Obligated or Privileged to Share the Gospel? Galatians 1-3

Galatians 2:11-14 (ESV)

But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

Is there any person, people or demographic of people groups that you would NOT share the Gospel of Christ with?   Remember the story of Jonah.   Jonah was asked to go to Nineveh to share God’s message of doom, but he also knew that if he did, God would forgive them.  Note:

Jonah 4:2 (ESV)

And he prayed to the LORD and said, “O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.

Like Jonah, the Pharisees did not want to share God’s grace with the Gentiles.   So also, in the above passage, we read about Peter bending to those in the faith that still had their eyes on the Law.   Peter did not want to be alienated by the Law-keepers.   So, when they came to him, he withdrew from his relationship with the Gentiles, those who were uncircumcised.   Paul states that he withstood Peter to his face and called him out on it.   Peter had a people group he was reluctant to share God’s grace.  Today’s believer probably doesn’t think about it that much, but like Jonah we sail all around the people of our work, our neighborhood, and even our families to avoid sharing the Gospel.  We may rationalize that they may not listen to us anyhow.  We might create a false narrative in our head that they are unworthy of God’s grace - they have done so many bad things God won’t save them.   Or, we might think they are so connected to sin that God can’t save them.   Whatever the reason we must realize that the power of God’s grace is real (it is the power of God) and we are not just privileged to share God’s grace, we are obligated.