Had Paul agreed, Gentile believers would have been brought under the Law's bondage and the gospel of grace to the Gentiles would have been stopped in its tracks.
Les Feldick teaches that the Jerusalem believers, including some who believed, demanded that Gentile believers at Antioch be circumcised and commanded to keep the Law of Moses. Paul refused even for an hour, because surrendering would have ended the gospel of grace to the Gentile world. According to Les, if Paul had been put down, our chances for salvation would have been gone.
Acts 15:1 — Records the exact demand Paul faced: Gentile believers must be circumcised after the manner of Moses or they cannot be saved.
Galatians 2:4-5 — Paul explains why he did not yield to the false brethren even for an hour, so the truth of the gospel might continue.
Scripture records the confrontation plainly. In Acts 15:1, certain men came down from Judaea to Antioch and taught the brethren, saying, 'Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.' This was not a suggestion; it was a demand that Gentile believers come under the Mosaic system. Paul describes the same event in Galatians 2:4-5. False brethren came in privily to spy out the liberty believers have in Christ Jesus, intending to bring them into bondage. Paul's answer was decisive: he gave place to them by subjection not even for an hour, so that the truth of the gospel might continue with the believers. Thus Scripture presents a clear contrast between liberty in Christ and bondage under the Law, and Paul chose to preserve the gospel of grace rather than submit to the legal requirement.
Les sets the scene at Jerusalem, where believing Pharisees insisted that the Gentile believers at Antioch be circumcised and commanded to keep the Law of Moses. They even said these Gentiles could not be saved unless they first became proselytes of Judaism. Les emphasizes that the Jerusalem church at that time was still built around the Law and circumcision, while Paul's message to Gentiles was pure grace. Les teaches that if Paul had yielded, the Jewish believers would have succeeded in stopping his ministry to the Gentiles. In his words, Christianity would have been stopped in its tracks, and there would have been no gospel of grace for us. Paul stood his ground and did not give in for an hour, so that the truth of the gospel might continue. Les also highlights the turning point when Peter finally came to Paul's defense, recalling his experience with Cornelius fourteen years earlier, when God saved Gentiles apart from Judaism. That memory helped break the deadlock and allowed Paul and Barnabas to continue taking the gospel of grace to the Gentile world.
The believing Pharisees from Jerusalem said it was needful to circumcise the Gentile believers at Antioch and to command them to keep the Law of Moses. Les stresses that this was a commandment, not a suggestion. Men from Judea even said, 'Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.' The demand was that Gentiles become proselytes of Judaism before they could be accepted as saved.
Les says the Jerusalem believers wanted to put Paul down and stop his ministry among the Gentiles. If they had succeeded, Christianity would have stopped in its tracks. There would have been no Gentile gospel of grace, and our chances for salvation would have been gone. This is why Paul withstood all the pressure rather than let the gospel of grace be silenced.
Paul wrote that he did not give place to the false brethren even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with the believers. Les points out this was Holy Spirit inspired, not Paul being stubborn. The purity of the grace gospel was at stake, so Paul would not allow Gentile believers to be forced under the Law.
After a great argument, Peter finally came to Paul's defense. He remembered his own visit to the house of Cornelius about fourteen years earlier and recognized that God had saved Gentiles without making them proselytes of Judaism, without repentance and water baptism. That memory helped break the deadlock, allowing Paul and Barnabas to continue taking the gospel of grace to the Gentiles.
The Demand at Jerusalem
Les sets the scene where believing Pharisees demanded that the Gentile believers at Antioch be circumcised and commanded to keep the Law of Moses.
Stakes for Our Salvation
Les says if Paul's Gentile ministry had been stopped, there would be no salvation for us; Paul withstood the pressure so the gospel of grace could reach Gentiles.
Paul's Refusal and Peter's Defense
Les says that without Peter's defense, the Jewish believers would have squashed Paul and stopped Christianity in its tracks; Paul did not give in for an hour.
Gratitude for Paul's Stand
Les emphasizes that we can thank God for the gospel of grace because Paul did not give in, even when Jewish believers still insisted Gentiles must become proselytes.
Command to Keep the Law
Les stresses the demand was a commandment, not a suggestion, and Paul insisted Gentile believers could not be forced under the Law because they are under grace.
Paul's 'No Way' and Peter's Memory
Les says Paul answered 'No way' to making the Law part of his message, and Peter finally remembered God saved Gentiles without Judaism.
Jerusalem Church Still Under Law
Les explains the Jerusalem church was still based on the Law and circumcision, and Paul was called down and almost subjected until Peter woke up to what God had shown him.
Men From Judea at Antioch
Les describes how men from Jerusalem went to Antioch and taught that unless the believers were circumcised after the manner of Moses, they could not be saved.
Acts 15:1: And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
This is the specific demand Paul faced, showing that the controversy was about whether Gentiles had to keep the Mosaic system to be saved.
Galatians 2:4-5: And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
Paul explains why he did not yield even briefly to the pressure to put Gentile believers under the Law, preserving the truth of the gospel.
No. Paul wrote in Galatians 2:5 that he did not give place to the false brethren even for an hour, so that the truth of the gospel might continue. Les emphasizes that Paul stood his ground against the pressure from the Jerusalem believers.
They came from Judea insisting that unless the Gentile believers at Antioch were circumcised after the manner of Moses, they could not be saved. They commanded them to keep the Law of Moses, demanding that Gentiles become proselytes of Judaism.
Les teaches that if Paul had been stopped, Christianity would have stopped in its tracks and there would have been no gospel of grace for the Gentiles. Our chances for salvation would have been gone.
Watch the Teaching: Not Under Law but Under Grace — What Romans 6:14 Really Means