223 - Les Feldick Bible Study Lesson 2 - Part 3 - Book 19 - Saul Changes to Paul

https://lesfeldickbiblestudy.com Through the Bible with Les Feldick LESSON 2 * PART 3 * BOOK 19 SAUL CHANGES TO PAUL I told you when were back in Chapter 10 that Peter by a Sovereign God was sent up to the house of Cornelius, a pagan Gentile. We know that God had more in mind than that little group of people in Caesarea. God had in mind the whole sphere of Christianity. And now in Acts Chapter 15, we also see the other reason for using Peter to minister to this Gentile. Paul has now been out among the Gentiles for several years, establishing the churches up there in Asia Minor, and especially in Antioch. The believing Jews at Jerusalem are still not accepting that. Now verse 2: Acts 15:2 "When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation (Paul and Barnabas had to just literally dig in and tell these fellows that they were wrong, and they couldn't put circumcision and legalism on these Gentiles believers) with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question." So Paul and Barnabas had to go with them to Jerusalem to settle the question. That is among the Gentiles. Paul has been out among the Gentiles since 40 A.D. That's after his three years down in Arabia, so for 12 years Paul has been laboring among the Gentiles Now verse 6: Paul and Barnabas weren't buying into circumcision and keeping the Law for their Gentile converts and finally), Peter rose up,..." Finally Peter takes the floor. Now verse 9: What's Peter saying? Even Israel couldn't handle the Law. Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them." Now let's go to Galatians Chapter 2, and see what Paul says about this situation. Galatians 2:1-3 The same thing that Acts Chapter 15 said: that there was much disputation and these Jewish believers were coming down on him trying to push circumcision and Law on these Gentile believers, but Paul says that they didn't back down. That is you, Gentiles. Why did God send Peter to the house of Cornelius? For this event right here. Galatians 2:6 All the Old Testament promises and covenants, the revelations of Paul and his commission to go to the Gentiles with the Gospel of Grace, they put all of this together and compared notes and Paul could say, "It added nothing to me." The Twelve couldn't add anything to Paul's revelations from the risen Lord. Paul had more than they did. Galatians 2:7,8 "But contrariwise [on the other hand], when they [the Jewish leaders at Jerusalem] saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision [that Gospel in verse 2 that Paul preached to the Gentiles]was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision [Jew] was unto Peter; (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the Circumcision [Jew], the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)'" Galatians 2:9 "And when James, Cephas (Peter), and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen (Gentiles), and they unto the circumcision (Jew)." Now this was all decided in 51 A.D. Thirteen years after Peter had gone to Cornelius, and all this time those Jewish believers at Jerusalem are still maintaining Gentiles can't be saved unless they become proselytes of Judaism. And you and I can thank God that we have this tremendous Gospel of Grace, because the Apostle Paul did not give in. Remember Galatians was written for the purpose of telling these Gentile believers that they are not under the Law, but rather Grace. Paul says in verse 22: Galatians 4:22 Galatians 4:23 God didn't tell Abraham to go into Hagar and have a child by her. That was Sara's idea, and not God's. Galatians 4:24-26 Paul couldn't have written this if this hadn't happened. Now verse 25: Paul is writing this before the Temple is destroyed. So Isaac is a picture of Grace! Now verse 28: Galatians 4:28,29 "Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise." Galatians 4:30a What do they picture? The Law and legalism. God goes out there in the desert and tells Hagar, "You go right back to Sara's tent, and you just stay there." Well, if they hadn't gone back to Abraham and Sara's tent, and if Ishmael had not been on the scene when Isaac came, then Paul would not have the allegory. We have to treat the Law and legalism the same way that Abraham treated Ishmael. And remember, God didn't tell Abraham to give Hagar and Ishmael a tent next door. Law and Grace won't mix. Now verse 31: Galatians 4:31 Now go into Chapter 5 verse 1: Galatians 5:1,2 When someone tells you that you must keep the Law to be a child of God, then you run, because that is false teaching. Now verse 2 "Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised (that is for Salvation), Christ shall profit you nothing." #BibleStudy #LesFeldick #Bible