Do you remember the popular ‘P- square’ brothers namely Peter and Paul? Have you considered what made these 2 ‘close’ brothers ‘quarrel’? I was so amazed when I discovered the reason behind their ‘disagreement’! In fact, they dealt with each other ‘PERSONALLY’! Hmm…
Just in case you are thinking of another set of brothers, may I clarify that the ‘P-square’ I’m referring to are PETER (the disciple of Jesus) and PAUL (the apostle of Grace formerly named Saul)! Lol…
But you may ask: Did Peter and Paul ever have a ‘dispute’ between each other in the Bible? Now see the words of PAUL inGalatians 2:11:
‘but when PETER was come to Antioch, I (Paul) WITHSTOOD HIM TO THE FACE, because he was to be blamed.’!
Ah! What could have caused two apostles to confront each other? In fact, 3 verses later, PAUL said:
‘But when I (Paul) saw that they (PETER and some Jews) …WALKED NOT UPRIGHTLY ACCORDING TO THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL…’. (Gal 2:14)
Aba!
Did Paul just accuse Peter of not ‘walking uprightly’? This must be a very ‘serious’ matter! Hmm…. Now it is very easy for us to think that for Paul to have said that Peter was not ‘walking uprightly’, then it means Peter must have committed adultery or broken the Ten Commandments! Lol… NO! Peter was not committing ANY sin! In fact, what he did was what many believers today would have commended him of!
But the HOLY SPIRIT recorded this in the scriptures so that we will know what it actually means to say a man… ‘Walked not uprightly according to the Truth of The Gospel’! (Gal 2:14). Hmm….
Now follow carefully as we read this story in its context. Peter was among the ‘gentiles’ and he was having a cool fellowship with them. Now get this: According to the Jewish custom, it is an ABOMINATION for a Jew to eat with the Gentiles! (Acts 10:28, John 18:28) But Peter had the understanding that he has been redeemed from the Law and so he was having a nice time with the Gentiles! He was even EATING with them! Eh! Now, James was the pastor of the church in Jerusalem (Jewish church). James sent some pastoral assistants to go to the Gentiles to see how Peter was relating with them! This was where the ‘WAR’ started!
Paul noticed what Peter did immediately the Jewish people whom James sent were approaching! Follow carefully as we read about what Peter did:
‘For before that certain came from James, he (peter) did eat with the Gentiles: BUT when they were come, he WITHDREW and SEPARATED himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision (Jews)’! (Gal 2:12)
Aba! Brother Peter! In fact, there were some other Jews who were ‘disciples’ of Peter…and they were all there eating with the Gentiles and had been enjoying themselves! But… when the people from James came, see what those disciples of Peter too did:
‘And the other Jews DISSEMBLED likewise with him (peter)….’! (Gal 2:13)
Chai! Did you see that?! I had to check the dictionary to get the meaning of the word ‘dissembled’! It was defined thus: ‘To make believe with the intent to DECEIVE’! It was also defined thus: ‘To hide under a FALSE appearance’!
So, Peter and his disciples were being deceptive! Trying to appear ‘holy’ by the standards of the Law in order to impress the pastoral assistants James sent to the gentiles! Hmm… In fact, the next verse continued by revealing that the way Peter and his disciples DISSEMBLED themselves was so ‘graphic’ and influential…
‘…insomuch that Barnabas (paul’s assistant) also was CARRIED AWAY with their DISSIMULATION’! (Gal 2:13)
Ah! Their deception also affected Barnabas! That is, Barnabas (who was Paul’s assistant) too stopped eating with the gentiles immediately so as to appear ‘holy’ to the pastoral assistants James sent to the gentiles!!! This is really serious!!!
Now listen carefully: Peter and his disciples were believers under GRACE but they still wouldn’t let go of the LAW! They loved ‘Jesus’ but honoured ‘Moses’! They believed in the finished work of Jesus on the cross BUT they still tried to live by the Law in order to ‘please’ God! I really wonder why the Holy Spirit decided to put this story in the Bible! Hmm…
I believe it is for every Believer to understand what it means to ‘WALK UPRIGHTLY according to the Gospel’! In the next verse, Paul said:
‘But when I saw that they WALKED NOT UPRIGHTLY according to the Truth of the Gospel, I said unto Peter…’! (Gal 2:14)
Oh! Many people believe ‘walking uprightly’ refers to ‘keeping the Ten commandments’! They believe it refers to trying to be holy according to the standards of the Law! NO!!! Peter was Trying to be holy by the Law yet the Holy Spirit revealed that Peter was not walking uprightly! I was surprised Paul had to start teaching Peter the Gospel of Grace as though Peter was a ‘learner’!
‘Knowing that a man is NOT justified by the works of the LAW, but by the FAITH of Jesus Christ,…..for by the WORKS of the Law shall NO flesh be Justified.’!
Peter ought to have known this by now na! Peter was a man who lived since the time of Jesus. He performed miracles with Jesus. He ate with Jesus. Still he didn’t understand why Jesus came! Hmm… Paul was a ‘new’ convert! He persecuted the church for a long time before he was saved! He was formerly a ‘Pharisee’, that is, someone who was heavily devoted to the Law! Yet he understood the reason why Jesus came more than Bishop Peter who even preached the first sermon on the day of Pentecost! Hmm…
I find it so amazing to know that Peter must have been there when Jesus was ridiculed by the Pharisees and tagged: ‘…a friend of sinners…’ (Luke 7:34)…simply because they saw Jesus eating with sinners! Now, its Peter’s turn to eat with sinners…and he ‘dissembled’ himself sharperly! Hmm…
Now listen carefully: Your spiritual maturity is NOT defined by how long you have been with Jesus! NO! It is not even defined by how many miracles you have performed! NO! How then is your spiritual maturity measured in the sight of God?
‘…but grow in GRACE…’! (2Peter 3:18)
It is measured by how much you understand and live out the GOSPEL OF GRACE!!! Paul understood this GOSPEL to an extent that he declared boldly:
‘I am NOT ASHAMED of the GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST…’! (Rom 1:16)
Hmm…. Obviously, Peter could not have made this declaration! In this context, Peter was ASHAMED of the Gospel! Hence, he was described as a man who WALKED NOT UPRIGHTLY according to the TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL!
Question: ‘what then is the TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL’?
Answer: ‘…he who the SON maketh FREE…is FREE INDEED’!!! (John 8:36)
Wow! Paul understood this statement made by Jesus in its entirety! Peter did not! No wonder Peter made a confession about Paul in 2Peter 3:15-16 that God gave Paul so much wisdom to an extent that the things he teaches are HARD TO UNDERSTAND!!! Lol…!
What do you think Peter was referring to as things ‘hard to understand’? Is the Law hard to understand? Do good get good, do bad get BEAT! Is that hard to understand? Even many religions practice the Law! But how hard is it to understand that you will receive the GOOD you don’t deserve simply because Jesus received the BAD that you deserve! Hmm…
Now let me conclude this post by showing us how Paul concluded this story in the last verse of this chapter. This is one of my most favourite verses in the entire Bible!
‘I DO NOT FRUSTRATE THE GRACE OF GOD….’! (Gal 2:21)
Question: how can a man FRUSTRATE the Grace of God?
I’m aware the answer of many people to this question is ‘SIN’! Lol… Read that verse in its entirety!
‘I do not FRUSTRATE the Grace of God,…For if RIGHTEOUSNESS COMES BY THE LAW….., then CHRIST DIED IN VAIN’! (Gal 2:21)
Did you see that? When you believe that it is the works of the Law that defines how righteous you are before God….you are invariably saying…Jesus went to play ‘ludo’ on the cross! That is the meaning of ‘…Christ died in vain’! I just explained Gal 2:21. But I praise my Jesus who DIED for me! Therefore I refuse to FRUSTRATE THE GRACE OF GOD by attributing Righteousness to the works of the LAW! Hallelujah!
I hope you had a nice time going through the book of Galatians chapter 2 with me. And I’m sure you now know the cause of the fight of ‘P-square’… Lol…
In conclusion: Please don’t make the mistake Peter made! He WALKED NOT UPRIGHTLY according to the Truth of the Gospel! Remember what the Bible states in Psalm 84:11:
‘…no good thing will GOD withhold from them that WALK UPRIGHTLY’!
I strongly believe by now that you fully understand what it means to ‘walk uprightly’! Therefore…
‘Stand ye in the LIBERTY in which Christ hath made you FREE’! (Gal 5:1)
The more you walk in Christ’s Liberty, the more you will be empowered to live righteously! (Rom 6:14). This is the Gospel that makes men free! Embrace the TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL!
Hallelujah! Remain in His Grace!
Amen.
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