In Christ, there is No Difference Between Jew or Gentile Part I
Galatians 2:14-15 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?
The way we as followers and believers in Christ Jesus live our lives and handle our faith has a significant effect on others around us in their walk with God. We indeed have liberty in Christ Jesus; however, we should exercise that liberty with respect and love towards all those around us.
The situation recorded here in Galatians two, concerning when Paul rebuked Peter for his actions, is an excellent illustration of this Bible principle. We must always keep in mind that we are all sinners saved by grace through faith. This situation is something that Peter had forgotten for the moment because of peer pressure. We must also remember that no matter how far we are in our sanctification process, we can still fall into sin, and that is what happened here with Peter.
Peter's impulsive nature caused him to fall into Satan's trap and get caught up in the sin of hypocrisy. Peter had forgotten that when we as Christians, especially leaders in the church, begin to publicly live in a particular sin, it can significantly affect all of those around us. In these passages, we see how Paul handled the public sin of a well-known church leader, the Apostle Peter, which had a significant effect on the other believers.
Paul accused Peter of not acting in line with the truth of the Gospel. We must understand Peter's sin, committed in front of the Antioch believers, could have significant consequences. This was because Peter knew the truth of the Gospel. Peter understood that the Law's works saved no one and that salvation was by faith alone, in Christ alone. Also, Peter was well aware of his position as a church leader and his influence on the church body. And his actions here in Antioch had begun to affect the other believers.
As Children of God, we are accountable before the Lord, in how we handle our Christian witness. We are to be a reflector for the light of Christ Jesus that shines before a dark and dying world. The condition in which we keep our reflector can significantly affect those around us. This action includes our family, spouses, children, friends, neighbors, and those we may not know are watching. Our faith in Christ and our love for the Lord should be evident in our behavior and how we treat others long before we profess anything with our mouths.
If You would like the Verse of the Day sent to your daily E-Mail send a request in the "Comments" section. Please include your e-mail address
No comments:
Post a Comment