A Solemn Agreement
By Pastor Cornelius R. Stam
The Apostle Paul, referring to his journey to Jerusalem to tell
the apostles and elders there about the good news that had been committed to
him, says:
“And I went up by revelation and COMMUNICATED UNTO THEM THAT GOSPEL
WHICH I PREACH AMONG THE GENTILES, but privately to them which were of
reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain… 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, nations], and they unto the
Circumcision [Israel]” (Galatians 2:2-9).
Here, by solemn agreement, Peter, James and John promised publicly
to confine their ministry to Israel while Paul went to the Gentiles with his
“gospel of the grace of God.” This is striking in view of the fact that the
twelve, not Paul, had originally been sent into all the world.
Were they all out of the will of God in making this agreement? By
no means! Subsequent revelation proves that they were all very much in the will
of God and that with the rejection of Christ God had ushered in a new program.
In the light of these Scriptures it is difficult to understand how
anyone can argue that Paul’s ministry was merely a perpetuation of that of the
twelve, or that “the gospel of the kingdom” and “the gospel of the grace of
God” are identical.
If the above passage teaches anything clearly, it teaches the
unique character of Paul’s apostleship and message. The Apostle devotes almost
two chapters of his letter to the Galatians to the fact that he had not
received his message from the twelve, but rather had communicated to the
twelve.
He stresses the fact that those who had first been sent to all
nations, “beginning at Jerusalem,” had now, under the guidance of the Holy
Spirit, agreed to turn over their Gentile ministry to him that he might
proclaim far and wide “the gospel of the grace of God,” as found in Ephesians
2:8,9 and Romans .
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