Bible Discussion Thread

To Terri's comment on verse 16:
To properly understand to what Paul is referring here, you don't need to know the greek. The answer itself lies in his rebuke of Peter. Peter thought it okay to eat with the Gentiles at first, but when "certain came from James", (which refers to the Jewish Christians sent by James from the Jerusalem church), Peter withdrew himself from eating with the Gentiles because to eat with the Gentiles violated the Jews' kosher standards. The scripture says that Peter dissimulated from the Gentiles because he feared them which "were of the circumcision". (the Jews from Jerusalem)
However, Paul rebuked him for this because God had brought through Peter and Paul both the gospel to the Gentiles, and while Peter believed that the Gentiles were saved, he was hypocritical when the Jews showed up. Paul admonishes that the Gentiles were saved by faith in Jesus Christ, not by the works of circumcision, which was a part of the old mosaic tradition. This in no way infers that he was saying that we should not exemplify good works in our life, but that we are not justified by becoming Jews after the old traditions of Mosaic law. Hope that helps!