Hypocrisy

DEVOTION
GALATIONS
HYPOCRISY
Gal 2:12-13
12 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.
NIV
What in the world and I going to do with a dissertation of Paul about Peter? Could this also be applied to me? Do I act differently with believers than I do with unbelievers? Or I guess I should ask if I behave differently with unbelievers than I do with believers? Maybe I should just be asking if I behave differently when I am alone than I do when I am with believers. I think that is the real hypocrisy. I think I have to be the same person no matter where I am and who I am with. If I have certain freedoms in Christ, say to have a glass of wine, I should not refrain if I am with a believer who does not approve of such freedoms. Yet, by indulging in that beverage in the presence of such a believer am I causing him or her to sin? So how does this work out? Should I simply refrain from every freedom I have in Christ for the sake of other believers who, by the standard I know is true, are in fact living under the law? They have determined a certain set of rules and regulations for Christian living which they feel are based on scripture. Yet I cannot help feel they have put themselves back into slavery to a law of men and not God. A law based on being better then the society around them rather than on simply pleasing God. So I am back to this double life of living out my faith in front of both believers and unbelievers with no difference. I must be the one true person I am no matter who I am with. When I ponder on whom I am, I think I can say I am the same in most cases, but I still struggle with not wanting those who need to abide by rules feeling ill against me. Not for my sake, but for theirs. That puts me right back to where I started. But one thing I know for sure I should not have any hypocrisy in me at all.