"But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain."
In today's quote, Paul related his confrontation with Peter at Antioch wherein, Paul accused Peter of having made a hypocrite of himself before the Gentiles. As Paul stated, Peter, after God had told him in a vision that the Gentiles were no longer to be considered unclean and after he had visited the house of Cornelius wherein he witnessed the coming of the Holy Ghost upon Cornelius and his household, out of fear of the Jewish hierarchy, had turned away from the Gentiles and was again trying to impose the Law of Moses upon all new Christian converts. "But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because HE WAS TO BE BLAMED. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation."
Peters actions aggravated Paul to the extent that he challenged Peter openly before both Jews and Gentiles.
In today's bible study, it is obvious that in many of Peter's writings it is reflected that he definitely had trouble cutting himself loose for the bondage of the Law. That struggle was also written in his history whereas, at one point, even Jesus called him Peter Satan, "But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, BUT THOSE THAT BE OF MEN." (Matthew 16:23)
Paul fought gallantly throughout his entire ministry to keep the gospel of Jesus Christ above the input of Jewish and Pagan pomp and ritual. Paul insisted the the gospel be "the simplicity that is in Christ Jesus".
Even today the vast majority of "Christian Churches" preach all manner of erroneous doctrinal additions that are not now, nor were they ever, a part of the true gospel of Jesus Christ. Those bells and whistles consist of things ranging from water baptism as a prerequisite to eternal salvation to, in some obscure instances, the handling of snakes.
It is time that we, as the true representatives of the new law of faith, stand up and make our voices heard so that those who are sincerely seeking the Lord can find Him and the "simplicity that is in Christ Jesus".
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