Paul continues his defense, recounting a visit to Jerusalem fourteen years after the first. He went by revelation, with Barnabas, a Jewish believer, and Titus, an uncircumcised Greek. Titus became a test case, and the leaders did not compel him to be circumcised. False brothers had infiltrated to spy on the liberty believers have in Christ, but Paul refused to yield even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would remain.
The pillars of the church, James, Cephas, and John, added nothing to Paul's message. They recognized that God had entrusted the gospel to Paul for the Gentiles, as to Peter for the circumcised. They extended the right hand of fellowship, dividing the mission field, and asked only that the poor be remembered, which Paul was eager to do.
The Antioch incident shows how serious the issue was. Peter had freely shared meals with Gentile believers, but when men came from James, he withdrew out of fear of the circumcision group. Other Jewish believers, even Barnabas, joined this hypocrisy. Paul opposed Peter publicly because his conduct contradicted the gospel. A person is justified not by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. Paul describes union with Christ. Through the law he died to the law so that he might live to God. He has been crucified with Christ; it is no longer he who lives, but Christ who lives in him. If righteousness came through the law, Christ died for nothing.