the gospel!” As Paul analyzed the situation, He saw that Peter and the others “were not straightforward.” They were not walking straight with their feet, but contrary to the truth of the Gospel. They were being inconsistent in their behavior. We need to examine our walk to insure that we are not sending the wrong message to those with whom we have daily contact. What is the effect of walking inconsistently? Why do we walk inconsistently? How does God say we should be walking? An inconsistent walk provides a false witness for God and a distorted pattern of behavior for others to follow.  God tells us that we should walk in His Holiness and to be examples, that is, true examples of His Love and Grace!  We MUST be true to our commitment to God and we MUST display true Holiness and a True Commitment to the precious promise of God’s Love.  Often times, our lives are the only Bible that others may read, and when our living is inconsistent and does not reflect the true and holy nature of God’s promise, through Jesus Christ, we give the wrong impression of God’s Grace and cause others to miss the blessing and to, possibly, miss the Saving Grace of Jesus Christ!  So, is it important to be truthful and consistent in our daily walk with God?  ABSOLUTELY!  We must give the proper message and our lives must be consistent!  In 1 Corinthians 14:8, Paul makes it crystal clear that our walk with Christ and our daily living MUST be a TRUE and CONSISTENT example, because, if we project a wrong message, the how will others know to prepare for the battle ahead…“For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?”  Folks, be REAL, be CONSISTENT, be TRUE and be WHAT GOD INTENDS FOR YOU TO BE…BE FAITHFUL and TRUE!!  Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!