Paul continues to vindicate his position as the apostle of Christ, not by the will of men, but by the power of God. He describes the visit which he made to Jerusalem to secure a settlement of the very questions which are now agitating the churches of Galatia, as to whether the Gentiles should submit to circumcision and keep the ceremonial law. This was the only instance in which he had deferred to the judgment of the other apostles as superior to his own. He had first sought a private interview, in which he set the matter in all its bearings before the leading apostles, Peter, James, and John. With far-seeing wisdom, he concluded that if these men could be led to take a right position, everything would be gained. Had he first presented the question before the whole council, there would have been a division of sentiment. The strong prejudice already excited because he had not enforced circumcision on the Gentiles, would have led many to take a stand against him. Thus the object of his visit would have been defeated, and his usefulness greatly hindered. But the three leading apostles, against whom no such prejudice existed, having themselves been won to the true position, brought the matter before the council, and won from all a concurrence in the decision to leave the Gentiles free from the obligations of the ceremonial law. {LP 192.3}

Paulus fortsætter med at forsvare sin position som Kristi apostel, ikke ved menneskers vilje, men ved Guds kraft. Han beskriver det besøg han gjorde i Jerusalem for at få orden på den tvivl som nu foruroligede Galatiens menigheder, had enten om galaterne skulle underlægge sig omskærelse og holde ceremoniloven. Dette var det eneste tilfælde hvor han bøjede sig for andre apostles bedømmelse som større end hans egen. Han prøvede først en fortrolig samtale, hvori han bragte sagen frem i alle afskygninger, for de ledende apostle, Peter, Jakob og Johannes. Med langsigtet visdom, konkluderede han at hvis disse mænd kunne ledes til det rette standpunkt, ville alt vindes. Havde han først bragt spørgsmålet frem for hele rådet, ville der kunne mærkes en splid. De stærke fordomme eksisterede allerede fordi han ikke gennemførte omskærelse hos hedningene, ville lede mange til at tage standpunkt imod ham. Derved ville formålet med hans besøg være forpurret, og ikke så nyttig mere. Men de tre ledende apostle, hvor sådanne fordomme ikke eksisterede, der selv var blevet fundet til det sande ståsted, bragte sagen frem for rådet, og blev enstemmige, og besluttede at fritage hedningene fra ceremonilovens forpligtelser