"Confrontation" - A Discussion of Galatians 2:11-21

Here is the next outline in our Wednesdy study through Galatians...

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“Confrontation” Galatians 2:11-21

QUESTION: Have you ever had a time when you thought a “boss,” “leader” or even a “friend” in your life was making a serious error? What did you do? What was the outcome?



1. Everybody makes mistakes and errors in judgment. Galatians 2:11

A. Sometimes they are intentional; many times they are unintentional. Either way, we still bear responsibility.

QUESTION: What examples can we think of each kind of error? How should we respond to such errors?

QUESTION: What is the difference between having different opinthe tradition of wearing costumes on halloweenions, and having to confront an error?

• Even the best of us can be guilty at times for behaving in ways that are contrary to our stated beliefs.


• What might cause otherwise “good” people to act in troubling ways?

B. Some disagreements are from sin in the hearts of people. 2 Tim. 4:10,14; Phlp 1:15-18

This includes:

• The refusal to let go of anger and bitterness or to walk in grace, mercy and forgiveness. Eph 4:29-32


• When we fear losing our image, the respect of others, or the approval of certain friends in our life. Gal 2:12


• The refusal to submit earthly motivations and desires to the Lord. Philippians 2:1-5

C. Some disagreements occur because of misunderstandings. Acts 19:25-41

• This happens when we make assumptions about others, and/or hold on to past hurts & disappointments.


• This happens if we don't really listen to one another and/or when we walk in fear and mistrust instead of love.


• This happens when we allow ourselves to be swayed by gossip and slander. Proverbs 16:28

D. Some disagreements occur because we honestly see things differently than someone else. Acts 15:36-41

• Even the best of friends will run into times when they see things from opposing viewpoints.


• How we handle these moments is a test of our character and of our commitment to God and to one another.

E. As followers of Christ, we need to remember the need to lovingly lead people into truth instead of merely catering to false ways of thinking. What does this mean? Why might this be so?

2. One problem created when we err is that we can potentially lead others astray by our example. None of us are above being swayed by the missteps of others. Gal 2:13

QUESTION: How can we keep from being led into untruth, wrongful thinking, or wrongful action?



3. Once we understand the scope and impact of an error, it’s appropriate and right to address the issue. Gal 2:14-21

A. We should state the facts and the specifics as we understand them. Gal 2:14

B. We should give Biblical reasoning why we think this represents an error, sin, mistake, etc. Gal 2:15-21

C. We should carefully, attentively, and lovingly listen to the other person as well.

QUESTION: What does Paul believe is at stake here? What is the error that he addresses?

4. NOTE: Confrontation and conflict do not have to be synonymous.

A. Confrontation is the process by which we bring an issue into the open in order to produce healing and resolution. Acts. 15:top amazing halloween dog costumes in 200839; Hebrews 10:24

• Disagreements and hurts should be lovingly confronted so that division doesn’t take root in our relationships.


• Loving confrontation will work to bring support as well as correction.


• The goal of confrontation is to come to mutual resolutions that help move all of us into the flow of God's will.


• When we simply sweep things under the rug, we add fuel to the fires of future conflict.

B. Conflict is the result of allowing confrontation to disintegrate into argument and polarization.

• Conflict focusget your pets dressed up on halloweenes more on "winning" than on "loving."


• Conflict focuses more on "taking sides" or "getting even" than on exploring solutions & restoring relationship.

C. When we depend on the Spirit of Christ in us, we are enabled to walk in love at all times.

• A true brother or sister in Christ will tells us what we need to hear, not just what we want to hear. Pr 27:6


• A true brother or sister in Christ will respond with thanksgiving, even when the truth hurts.

D. When others simply will not come to a place of resolution, but persist in conflict, we must learn that setting appropriate boundaries may be a necessary and loving response. Romans 12:18, 2 Timothy 3:16-4:5

Q: When we become aware of our own errors, on our own or through confrontation, how should we respond?

Babies understand we can't always get what we want

Babies as young as ten-months are able to recognise the intent behind a failed action, thus revealing a surprisingly sophisticated understanding of other people's minds.

Amanda Brandone and Henry Wellman, who made the finding, used a methodological approach that regular readers of the Digest will be familiar with. This is the preferential looking time procedure, which exploits the fact that babies tend to look longer at something novel that grabs their interest.

One hundred and thirty-four babies in three age groups - eight, ten and twelve-months - were habituated to one of two versions of a video showing someone reaching for a ball. To say the babies were habituated to the video means they were shown it enough times that they grew bored.

One version showed a person reaching, with an arc-like movement, over a mini wall to pick up a ball. The key thing about this video was that it showed someone intending to make a direct reach for the ball. The other version showed the same movement but the person failed to quite reach the ball - so the intent was the same, but they had failed.

Next the babies watched two further alternating videos: both were similar to the first they'd seen, but this time the wall wasn't there. In one, a person is seen reaching directly for the ball, with a straight, horizontal arm movement. In other words, his intent was to make a direct reach for the ball, just as in the earlier video. In the other, the person makes an arc-like reaching movement (similar to that seen earlier), even though no wall is in the way. So this person intended to make an indirect reach. 

The key question was - which of the later videos would most grab the babies' interest: the first one, which matched the intent in the earlier video (a direct reach for the ball), but was perceptually different, or the sectop amazing halloween dog costumes in 2008ond video which was perceptually similar because of the arc-like movement, but which reflected a different intent (i.e. an indirect reach for the ball)?

The answer depended on which version of the first video the babies had seen.

When the first video showed someone successfully picking up the ball, all age groups subsequently spent more time looking at the later video showing an arc-like, indirect ball reach. This suggests that all the babies, from eight months and upwards, understood the intent behind the successful reach of the ball, and therefore found the later video showing an indirect reach far more interesting. (Yes, maybe they should get out more, but remember they're only little).

By contrast, among the babies who saget your pets dressed up on halloweenw the initial video version with an unsuccessful ball reach, only the 10- and 12-month-olds subsequently spent longer watching the later video showing the indirect, arc-like ball grab. This suggests that only the older babies understood that the person in the first video was to trying to directly reach the ball, even though he'd failed. 

homemade cow halloween costumesTaken altogether this research suggests that the ability of babies to understand the intent behind failed actions builds on their earlier ability to understand the intent behind successful actions.

In the researchers' words: "...these data illustrate the early emergence of an intentional framework in at least one key instance of human action. Moreover, they show that this early intentional understanding of action appears later than, and potentially builds upon, a prior action- and object-based understanding."
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Amanda C. Brandone, Henry M. Wellman (2009). You Can't Always Get What You Want: Infants Understand Failed Goal-Directed Actions. Psychological Science, 20 (1), 85-91 DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02246.x