Christians in a World of Conflict_2
Cory Tomlinson & Karl Slaikeu
Christians in a World of Conflict_2
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Christians in a World of Conflict_2 - The Text
Christians in a World of Conflict 2 – The Text
Cory Tomlinson and Karl Slaikeu
First – A Review of 3 Maps
A Quick Review
Chapter 1 : Quick Start
Paul begins talking about himself
Question: How much is Paul defending the Gospel vs. How much is Paul defending himself.
He is reminding them who he is and how he has authority.
Galatians Chapter Two - More ”1” statements
2 Then after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. 2 I went in response to a revelation and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race in vain. 3 Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. 4 This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. 5 We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.
A brief
interruption
For John 10:14-16
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me. 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
Paul with the Pillars
6 As for those who were held in high esteem, whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism, they added nothing to my message. 7 On the contrary, they recognized that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised,[a] just as Peter had been to the circumcised. 8 For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle to the circumcised, was also at work in me as an apostle to the Gentiles. 9 James, Cephas and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. 10 All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along.
Paul calls out Peter
11 When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.
14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?
Paul calls out Peter…and gets his argument
15 “We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles 16 know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in[d] Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.
17 “But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners, doesn’t that mean that Chbrrist promotes sin? Absolutely not! 18 If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker.
19 “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”
Same Argument…
Different Paul…
Romans 8
1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
The Conflict – The Nuance of it all
Chapter 1: Paul giving himself context
Chapter 2: Paul giving his argument context
Been to the Apostles
Titus
Peter
Even Peter needed guidance
What is at stake here?
What is the true Gospel?
Who are the true teachers of the Gospel?
How exactly are we made righteous or saved?
What was the purpose of the death and resurrection of Christ?
What is Christianity’s relationship to Judaism?
Christians in a World of Conflict
Galatians 2
Kory Tomlinson and Karl Slaikeu
Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church
January 18, 2026
Guiding Principles
for “Christians in a World of Conflict”
Scripture
Conflict Resolution, Negotiation and Mediation Practice
Lessons from
Conflict Resolution,
Negotiation and Mediation Practice
High Stakes: Good and Bad Outcomes
Multiple Causes of Conflict
Four Ways to Resolve Conflict
Collaboration is Best Way to Peace, Healing, Justice, Reconciliation
Order Options to Save Time, Money, People
Preferred Path Summary
For Situations at Home, Work, School, Church, Neighborhoods
When the Hard Part is Emotions, Broken Relationships, Violence
The Preferred Path Offers a Way to Justice, Peace, Healing, and Reconciliation
Use the Grid on
Every Step of the Preferred Path
Step 1 Prayer and Preparation
Step 2 Loving Action (Throughout Process)
Step 3 Discussions (Listening and Speaking)
Step 4 Facilitated Discussions/Mediations
Step 5 Higher Authority Deliberations
Step 6 Other Action