Navigating Conflict: Building Genuine Community Through Confrontation

Conflict is an unavoidable part of real community, and it’s only when we move through conflict that our relationships become genuine and deep. In Galatians 2:11-21, we see a powerful example of this in the confrontation between Paul and Peter. Paul doesn’t shy away from addressing Peter’s hypocrisy—Peter was acting one way with Gentile believers and another with Jewish believers, creating confusion and undermining the mission of the gospel. This wasn’t a matter of personal preference or personality clash; it was about the integrity of the gospel and the health of the community. The gospel is for everyone, everywhere, and any behavior that sends mixed messages about that truth must be addressed.

Healthy community requires both a sense of belonging and a commitment to right belief and behavior. Belonging comes first, but belief and behavior matter deeply—they are the fruit of being rooted in Christ and in community. When misbehavior or hypocrisy arises, it must be lovingly corrected, not ignored. This is hard work, and it means facing conflict head-on, not avoiding it or hoping it will resolve itself. Paul’s example shows us that sometimes, for the sake of the mission, we need to have a “good fight”—a direct, honest, and loving confrontation.

But how we engage in conflict matters just as much as whether we engage. The cross of Christ is our model: we are called to humility, clarity, and cruciform (cross-shaped) love. Humility means checking our motives and being willing to submit to others. Clarity means being honest and direct, even when it’s uncomfortable. Cruciform love means our actions and words are shaped by the sacrificial love of Jesus, who both welcomed all to the table and, at times, flipped over tables for the sake of truth and justice.

The challenge is to discern when a conflict is about preferences or personalities, and when it’s about the heart of the mission. When the mission is at stake, we must not compromise. As we come to the communion table, we remember the sacrificial love of Jesus and are invited to ask: Is there a hard conversation I need to have? Is there a good fight I need to enter into, for the sake of love, truth, and the health of the community?

Key Takeaways

• 1. True community is forged through conflict, not by avoiding it. Until we have navigated disagreement and tension together, our relationships remain shallow and untested. Conflict, when handled well, is the crucible in which genuine belonging and trust are formed. [04:24]
• 2. Hypocrisy in leadership or community life is not just a personal failing; it creates confusion and undermines the mission of God. When our actions send mixed messages about who belongs and what the gospel means, we risk misleading others and impeding the work of Christ. The integrity of our witness depends on consistency between what we say and what we do. [15:14]
• 3. Not all conflicts are created equal; discernment is needed to distinguish between personality clashes, preferences, and issues that strike at the heart of the gospel. We must be willing to compromise on preferences and work through personality differences, but never on the core mission of God’s inclusive love and grace. This discernment is the hard, necessary work of healthy community. [18:40]
• 4. Engaging in conflict requires humility, clarity, and cruciform love. Humility means checking our motives and seeking counsel; clarity means being direct and honest, even when it’s uncomfortable; cruciform love means letting the sacrificial love of Jesus shape our approach, seeking not to justify ourselves but to serve the other and the mission. [26:43]
• 5. The cross is both our model and our power for healthy conflict. In every hard conversation, we must ask: Am I seeking to justify myself, or is this Christ living in me? Only by filtering our actions through the lens of the cross can we hope to fight well—for truth, for love, and for the flourishing of the community God has called us to be. [25:22]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [02:46] - Setting the Scene: Galatians 2 and Community Impact
• [04:24] - The Role of Conflict in Real Relationships
• [05:25] - Paul’s Passion and the Threat to the Gospel
• [07:32] - The Logic of Gentile Inclusion
• [09:44] - Belong, Believe, Behave: A Kingdom Order
• [11:21] - Paul Confronts Peter: The Nature of the Conflict
• [12:47] - Handling Disagreement in Community
• [13:33] - Hypocrisy and Its Consequences
• [15:14] - The Deeper Harm of Hypocrisy
• [17:45] - Distinguishing Types of Conflict
• [19:54] - Personal Confession: Struggles with Conflict
• [22:02] - Missed Opportunities for Healthy Confrontation
• [24:18] - Discernment: When to Fight for the Mission
• [25:22] - Crucified with Christ: The Cross and Conflict
• [26:43] - Guide Rails: Humility, Clarity, and Cruciform Love
• [29:46] - What Does Cruciform Love Look Like?
• [31:55] - Communion: Remembering Christ in Our Conflicts

Bible Reading

Galatians 2:11-21 (ESV) — 11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 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. 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 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?”
15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
17 But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.

Observation Questions

1. What specific behavior did Peter (Cephas) display that caused Paul to confront him publicly? (Galatians 2:11-13)
2. According to the passage, what was the effect of Peter’s actions on the rest of the Jewish believers and on Barnabas? (Galatians 2:13)
3. In the sermon, what reason does Paul give for confronting Peter—was it a personal issue, a matter of preference, or something else? [17:45]
4. What does Paul say about his own life and identity in verse 20, and how does that relate to the way he handles conflict? (Galatians 2:20)

Interpretation Questions

1. Why does Paul see Peter’s hypocrisy as such a serious problem for the church community? What’s at stake if it’s not addressed? [15:14]
2. The sermon says, “Not all conflicts are created equal.” How does Paul distinguish between conflicts about preferences or personalities and those about the core of the gospel? [18:40]
3. What does it mean for conflict to be handled with “humility, clarity, and cruciform love”? How does the cross shape the way we approach hard conversations? [26:43]
4. Why is it important for the church to correct misbehavior or hypocrisy, rather than ignore it or hope it goes away? [09:44]

Application Questions

1. Think about a time when you experienced conflict in a church or community setting. Did you tend to avoid it, or did you address it? What was the result? [19:54]
2. The sermon challenges us to discern whether a conflict is about preferences, personalities, or the mission of God. Is there a current or recent conflict in your life where you need to do this kind of discernment? How can you tell the difference? [18:40]
3. Paul confronted Peter “to his face” rather than behind his back. When you have a hard conversation to have, do you tend to go directly to the person, or do you talk to others first? What would it look like to follow Paul’s example? [11:21]
4. The sermon talks about “cruciform love”—letting the sacrificial love of Jesus shape our approach to conflict. What would it look like for you to approach a difficult conversation with humility, clarity, and love this week? [26:43]
5. Is there a situation in your life right now where you feel called to have a “good fight”—a direct, honest, and loving confrontation for the sake of truth and the health of the community? What’s holding you back? [31:55]
6. The cross is both our model and our power for healthy conflict. Before entering a hard conversation, how can you check your motives and make sure you’re not just trying to justify yourself? [25:22]
7. As you come to the communion table (or remember Christ’s sacrifice), is there a relationship or situation where you need to seek reconciliation or address a hard truth? What’s one step you can take this week? [31:55]