Where to Stand

03.11.14

Galatians 2.3 3 Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. (NIV)

Those were turbulent days in the early Church – it seemed there was no small concern as to how the new Christians were to live: as converted Jews, or as freed Christians. Those who belonged to the converted Jews insisted that the Law be maintained as a matter of liturgical practice. And why not, it’s what they knew, and if it “all pointed to Christ” then why not continue with the practices and customs they already knew?

And then there was the group of converted Gentiles who knew nothing of the Law and lived their faith out by worshiping God without the customs and practices that the Jewish Christians held so dear. But conflict arose because one party maintained the importance of tradition and the other didn’t. The real conflict was the converted Jews held that the traditions were too important to let slide and the Gentile Christians should embrace them to make their faith complete.

So, into this mess Paul and his followers go in to introduce themselves and report what they had been doing. Paul, Mr. Grace, took Titus with him because it seems Titus was the real deal. And even though he was a Greek (a converted Gentile) he wasn’t compelled to give into the pressure to conform his faith to the Jewish traditions and observances of the Law. The Law party, I’m sure, tried to convince Paul that the observances and traditions of Judaism were what made one’s Christian faith complete. And Titus who witnessed all this – even Titus in his walk and witness, wasn’t compelled to be circumcised (as was probably the core issue of the Jewish Christians argument.)

Titus is an example to me today: Paul said:  not even Titus… If you thought anyone might, it might be Titus because it just might be that Titus was well aware of the traditions and customs of the Jews as he had learned them from Paul. Paul may have explained all of the customs and traditions in detail and told why they were so important to Jewish worship. And Titus may have bought into all of the mystery and majesty of the Judaic worship. But not even Titus was compelled to give up his grace for all that; as good as it may have looked…

Titus knew where he stood with God and he didn’t give into religious pressure to conform. Titus knew it was by grace through faith he stood in God’s presence, not because he did special things or even submitted to circumcision.

And that is the example for me as well: know where you stand child of God – and don’t budge from there. Don’t use your stance as a club; but know where you stand with Abba God and don’t let humans pressure you into anything that causes you to question your stand. 

Father, You know I am willing to learn and willing to sample most anything, but I am not ready to jettison Your grace to make room for law. Help me to know where I stand and to know where to stand that I may be an example to my brothers in helping them know where to stand: by grace in faith. Amen.