Galatians 2:11-16 (NLT)
11But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him publicly, speaking strongly against what he was doing, for it was very wrong. 12When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile Christians, who don't bother with circumcision. But afterward, when some Jewish friends of James came, Peter wouldn't eat with the Gentiles anymore because he was afraid of what these legalists would say. 13Then the other Jewish Christians followed Peter's hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was influenced to join them in their hypocrisy. 14When I saw that they were not following the truth of the Good News, I said to Peter in front of all the others, "Since you, a Jew by birth, have discarded the Jewish laws and are living like a Gentile, why are you trying to make these Gentiles obey the Jewish laws you abandoned? 15You and I are Jews by birth, not `sinners' like the Gentiles. 16And yet we Jewish Christians know that we become right with God, not by doing what the law commands, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be accepted by God because of our faith in Christ--and not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be saved by obeying the law.”

Prior to eating with the Gentiles Peter a vision all food was clean and proper for eating. So Peter sat among the Gentiles although they did not observe the Jewish laws. But when other Jewish friends arrived Peter suddenly stopped eating with the Gentiles for fear of what the other Jews might say. His hypocrisy spread to other Jews who also abandoned the Gentiles. Paul rebuked Peter and said if you can put away the Jewish laws to be with the Gentiles, why do you feel the Gentiles need the Jewish laws to be around Jews? Paul then went on to remind Peter it’s not about following the law, but it because of faith in Christ God accepts us.

Peter’s mistakes were letting peer pressure take over and win out against his best judgment. Peter was already doing the right thing, but he started to doubt himself when friends showed up. Peter allowed his relationship with his friends to become more important than his relationship with God. And once he did that their friendship began to sway his opinion, which led him as a leader to sway others opinions. It wasn’t long before he was harming the Gospel of Christ for the sake of his own self. How committed are you to your beliefs and values when it comes to Jesus? 1 Corinthians 16:13 says, “Be on guard. Stand true to what you believe. Be courageous. Be strong.” In other words be ready to defend what you believe in and don’t give up easily due to peer pressure. So often God has placed something on out heart and we give it up without questioning it because we are not confident enough to trust in the Lord. Jeremiah 17:7 says, “"But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence.” Keep a close guard on your relationship with the Lord. Don’t let others easily pull you away. Pray that the Lord would keep you close and help you to trust in all that He would lead you to do. Pray for a close relationship with God and Christ. Ask that they might make your belief in them stronger each and every day.