What is the theme of this chapter?
Paul's authority acknowledged by the twelve and demonstrated in his rebuke of Peter.
What is the key verse(s) of this chapter? Verses 11-12
But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 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.
What can I apply to my life from this chapter (things to do/avoid)?
Some people wonder if Paul made more trouble in the assembly than Peter and the others were making by withdrawing, saying that perhaps Paul wasn't practicing what he later preached to believers, that they should walk "with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph 4:2-3). Actually the opposite is true.
A recurrent theme throughout Paul's epistles is stand, stand fast, be steadfast, unmovable. The apostle admonished the Corinthians again and again about their unsound doctrine and conduct. In fact, he advised the assembly to separate from one of their own because of immoral behavior (1 Cor 5:1-7).
In 1 Corinthians 1:10 Paul told those who had departed from sound teaching to have a change of heart, mind, and direction. They were the ones who were disrupting the Lord's work, so he tells these troublemakers to straighten up and fly right. They were to turn from the error of their way so that the assembly could again be of "the same mind and the same judgment."
Looking at Galatians 2:11-12 and 1 Corinthians 1:10, it seems to me that we are to maintain oneness with fellow believers, but not at the expense of the truth (Rom 16:17).
It was Peter who was causing the division in Galatians 2. Paul was trying to restore unity and peace.
I can apply this to my life by speaking out about error (with grace and love!), even when others remind me that we should be "eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace," because keeping silent, in the face of the all the confusion in the Church today, would be wrong.
Additional observations/questions:
The question was brought up in one of commentaries on this passage, "Why the extended trip by Paul to Jerusalem, if he were preaching the same thing among the Gentiles that Peter and the others were preaching in Judea?"
It seems to me that this is strong proof that Paul's message were different.
Throughout Church history people have risen to recover and defend this great truth, but again and again they have been silenced as tradition and human opinion have made void the Word of God. Today the Church continues on this same course. They go back to a program in which there were signs and tongues and miracles, some even teaching baptism for the remission of sins and submission to the law of Moses. They go back again and again to a commission that says nothing about salvation by faith alone without works, nothing about salvation through the shed blood of Christ, nothing about the joint body of Jewish and Gentile believers, and nothing about our heavenly position and blessings. They ask, "Who is greater, Jesus or Paul?" and answer, "Jesus is greater," so they go back to the earthly ministry of Jesus, and the Sermon on the Mount, and the so-called Great Commission, which they cannot obey. They take us back to Pentecost, forgetting that when Christ and His Kingdom were rejected, the glorified Lord from heaven commissioned another apostle — and all of us! — to proclaim the glorious truth that "we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace" (Eph 1:7).
No wonder there is such confusion and division in the Church today.
Paul's authority acknowledged by the twelve and demonstrated in his rebuke of Peter.
What is the key verse(s) of this chapter? Verses 11-12
But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 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.
Some people wonder if Paul made more trouble in the assembly than Peter and the others were making by withdrawing, saying that perhaps Paul wasn't practicing what he later preached to believers, that they should walk "with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph 4:2-3). Actually the opposite is true.
A recurrent theme throughout Paul's epistles is stand, stand fast, be steadfast, unmovable. The apostle admonished the Corinthians again and again about their unsound doctrine and conduct. In fact, he advised the assembly to separate from one of their own because of immoral behavior (1 Cor 5:1-7).
In 1 Corinthians 1:10 Paul told those who had departed from sound teaching to have a change of heart, mind, and direction. They were the ones who were disrupting the Lord's work, so he tells these troublemakers to straighten up and fly right. They were to turn from the error of their way so that the assembly could again be of "the same mind and the same judgment."
Looking at Galatians 2:11-12 and 1 Corinthians 1:10, it seems to me that we are to maintain oneness with fellow believers, but not at the expense of the truth (Rom 16:17).
It was Peter who was causing the division in Galatians 2. Paul was trying to restore unity and peace.
I can apply this to my life by speaking out about error (with grace and love!), even when others remind me that we should be "eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace," because keeping silent, in the face of the all the confusion in the Church today, would be wrong.
Additional observations/questions:
The question was brought up in one of commentaries on this passage, "Why the extended trip by Paul to Jerusalem, if he were preaching the same thing among the Gentiles that Peter and the others were preaching in Judea?"
It seems to me that this is strong proof that Paul's message were different.
Throughout Church history people have risen to recover and defend this great truth, but again and again they have been silenced as tradition and human opinion have made void the Word of God. Today the Church continues on this same course. They go back to a program in which there were signs and tongues and miracles, some even teaching baptism for the remission of sins and submission to the law of Moses. They go back again and again to a commission that says nothing about salvation by faith alone without works, nothing about salvation through the shed blood of Christ, nothing about the joint body of Jewish and Gentile believers, and nothing about our heavenly position and blessings. They ask, "Who is greater, Jesus or Paul?" and answer, "Jesus is greater," so they go back to the earthly ministry of Jesus, and the Sermon on the Mount, and the so-called Great Commission, which they cannot obey. They take us back to Pentecost, forgetting that when Christ and His Kingdom were rejected, the glorified Lord from heaven commissioned another apostle — and all of us! — to proclaim the glorious truth that "we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace" (Eph 1:7).
No wonder there is such confusion and division in the Church today.
No comments:
Post a Comment