GRACE ANSWERS 18

These are questions sent to GraceLife Ministries by Internet E-Mail. We appreciate each person who sent the questions and hope our answers will be a help to many. If you would like to have a question answered for Grace Answers, please e-mail Mark McGee.

Two Gospels Side by Side?

QUESTION: My question has to do with the proclamation of two gospels during the Acts period. It seems clear from Peter's statements in Acts 15 that he recognized that the Jewish believers were saved by grace through faith even as the Gentile Christians. From what I understand in Galatians 2:7-9, he along with other Jewish leaders agreed that Paul was to continue proclaiming his gospel and Peter would continue to proclaim his gospel. However, it seems that the lines between the two gospels became blurred when Paul "withstood Peter to his face" for being hypocritical and withdrawing from fellowship with Gentile Christians for fear of those of the circumcision. It seems to me that Peter was consistent with Paul's gospel (of the uncircumcision) by fellowshiping with Gentile Christians, and also consistent with his gospel (of the circumcision) by withdrawing from the Gentiles. He was caught between a rock and a hard place. Paul went on to tell Peter that both he (and all Jews) were justified by faith apart from the works of the law, just like the Gentiles, and yet according to Peter's gospel the Jewish believers were to continue under the law. So if Peter was not walking in line with the truth of the gospel, which gospel was he flouting?
ANSWER: We know from Acts 15 and Galatians 2 that James, Peter and John recognized the grace God had given Paul. They agreed that Paul and Barnabas should go to the Gentiles and that James, Peter, and John should go to the Jews.
The confrontation and opportunity that Paul faced came about because of what he and Barnabas were doing in Antioch and other Gentile cities. The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. The church was made up of Gentiles and Jews. Paul and Barnabas taught at the church for a year. The Holy Spirit called Barnabas and Paul to minister in other Gentile cities. They preached and worked great miracles in God's Name. Many people believed in Christ through Barnabas and Paul's ministry. They started churches and chose elders for the new assemblies. They completed the work the Holy Spirit had sent them to do and returned to Antioch. "On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. And they stayed there a long time with the disciples." (Acts 14:27-28)
Paul and Barnabas obeyed the Holy Spirit. They went where He sent them and did what He told them. They were in the will of God. However, "Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: 'Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.' This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question." (Acts 15:1-2)
This was bound to happen. Two gospels were proceeding at the same time. Both groups believed strongly in their calling. They both preached Christ crucified. They both had experienced the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Circumcision and Law were part of the message of the Gospel of the Kingdom. Freedom from circumcision and Law were part of the Gospel of Grace. Both preached Faith in Christ through God's Mercy and Grace. They were different trunks from the same root.
Paul wrote in Galatians that "some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves." Those "false brothers" may have been members of the Pharisees. "Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, 'The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.' The apostles and elders met to consider this question. After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them." (Acts 15:5-7). Notice that the apostles and elders "considered" the issue of whether Gentiles should be circumcised and required to obey the Law of Moses for a long time. Circumcision and required obedience to Mosaic Law were the slaves about which Paul wrote. "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace." (Galatians 5:1-4)
It was not a quick nor easy answer that came from the meeting of minds in Jerusalem. Paul wrote that he "did not give into them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you." Paul was fighting for the truth of his Gospel message. Paul wrote, "Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek." Paul wrote that the Jews did not add anything to his message. "On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as Peter had been to the Jews. For God, who was at work in the ministry of Peter as an apostle to the Jews, was also at work in my ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles." (Galatians 2:7-8)
What happened next is quite remarkable and speaks directly to your question about Peter.

"When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, 'You are a Jew, yet you live like and Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? We who are Jews by birth and not 'Gentile sinners,' know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified."
Galatians 2:11-16
Paul mentioned this event to the Galatians because it demonstrated something they needed to understand about the Gospel of Grace. Paul began his letter to them by writing, "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel--which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ." The churches of Galatia were in great danger of going in the wrong direction in their Christian lives. Paul wrote a letter to wake them up, warn them and grab their attention.
Peter made a big mistake in his practice of the Truth of the Gospel. He did it because of "fear." Peter was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. They came from James, back in Jerusalem.
One early observation we make here is how different Peter was in the middle of Acts from the beginning of Acts. Peter was a mighty warrior for God in the early years of Acts. He was afraid of nothing or no one. However, by the middle of Acts Peter is no longer the leader of the Messianic Jews. He still has a strong voice, but James had taken over the position of leaders and pokesperson. It was James who made the public judgment about how to deal with concerns about Gentile Christians. "It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Geniltes who are turning to God." (Acts 15:19)
Peter acted one way toward the Gentile believers when the circumcision group was not in Antioch. He acted another way when they arrived. He was afraid. Peter did not have the authority or power he once had. I believe that's because of the changes occuring in the Kingdom Dispensation. It was certainly obvious to the Jews that Christ was not setting up His Kingdom and was working through, of all people, the Gentiles and their former enemy, Paul. The Kingdom Jews continued to eat like Jews, live like Jews and worship like Jews. James had the power. Peter did not. The Kingdom Dispensation was not going to happen at that time. Jesus was not going to return to set up His Kingdom. The leaders of Israel had rejected Christ and He had rejected them. It was a time of great change and transition.
Peter's behavior was wrong. Paul had to oppose him to his face. Paul had to make it clear to everyone in Antioch, including his own partner Barnabas, that Peter's actions were unacceptable. Paul saw that Peter and the other Jews "were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel." The truth of both Gospels is Love. The Gentiles were to receive great blessings of Love from God in the Kingdom Dispensation and they will. Love is also the great blessing for Gentiles in the Grace Dispensation. Peter and the other Jews were acting outside the truth of the Gospel by separating themselves from the Gentile believers. The decisions of the Jerusalem council should have made that clear. Peter had spoken boldly about the Gentiles at the Jerusalem council. "God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are." (Acts 15:8-11) Peter knew the truth of the gospel. He just didn't practice it when he was with the Gentiles in Antioch. He was afraid of the circumcision group.
Why? Because of their legalism. The circumcision group was a bunch of legalists. They didn't like the freedom that Paul preached and the Gentiles practiced. Peter liked it. He found great joy in the freedom of the Grace Message. However, he was still a Jew preaching to Jews about Messiah's Kingdom. He also knew the truth that God was doing a new thing through Paul. He should have stood tall and confronted the legalists, but he didn't. He backed away from freedom and separated himself from the very people who had it.
Unfortunately, that's not so much different from what's been going on in the Church for the past 1900+ years. The history of the Christian Church is a sad story of people separating themselves from others because of their freedom in Christ. Christians are still tied up by legalists to this day. Christians continue to separate themselves from each other in the Name of the One Who demands Love and Unity among the brethren. Pretty sad. Paul taught us all a vital lesson through Peter, but few have learned a thing.
In the years that followed his embarrassment in Antioch, Peter continued to do what he had agreed to do at the Jerusalem council: he went to the Jews. However, Peter learned a powerful lesson from Paul that day in Antioch. We still see the lesson in a letter he wrote his Jewish brethren years later: "Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen." (2 Peter 3:15-18)

Blood for Sin

QUESTION: You said in one article " John exhorted Israel to repent and be baptized in his attempt to make the Messiah's path straight. If Israel had taken John's message to heart, The Lord's path would have been made straight, and He would have set up His kingdom."
The thing I don't understand is If this is true and they had accepted Him. Then How would he have died for our sins. Are you saying that there would have been no need for him to suffer and shed his blood for sin ?
Also what about the need for the scriptures concerning his death to be fullfilled ?
It seems to me that there is some inconsistency in this approach.
ANSWER: God's Word is always True. The choice He gave Israel was a real one. However, God knew what Israel's choice would be from before the creation of the world. He knew that sin would lead people away from Him, not toward Him. It would take something remarkable, something miraculous to save them. That something was the sacrificial death of His Son, Jesus Christ.
The blood sacrifice is embedded in the history of the human race. Adam and Eve were the first to learn of it. "The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them." Adam taught his children about blood sacrifices. "But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering." Blood sacrifices continued through people like Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and thousands more. Many pagan religions have included blood sacrifices in their practices. They all differ from Judaism in that they did not receive the sacrificial directives from God, but they share a common human history. All people came from the line of Adam. However, the blood of animals never saved anyone! The writer to Hebrews reminded Jews that the shed blood of Jesus Christ was the only offering God would accept forever. "But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said, 'Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me: with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, 'Here I am--it is written about me in the scroll--I have come to do your will, O God.'" (Hebrews 10:3-7) The writer later wrote "by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." (Hebrews 10:14)
God knew that Israel would never be able to obey Him perfectly, even though He gave them the opportunity. That's why John the Baptist said this when he saw Jesus: "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" There was always a reason for Christ to die. We are all sinners and in desperate need of forgiveness. That forgiveness comes only from God. God gives us His forgiveness only because Jesus shed His Blood for our sins.

Leaving a Church

One of our Christian sisters sent us some questions recently that are similiar to questions thousands of Christians are asking around the world today. The questions deal with making the decision to leave a local church because of problems and opposition in the church. In addition to going through the trauma of deciding whether to leave or stay a group of people you love and have known for years, the rumors that follow your leaving can be even more hurtful.

The questions this sister asked us were very personal and our response was personal and direct. For the purpose of helping others with similar concerns, we have answered only the questions that are common to many.

QUESTION: We sought Christian counseling before we left that church, and they told us to leave, as everyone else told us to stay. Did we do the right thing?
ANSWER: Leaving or staying in the kind of situation you were in is a tough one. What would be gained if you had stayed? Would it have been better than what's happened to you by leaving? Were you in a position to make a difference by staying? Could you have won the battles that were coming at you if you had stayed? What would staying have done to your spiritual life? Improved it? Hurt it more?
You did leave and that's where you are now. Trying to second-guess your past actions can do more harm than good. It can bog you down and keep you from experiencing the joy God has to give you. Learn from the experience, but don't live in it. What you learn from it will prepare you to help a brother or sister who goes through the same thing years from now. Paul wrote the Corinthians, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows." (2 Corinthians 1:3-5) Set goals for your future. That's where you're headed. You can't change the past. Learn from it. Use it to grow in the Grace and Knowledge of Christ. Use it to help others.
QUESTION: How do we confront these people regarding the last rumor we heard?
ANSWER: Confronting the kind of people you've described usually doesn't accomplish anything positive. In fact, I've seen it make things worse. You may do better to address the rumors to people who love you and leave the rest to God. It's amazing what He can do.
QUESTION: Is it okay to really have a strong dislike for people and still be a Christian? I really have pity ... toward this family, but I don't want to know them anymore....I pray for them, and have even forgiven them, but I can't associate with them, as I don't trust them.
ANSWER: It's a natural reaction. God understands that. God wants members of the same Body to love each other, forgive each other and be unified. Paul's letters deal a lot with that issue in the church. Read 1 Corinthians and Philippians for insights to how Christians who don't get along should and can get along.
Christians can be petty and mean. That's a reality we have to deal with. Everyone will be perfect in Heaven, but we're not there yet.
I'm not suggesting you do anything right away. Read God's Word, meditate on it, pray about it. Listen to God's Spirit about what to do. The time may come when you will be able to minister to their needs. That certainly could open the door for both of you. Wait on the Lord and see what He does.
QUESTION: What can we do for our old pastor since we are not there?
ANSWER: Love him. Pray for him. Call him from time to time to talk about how great God is and just listen. It's better not to call about how bad things are at the church. Call about the good things we have in Christ. That will be good for you and for him. Write him a card or letter from time to time, just to share a positive thought about Christ. Share some good times with him. It will make a difference for you and him. You've both been focusing on bad things for a long time. It's time to change the landscape. Don't let the past ruin the great things you have and can have in Christ.
QUESTION: How can a person be blatenly hateful, cruel, and awful, and not even know it? I know the devil can blind a person, but we all know it is wrong to lie....
ANSWER: I sometimes wonder if people like that are really Christians. They act more like unsaved than saved people. If that's true, that they're not saved, a lot of things make more sense. I can easily understand how an unsaved person can be blatenly hateful, cruel and awful. Ephesians 2:1-3 explains that clearly.
What if they really are saved? Then our brother and sister are in deep trouble. They are sad, unhappy and miserable in their sinfulness. They may be gratifying the desires of their sinful nature (hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy -- Galatians 5:20-21). That's an awful place for a Christian to be. They need help. They need prayer.
Paul wrote: "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other." (Galatians 5:24-26)
Paul wrote: "Do not let unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." (Ephesians 4:29-32)
Christians who cause problems in their churches are not just grieving the Body of Christ. They are also grieving the Holy Spirit of God. That's such a painful place to be. Can you imagine what it's like to be a blood-bought Child of Grace who grieves both the Body of Christ and the Holy Spirit of God? How sad. They need a lot of help.
I know you don't want anything to do with these people. They've hurt you and your pastor deeply. However, they are either unsaved people who need to know the Saving Grace of God or they are a brother and sister in Christ who need to know the Changing Grace of God. In other words, they need the Grace of God in the worst way. Pray for them. Ask God to show them their need. Ask God to help you know what else you can do to help them.
Here's a little insight from something the Apostle Paul told Pastor Timothy about how to deal with people in his church who opposed him. It's something for us to consider.

"And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will."
2 Timothy 2:24-26
We find tons of insights from this portion of God's Word, but look at some basics:
1. Don't quarrel.
2. Instead, be kind, able to teach, not resentful.
3. Gently instruct those who oppose you, hoping that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth.
4. These people have lost their senses and are in the devil's trap. He took them captive to do his will.
Whether these misbehaving church members are saved or unsaved, they are trapped. Saved people who oppose God's Word and leaders have lost their good senses and are in the devil's trap. He's taken them captive. We must pray for them. Church leaders should gently instruct them with the hope they will escape the trap. Unsaved people are dead in their transgressions and sins. They follow the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air. They can do nothing else but gratify the cravings of their sinful nature and follow its desires and thoughts. Either way, they are in big trouble.
What you can do is pray for them daily; maybe several times a day. If you have the opportunity to speak with them, speak gently and lovingly. I know that's not the natural way you'd like to react. We have to call on a "super" natural power to help us do it.
Spend time in Paul's writing. He deals more with the realities of church living than any other writer of Scripture. Ask God to help you deal powerfully and Biblically with these problems. It will take time. It won't turn around overnight. It could take months or even years, but if God's doing the changing the changes will be real and lasting.
My prayers are with you, my sister.