Have we ever considered the
statement, “Do as I say, but don't do as I do?” For the most part
it is easy to say that we are to be one way, but to live that way is
quite another. As Paul the apostle is recounting his story about
confronting Peter because of he and his colleagues' behavior with the
Gentile believers in Antioch, Paul alludes to this in chapter two and
verse fourteen where he wrote:
But when I saw that
they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I
said unto Peter before [them] all, If you, being a Jew, live after
the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why do you compel the
Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
Once
again we have an opportunity to use our mind's eye to picture this
event. Imagine the scene as Paul, who was thought to be a smaller man
with a high squeaky voice is standing before Peter who was thought to
be a large man with a resounding voice, with purpose in his words
says, “But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according
to the truth of the gospel,” Paul was motivated by their
adverse behavior. When Peter and those with them shunned the Gentile
believers as the leadership from the church in Jerusalem arrived,
Paul knew there needed to be correction. Isn't it interesting that
Paul who once was so much against the church is now confronting the
leadership because they are eluding people within it? Oh the mighty
grace of God! Paul went into action.
Paul
continues, “I said unto Peter before them all”. It is noteworthy
that Paul did not pull Peter to the side, but made a public display
of this encounter. Before everyone who was present, Paul desired the
truth of the gospel be known. Paul was not intimidated by any, and
when it came to the gospel of Jesus Christ, everyone was to know the
truth.
Paul
asked Peter, “If you, being a Jew, live after the manner of
Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why do you compel the Gentiles to
live as do the Jews?” In other words, Peter, you were born and
bread a Jew, and you cannot keep the laws of God any better than
these Gentiles who were not born in the Jewish world. Paul wanted to
know why Peter would even suggest that these Gentile believers live
as the Jews do. They did not even live the way of the Jews
themselves. In other words, the law could not be kept by the Jews to
whom it was originally written, how much less could the Gentiles keep
the law when they didn't have it in the first place?
There
are many in the world who tell others how to live but then don't live
that way themselves. It is easy to “say” how to live, and it is
quite another to “live” that way. The rules and regulations that
the Judaizers were promoting among the Gentile churches took away
from the original intent of the grace of God. Grace is unmerited
favor, and whenever we add laws to the grace of God, we remove not
only the original intent of it, but we also put burdens upon people
that they nor we can ever keep. As we ponder this confrontational
question from Paul to Peter, we might benefit from asking ourselves,
“Are there rules that we have added to the grace of God that would
cause Paul to ask us how we could compel others to live in a manner
that we ourselves cannot live?”
Next
time will see Paul's challenge to these who acted in this manner, so
read ahead, and let us join together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look for
the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation
to Generation” in all major
bookstore
sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to
e-books, and find it
locally
at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
No comments:
Post a Comment