On My Mind...
It is a fairly common experience. When inviting someone to church or talking about the Christian faith people will respond with, “I’m not interested in attending anyone’s church they’re all filled with hypocrites.” I must admit I do not feel the need to argue with them on that point. More often than not I feel the need to say a hearty, “Amen!” I’m too aware of my own sin and shortcomings to try to deny such an obviously true statement. The fact is we all believe better than we practice. We speak a better faith than we live. But does that mean we should ignore hypocrisy? Should we write it off as the natural result of our stumbling toward godliness? Or should we, in love, confront hypocrisy when we find it? If we are to confront it, how often are we to confront? Do we confront every false act? Do we pounce on every failure? Do we only worry about “major” offenses? How do we determine major or minor? These are important questions because our faith is something we live together. No one is meant to live his or her faith in isolation but rather as part of the church, part of the family of God. We need one another. In the second chapter of Galatians, we have this extraordinary account of Paul confronting Peter for an act of hypocrisy. One apostle confronting another. What is abundantly clear through this encounter is that it’s not enough to merely understand and accept the gospel or even to defend it. You must live the gospel allowing it to inform, shape and direct your life.
In living the faith consistency is a must, that is made clear in verses 11-14. Peter was eating with the Gentile believers at Antioch, enjoying fellowship and life together until that group from the Baptist Building in Jerusalem showed up. Then he withdrew for fear of what they might say. Peter’s withdrawing was not a matter of ignorance (see Acts 10, Acts 15, Galatians 2:1-10). It was hypocrisy and Paul called him on it. This was a denial of the Gospel, and as such, it could not be ignored. The issue at stake was, “What makes one right with God?” That’s made clear in 2:15-16.
We are called to live the Gospel together. That demands our being accountable to and for one another. That doesn’t not mean we take on the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of our fellow believers or that we “pounce” on any and every failure. It does mean we care enough to hold one another accountable for genuine Gospel faithfulness. It’s worth thinking about.
Have a blessed week and I’ll see you Sunday.
Rod
In living the faith consistency is a must, that is made clear in verses 11-14. Peter was eating with the Gentile believers at Antioch, enjoying fellowship and life together until that group from the Baptist Building in Jerusalem showed up. Then he withdrew for fear of what they might say. Peter’s withdrawing was not a matter of ignorance (see Acts 10, Acts 15, Galatians 2:1-10). It was hypocrisy and Paul called him on it. This was a denial of the Gospel, and as such, it could not be ignored. The issue at stake was, “What makes one right with God?” That’s made clear in 2:15-16.
We are called to live the Gospel together. That demands our being accountable to and for one another. That doesn’t not mean we take on the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of our fellow believers or that we “pounce” on any and every failure. It does mean we care enough to hold one another accountable for genuine Gospel faithfulness. It’s worth thinking about.
Have a blessed week and I’ll see you Sunday.
Rod