Part XXXII on Galatians Study

Acts 2:36
"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ." (then verse 38)

Acts 2:38
"Then Peter said unto them, (1) `Repent, and be (2) baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the (3) remission of sins, and ye shall receive the (4) gift of the Holy Ghost.'"   Now we don't have to be a seminary professor to understand that. That was the criteria. They were to repent, they were to be baptized in water, they would receive forgiveness of sins, and then the Holy Spirit would come upon them. The four steps. Now come back to chapter 10 for a moment, and see how that has been totally reversed when we get into the Gentile economy. Now remember this is just the first step of opening the door to Gentiles. 

Acts 10:44
"While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word."   Peter hadn't said a word about repentance, he hadn't said a word about baptism, and while he spoke, merely concerning Who Jesus was, and what had happened to Him they believed, they received it and the Holy Spirit came upon as evidence of their whole-hearted trust. Without baptism, without repentance, what did they do? They just simply believed and received (this being one action in God's eyes). And just believing is Paul whole Gospel, but this is merely the beginning of it. Now come back to Acts chapter 15 and this is what Peter is making reference to.

Acts 15:7a
"And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, `Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago...'"   How long ago? 12 years according to our reckoning. Now normally we would think that Peter and those six Hebrews saw what could happen if we would just approach Gentiles with the Gospel. They would have just gone out across the Roman empire. But they didn't, but rather where did they go? Back to Jerusalem. And when they got there they got called on the carpet for going to the Gentiles in Acts 11:1-3. 

Acts 11:1-3
"And the apostles, and brethren that were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. 2. And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, 3. Saying, `Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.'"   Then Peter had to calm them down by saying in effect, "God showed us that He was in it." But then they all forgot about it. For 12 years there was not another mention of these Gentiles in the house of Cornelius being saved until now in chapter 15. Here is where we like the Sovereign working of a Sovereign God. We maintain that yes, God wanted the house of Cornelius to be saved, but what was the bigger purpose? To come to Paul's defense in this counsel in Jerusalem. If Peter would not have remembered what had happened at the house of Cornelius, they never would have let Paul go back to Antioch with freedom to preach to preach his Gospel. They would have plagued him every inch of the way. But they didn't because Peter realized- "Hey, 12 years ago God showed me He could save Gentiles without going through all we demand." Now look at it again in the text.

Acts 15:7
"And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, `Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, (that is Peter himself) that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.'"

It doesn't say to repent and be baptized. It says that they should believe. Now verse 8.

Acts 15:8-10
"And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, (to show Peter that God had done it, its with the heart man believes or receives the things concerning God) giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; 9. And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. (now Peter says in recollection, in realizing what God tried to show me, God Purified their hearts) 10. Now therefore why tempt (test) ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, (these believers up in Antioch, he calls their religion a yoke) which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?"   That is the Levitical Law. That was a burden, see? We have to stop right here a moment, "IF" Peter called his beloved religion a yoke and a burden that he nor Israel could bear. Then why? is it so many want every one to become a Jew and then receive the same burden which God Himself has not required and in fact has removed. To do so is to place ones self above God and say God what You've done is not enough, it requires more by my standard not Yours. And it matters not if its Judaism or the "Christians" adding religious holidays of their own making and design. Its all foolishness and great sin, wickedness and lawlessness before God. Then in verse 11 Peter says, "Paul's right!"

Acts 15:11
"But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they."
Now we're going to make a comment, as we go back to Galatians chapter 2. We're sure that Peter forgot 90% of what he said in that verse in the years to come. Because he still could not give into the fact that Paul's Gospel had now superseded his Gospel and position as well as Moses'. And that's why he writes in his little Epistle of II Peter: