1-2 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. 3-5 But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in - who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery - to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.

6-10 And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality) those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do. Galatians 2:1-10 English Standard Version

In Chapter One of Galatians we learn that Jesus Christ had revealed Himself to a man named Saul who had been persecuting Christians. But in the early years after his conversion, Saul (whose name was changed to Paul) was still unknown in person to the churches in Judea. They only heard it said that “he who used to persecute Christians is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy!” And, says Paul, “they glorified God because of me.” (Galatians 1:24) Three years later Paul spent a fortnight with the apostle Peter in Jerusalem. Many years later (as today's reading brings out) he went to Jerusalem again to have a private meeting with the apostles there. What was a big reason for that meeting? (vs 1-2)

That's quite a humbling statement. Paul was willing to talk with Christian leaders to make sure he was on the right track when it came to the gospel. There are times when that's a good thing for Christians to do. When he wrote to Christians at Corinth who were going through some personal issues, he said to them: “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.” (2 Corinthians 13:5) It's easy to get caught up with theological fads and the latest popular authors. We need, however, to take care that we don't spend years pushing something, only to discover later that it was error. If more Christians were willing to do that, and to have conversations with well grounded believers, we'd probably have far less of the false teaching that abounds on TV and the internet.

Being willing to examine ourselves, and to discuss with other Christians whether our understanding of the gospel is accurate, doesn't mean we are not willing to take a strong stand on what we believe is important. What was the issue that was causing division in those days which Paul strongly challenged? (vs 3-5)

There were those who insisted that Christians must live by the laws Moses had passed on to Israel, of which circumcision was an important part. So when gentiles like Titus became Christians, the Jewish wing of the Church insisted they should be circumcised. Verses 6-10 show us the happy outcome of the stand Paul took, and his humility in being willing to listen to the other side of the argument. The leaders in Jerusalem recognized God's hand on the effective work Paul was doing among the gentiles, and gave it their approval.

I like that expression 'the right hand of fellowship' that James, Cephas and John extended to Paul and Barnabas. It's like a handshake between two parties who've come to a firm agreement. The Church today still has 'divisions'. Some are due to serious issues where we need to stand strongly for the truth. But there are others where the differences are not crucial, and then we can walk hand-in-hand with fellow Christians, praying for each other in the different fields God has appointed to us.