Wednesday, August 14, 2013

God Works Through Us Just As He Did Through Peter and Paul

Galatians 2:7
  • On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised (the Gentiles; most of us), just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised (Jews, Israelites)

Paul was primarily sent to the Gentiles of the world. This is what Jesus said when He saved Paul.

  •  "Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’" (Acts 22:21)

Paul preached in the synagogues to convert Jews from Judaism to Christianity. When the Jews refused his preaching and even became abusive, this was what Paul said in effect,
  • And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” (Acts 18:6)

Peter stayed in Jerusalem, and kept preaching to the Jews although he himself was persecuted by them.

Galatians 2:8
  • (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles)

God was at work both in Peter and Paul; Peter to the Jews and Paul to the Gentiles.

It is important to note that God was working through Peter and Paul. It was neither just Peter and Paul working with their own strength and effort, nor was it God working by Himself without human representatives for Him.

It was not even God and men working together, sharing the load. No, God was working through Peter and Paul. So we can say that God was working, and he was doing that through Peter and Paul. So there is a cooperation of Peter and Paul to the grace and wisdom of God supplied to them.

Who have you been sent to today to display the truth of the gospel through your belief and conduct? Let us look around, God has strategically placed people around us in our lives. We have our family, friends, colleagues, and neighbours. Many of them may not know the Lord. 

Well, just as Peter was sent to the Jews, and Paul to the Gentiles, we have been sent to people around us. The same God works through us when we cooperate with His grace and wisdom supplied to us.

We believe God who worked through Peter and Paul for their apostolic ministry to the Jews and Gentile respectively, also will work through us to the people around us.

Let us remind ourselves of Jesus' great commission to His followers.

Matthew 28:18-20
  • Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 
  • Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 
  • and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

No comments:

Post a Comment