Wednesday 03 October 2012

Background

The new Christians in Galatia had been taken in by preachersclaiming additions to the gospel (good news about Jesus), and thisfalse-gospel had been backed-up with stories of clashes betweenPaul and the leading apostles from Jerusalem. In thisdensely-packed passage we find the core of Paul's message,beginning with a story of an old friend.

Peter's heart was always in the right place, but at times hecared too much about the opinions of others. (Paul the Apostle hadno such problem!) Peter's determined discipleship led himfrequently into unchartered waters in the realms of faith but,all-too-often, the realisation of reality caused him to sinkspectacularly. In Acts chapters 10 and 11 we have one of Peter'smost important discoveries of God's work, when Cornelius and hishousehold were all converted and baptized - God's Spirit clearly atwork among them, despite them not being Jewish. Peter stepped outin faith, and could see no reason why those whom God had blessedwith his Spiritshouldn'tbe welcomed fully into the family of faith(Acts 10:47). Eating with the Gentile-Christiansbecame important for Peter as a mark of their acceptance. When hereported this to the church in Jerusalem they praised God andaccepted that the gospel was for Jews and non-Jews alike. (Withoutsuch a turning point, where would we be today?)

But then, it seems, doubts started to creep in. Paul tells theGalatians of an incident where he had publically to put Peter inhis place. Peter (Cephas) was visiting Paul's blossoming church inAntioch, where table-fellowship was such an important sign of theirunity. Until, apparently, some of the troublemakers came fromJerusalem. Peter instantly withdraws and rearranges thetable-plans. Jews on one side, 'Gentiles sinners' on the other.Rules are rules, after all.

"Hypocrisy!" cries Paul. Whatever the Galatians had heard aboutthis incident, he now puts the record straight - Peter wasbacktracking, and wrong to do so. And here's why…

First-century Jews by-and-large understood their place as God'schosen family - not by their own merit, but by God's design. Theirresponse to that privilege was to live as God's holy people -fulfilling their part of the covenant whilst God was ever-faithful.Their membership of Israel was therefore marked by obedience toGod's law. God, the judge, then pronounced as 'righteous' thosewithin the covenant. They were 'justified' - not for being sinless,but for belonging to God. Righteousness in the biblical sense is anoutcome of relationship with a righteous God.

In practice, certain "works of the law" were obvious markers ofthis relationship. Paul's opponents had been trying to get theGalatians to accept male circumcision and food laws as essential.Such things never actually 'justified' a person - they were onlysigns of belonging.

Paul knows that an observance of such divisive things would taketheir focus away from the true object of their faith - Jesus. InChrist, God's invitation to all was opened; how then can theirfaith now include things which cause division? They are stilljustified by their membership of God's family, by God's grace, butnow this membership is summed up in the person and faithfulness ofJesus Christ - through faith in him. By "faith in Christ" Paulmeans accepting the life and teachings of Jesus as being true andtrustworthy, and then trusting in Christ and his faithful obedienceto God as Israel's representative on the cross; his perfectsacrifice for the sins of the world. Peter had fallen into wantingboth ways of belonging - Jesus and the Jewish works - and tryingtherefore to claim a higher privilege than the Gentile converts.But the universal family of God cannot be united and divided at thesame time.

It's all about identity. Who are we in God's eyes? So Paulbegins to talk of dying and rising. The old 'him' has died (alongwith its reliance to those visible signs of belonging anddifferentiating) and a new person has risen. The old Israel hasdied in the one who came to represent it. And a new Church hasrisen, as one family, with Christ, the Son of God, living in us byhis Spirit. The only proper response to God's loving faithfulnessis our loving faith, which in gratitude welcomes all.

Father of everlasting grace,
your goodness and your truth we praise,
your goodness and your truth we prove;
you have, in honour of your Son,
the gift unspeakable sent down,
the Spirit of life, and power, and love.
(StF 378, Charles Wesley)

To Ponder

• Can you think of a time when you have felt uncomfortableassociating with certain people? To what extent have you beencaught in similar hypocrisy ('play-acting') as Peter? How much of ahold does 'respectability' have over us?

• In what ways does the Church today sometimes mark who is 'inand out' of God's family?

• What does faith in Jesus mean to you? How does he 'represent'you? How do you respond to him?