From the Pulpit...

If the Judaizers' doctrine was correct, then Paul, Peter, Barnabas, and the other Jewish believers fell back into the category of sinners because they had been eating and fellowshiping with Gentiles, who according to the Judaizers were unclean. If the Judaizers were right, then Christ was wrong and had been teaching people to sin because He taught that food could not contaminate a person. He also declared that all who belong to Him are one with Him and therefore each other. Paul's airtight logic condemned Peter, because by his actions he had in effect made it appear as if Christ was lying. The false system of salvation through legalism, done away with by the preaching of salvation by grace alone through faith alone. When a person is convicted of a capital crime and executed, the law has no further claim on him. So it is with the Christian who has died in Christ and rises to new life in Him. When a person trusts in Christ for salvation, he spiritually participates with the Lord in His crucifixion and His victory over sin and death. Paul concluded that Peter, by taking his stand with the Judaizers and thus against Christ, was in effect denying the need for God's grace and thereby nullifying the benefit of Christ's death.