Hi Friends!,
I’m thinking about Galatians. It is one of the earlier letters from Paul.
The thinking is that Paul wrote the letter to the Galatians early.
Some say late 40s to early 50s AD. Some a little later around 55-57 AD. It’s also thought that Paul wrote this letter to the Galatians as he passed through Macedonia.
Now in Galatians 2 Paul talks about a meeting with the Church leaders in Jerusalem concerning the Gentiles and circumcision.
It seems to me that this was the Church Council in Acts 15.
And some agree with that. And some don’t. 😃
Well in Galatians 2 Paul sure seems to describe the Church Council in Acts 15.
He explains that some from Jerusalem came into the Gentile Church there in Antioch to see if they were circumcised and following the law of Moses!
Gal 2:4 ISV However, false brothers were secretly brought in. They slipped in to spy on the freedom we have in the Messiah Jesus so that they might enslave us.
Gal 2:5 ISV But we did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might always remain with you.
Now Paul and others refused to accept circumcision for the Gentile Christians.
So Paul and some companions had to go to the Jerusalem Church to argue their teaching the Gospel to the Gentiles without the need for circumcision.
And Paul and Barnabas refused to give into the demands to have the Gentile Christians be circumcised!
So after hearing Paul’s defense the Big Three in Jerusalem – James, Cephas = Peter, and John – realized and accepted that God had sent Paul to the Gentiles with the Gospel of Christ.
And they saw finally that the Gentiles did not have to have circumcisions and some of the Law of Moses to truly be converted as Christians!
Gal 2:8 ISV For the one who worked through Peter by making him an apostle to the circumcised also worked through me by sending me to the gentiles.
Gal 2:9 ISV So when James, Cephas, and John (who were reputed to be leaders) recognized the grace that had been given me, they gave Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, agreeing that we should go to the gentiles and they to the circumcised.
And that is what happened as James summed it up in Acts 15 –
Acts 15:19 ISV Therefore, I have decided that we should not trouble these gentiles who are turning to God.
But amazingly – after Paul and his companions were back in Antioch, Peter came down to fellowship with the Gentile Christians.
And Peter was having a fine old time eating and fellowshipping with those Gentile Christians there in Antioch.
But then some more Pharisee Christians came to Antioch to see what was happening now?! And they scared Peter so badly that he stood away from the Gentiles and did not fellowship with them!
Even an apostle like Peter could fail at times!
Remember that.
So Paul rebuked Peter in front of all of the Church for being a hypocrite!
And Paul did not let those guys from Jerusalem cause any more trouble!
The Gospel won.
Circumcision for Christians lost.
But amazingly some still want to make us Christians keep some parts of the law like not eating certain foods.
It seems to me that that war is still being fought between the simplicity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and trying to work your way into heaven by keeping some parts of the Law.
