He recounts a previous experience when he and Barnabas, along with Titus, a Gentile go to Jerusalem. Titus was a Gentile convert to Christianity and dear to Paul who called him "my own son after the common faith" (Titus 1:2)

Most will agree that this is referring to the same event recorded in Acts 15, as it deals with the same issue, which was then brought before the council at Jerusalem.

Here we find ourselves in the heat of the Jewish mindset. A person was "a heathen" unless he was a Jew. The only way one could be a Jew was to undergo circumcision and purification rituals and take studies in the Torah. So again we see the "Jewish party" insisting that a person FIRST had to become a "Jew" before they could be offered any salvation privileges from God.

God wants His ministers to have unity. It is apparent that the Judizers were pointing to the church in Jerusalem and citing the apostles in Jerusalem as their support; they were accusing Paul of faulty teachings, and out of line with the "men of repute" (apostles) in Jerusalem. This was a serious charge for the apostles had walked and talked with Christ for 3 1/2 years and were obviously chosen by Christ as His ambassadors, while Paul came later on the scene. This was why Paul started this letter with such emphases on his calling and how he was taught by Christ Himself the message he was carrying to the Gentiles.

There in Jerusalem the church leaders sided with Paul, shattering the whole contention of the Judaizers who were insisting Gentiles had to become "Jews" first before they were acceptable to God and eligible of the benefits bestowed by God.

After much disputing in that council, Peter stands up and recounts his experience with the Gentile Cornelius, telling them that God "put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith." Acts 15:9

And so the Jerusalem Church Counsel votes against the Judiazers and supports Paul. The apostles are not divided.

CIRCUMCISION :

In this, as in everything else, the Jews had lost the knowledge of the spiritual meaning of their ceremonies. The “veil” hid the meaning of the rite, and they looked to the rite itself for salvation. The cutting off of the cause of physical impurity was to signify the putting off of the impurity of the heart, which was accomplished by faith in Christ. See Deuteronomy 10:16; 30:6; Jer. 4:4, and other texts, for proof that circumcision had this deeper meaning from the beginning.

It has been suggested that these "false brethren" were infiltrators, sent amongst the Christians to "spy" on what they were doing and to make sure Jewish customs and laws were observed.

Paul says, "No! to their insistence that Titus (and all Gentiles) who convert must be initiated into the Jewish economy by circumcision. He told them that all are made one at the cross -- all are unclean sinners without Christ. Grace is available for all peoples, there's no distinction between Jews and the rest.

In our day a popular teaching has come in suggesting Paul, in Galatians is freeing the Gentiles from their obligation to obey God's law (particularly the Ten Commandments). But remember that Titus was the "test case" to resist the circumcision party. Yet in the book of Titus chapter one we read what Paul wrote this young man. Paul admonishes Titus to live a moral life (See Titus 1:5-9; 2:1-19) He even tells Titus that Christ's redemption includes cleansing us from every lawless deed and purifying a people, zealous for good works (Titus 2:11)

Paul explains a bit more to Titus about those "false brethren" of the circumcision, who infiltrated the church.
Notice what type of characters they have –

• insubordinate
• idle talkers
• doing this for monetary gain
• they follow the commandments of men
• They (these Judizing men) profess to know God but in works they deny Him living in abominable disobedience and disqualified for every good work. Titus 1:16

The gospel is not defined by the "importance of men", but all true gospel believers preach the same gospel! Notice, however, Paul’s constant focus here, that God does NOT evaluate people according to their heritage, nationality or position. “GOD IS NOT PARTIAL” to these things.

At the Jerusalem Council Peter made a strong speech in support of Paul's gospel (see Acts 15:6-11) James, citing scripture, confirmed Peter's speech and the council sent representatives, Silas and Judas, to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas to establish the decision. (Acts 15:25-27) Paul and Baranabas were sent on their mission with the blessings of the other apostles.

“Grace that was given unto me” – Although we readily think of grace being the undeserved merit that saves from sin; in this context grace is also given for fruitful service.

Peter’s lapse was especially serious, considering his role of leadership in the situation presented above.

His lapse from the gospel reinforced the idea that the Gentile Christians were an unclean people. Peter, just before he was invited to go to the home of the Gentile, Cornelius, had received a vision from God in Acts 10, telling him to call no one common or unclean. On returning to Jerusalem, he was accused of “going into the home of the uncircumcised and eating with them” “Then Peter opened his mouth and said: In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality but in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.” Acts 10:34 (The truth of gospel is that there is neither Jew nor Gentile, but all are one in Christ. Gal. 3:28) It was this experience upon which he based his powerful argument for Paul's mission in Acts 15. Now for Peter, after his divine revelation and “breakthrough” to revert to segregation in front of the Gentile Christians was a grave problem!! The Gentile converts would feel they were second-class Christians, inferior and not worthy to be associated with by the Jewish Christians.

What shocked Paul, was that even Barnabas, his companion in the ministry to the Gentiles, followed Peter’s lead! Everything gained in the council of Jerusalem (Acts 15) was being denied.

What could have motivated such a departure from "the gospel"?

Some have speculated that it couldn't have been just "eating with the Gentiles" that was the problem, yet Peter does make it plain in Acts 10:28 "You know how it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean." Jewish nationalism was very rampant in Palestine in the years between Christ's death and 70 A.D. when Rome put a deadly end to Jewish rebellion against their authority. The hostility of the Jews who considered themselves the chosen of God, against the Gentiles was at an all time high. Unless a Gentile denounced his race and became a Jew, one just did not become friendly with them. It is quite possible that this delegation from James reported that the church was suffering retaliation from Jewish nationalists due to the unrestricted association of church leaders with Gentiles. The Jewish Christians at Antioch simply put their own Jewish interests above their sensitivity to the truths of the gospel.

Point One: Jews born as Jews need to be justified by faith in Christ. Though they have the law, the law can no more justify them then it can justify the Gentile.

We can rephrase it:
"Even though we, the natural Jews, have followed the law, yet we KNOW we need to be justified by Christ's blood just like the Gentiles.

Going through the rituals to become a Jew doesn't justify anyone. Circumcision won’t justify anyone; the works of the law won’t justify anyone. A circumcised sinner is still a sinner in need of salvation.
ALL, Jew and Gentile, need Christ for justification from sin.

Point two: Is Paul saying the righteous moral “law” the commandments of God are no longer applicable? NO! The problem in Galatia was NOT that the Galatians were refusing to commit adultery, lie, kill, steal, and take God’s name in vain and so Paul had to write a letter denouncing their works of the law. NO! Paul’s concern was not that they were obedient to the moral law of God, in fact in his letter to the Corinthians he sorely chastised that church for allowing violator’s of the moral law to remain as members. (1 Cor. 6) In saying the Galatians have forsaken the gospel, Paul is addressing the rituals which the Jews looked to as necessary to be accounted as one of God’s people. They are not necessary. God cleanses the heart of the believing contrite one and no one should consider them "unclean". Being a Jew even if a natural born Jew does not Justify, only Christ can justify.

Justification means that the guilt is removed and Christ's righteousness is given to the believer.

Does this mean Christ promotes sin, or gives license to sin just because, after looking at the law and finding ourseves sinners, we come to Christ for justification.
Paul says "God forbid"

This is reflected in several places of Paul's writings:

Now, should we come to life again, does that give us liberty to transgress the law? No, of course not.

Unless we ourselves are crucified WITH HIM, we are not partaking of His death and resurrection on the cross. Sin is a personal matter that affects the whole emotional, physical as well as spiritual well-being of the individual. We are born in it so that our life is full of sin, what we need is freedom from our sins, a cleansing of the heart and mind. In Romans 6, Paul says, we are to reckon ourselves DEAD to sin. What does it mean to "die to sin"? This dying to sin is the result of our union with Christ (Romans 6: 2-11) When we unite with Him in baptism, we unite ourselves in His death to sin. Because Christ died to sin, all who are united with Him died to sin. This does not mean we all are instantly innately sinless or removed from sin's ability to touch us. HOWEVER, we are to consider ourselves DEAD TO SIN. (verse 11)
When temptations come at us, we are to remember-- yes, through Christ I died to that sin-- no way am I going to engage in it..

We are to count ourselves dead to that sin and not let "sin reign in our mortal bodies" We are not only dead to sin , we are alive in Christ. We have not only been delivered from the dominion of darkness, we also have been brought into the kingdom of Christ. (Col 1:13)
What is the significance of being alive unto God?
We are united with the ONE who is at work in us to strengthen us with His mighty power. This too, we MUST BELIEVE by faith! Count it to be true.

To be crucified with Christ is to recognize His death to our sins, is our death to those sins, and now we have Christ in our lives, with Christ in our lives we have “righteousness” by faith, not by works of law. Now being righteous in Christ, reckoning ourselves dead to sin by participating in His death, and alive to righteousness through His indwelling spirit, we walk in newness of life.

Neither justification, nor the renewal of our lives can come by any other means but by the grace of Christ.