Even Peter Once Acted Like a Legalist

Peter's fall into legalistic behavior warns us all to receive detailed instruction about the one true gospel of grace and its implications. I. Peter's Legalistic Behavior (vv. 12-13). 1. He understood the true gospel and knew he had liberty in Christ to disregard the Jewish dietary laws of the Old Testament that were no longer in effect and to eat with Gentiles, believers or not. 2. Against his better knowledge, from the fear of man, he pretended that some foods and some people were unclean by joining with less enlightened Jews in their legalistic ways. 3. His terrible example corrupted others, even a very good man who joined him in his legalistic hypocrisy. II. Paul's Public Protest (vv. 11, 14). 1. He expected his brethren, and especially church leaders like Peter, to live consistently with the one true gospel. 2. He held Peter publicly accountable for his bad behavior inconsistent with the one true gospel. 3. He appealed to Peter's conscience about his own inconsistency.