Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Part XXXI on Galatians Study

Acts 15:5-7a
"But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. 6. And the apostles and elders came together for to consider this matter. 7. And when there had been (past tense) much disputing,..."   Now we don't know how long this disputing went on, and again with no disrespect to our Jewish friends, have we ever seen two or three Hebrews get into an argument? We tell you what, it's interesting. Because they can really get after it, and we bet they did here also. There was much disputing, and they weren't making any bones about what they believed, they voiced their opinion openly and loudly. Remember the account of when as a young lad Jesus was found among the doctors and Scribes discussing the scriptures at the age of about twelve. We can imagine those with whom Jesus was sitting may have been talking in such a manor. This is recorded by Luke in chapter 2 verses 40, 42, and 46-49. Now reading on:

Acts 15:7a
"And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up,..."   Now we'd like to make a point of words. If he rose up he must have been seated. Now in the midst of all this disputing we have to think that these Hebrews weren't just seated in a conference room, but they were nose to nose standing, and going at this tooth and toenail. Remember in Galatians chapter 2, Paul said "that he would not give in for a minute." Then all of a sudden Peter, who had been over there seated nonchalantly, just sort of taking it all in, and not all that interested, finally was nudged by the Holy Spirit, Who says, "Peter get up, come on speak up." So that's what happened.

Acts 15:7b
"...Peter rose up and said unto them, `Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago (12 years) God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.'"    What's Peter referring to? Chapter 10 of Acts, the house of Cornelius. We all remember that account. How that Peter and 6 other Jewish believers went up to the Gentile home of the Roman officer Cornelius. And while Peter hadn't even finished preaching, hadn't said a word yet about repenting and being baptized, what happened? The Holy Spirit came and filled them and signified to those 7 Hebrews that those Gentiles had become believers and receivers of Him. Without an invitation, without walking down an aisle, without repenting, without baptizing, without an alter call an all of a sudden Peter was just stopped in his tracks, and here these Gentiles are evidencing their redemption by trust, and trusting alone. 

It was not yet Paul's Gospel, but rather only that Jesus was the Christ, but they had believed it, they had received it with or from the heart and the Holy Spirit came upon those Gentiles evidenced with tongues, which was a manifestation that the Holy Spirit had in deed come into them. And Peter had to just stop for moment he was flabbergasted, and as he was thinking, "Hey, this isn't the right order of salvation. This isn't the way it's supposed to go. My goodness I should have been able to say, `Have you repented? I have to be able to baptize you, and then the Holy Spirit would come.'" But none of that happened. Some of us are looking with kind of a blank stare. Let's look at it for a moment in Acts chapter 10.

Now verse 43, and Peter is in the home of Cornelius. We don't know how many Gentiles were there, it was a household so it couldn't have been that many. It was probably his immediately family, and maybe some of his closest Roman officers, we don't know, but anyhow Peter has now been preaching, and hasn't said a word about the work of the Cross for salvation like Paul would have done, but all Peter could rehearse is that this Jesus of Nazareth who had appeared to the Nation of Israel, had been crucified, killed but had been raised from the dead and is now alive. So Peter says:

Acts 10:43
"To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name  (see, not through his finished work of the Cross. Peter as yet does not know Paul's Gospel, but Peter does know that the name of Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah, the Son of God was the vehicle for salvation so he says) whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. (he hasn't said a word about repenting, he hasn't said a word about baptizing. But look what happened.) 44. While Peter yet spake these words, (he's still preaching and) the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. (why? They had become believers. They had believed and received what Peter was saying) 45. And they of the circumcision (remember there were six Hebrews that went with Peter) which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost."   Hey, if Gentiles had been saved for the past eight years since Pentecost why would they have been astonished? But Gentiles haven't been saved. This is the very first instance, and it was an astonishing fact to them that Gentiles could be saved without adhering to the rituals of Judaism, and proselytizing. But here they simply believed and they received the Holy Spirit manifested their trusting, and then Peter had to hurry up and try to get the horse back up in front of the cart so what does he say? "Oh, we've got to baptize them." That sounds familiar also doesn't it. He just had to add something of mans wisdom to God's divine action.

Acts 10:47
"Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?"   Now let's go back because we always have to compare Scripture with Scripture or we won't know what we're driving at. Come back to chapter 2, and verse 38. It's obvious what it says, we don't have to be a theologian, anybody can understand what this verse says. Remember here Peter is speaking only to Hebrews.

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