The Leftist Marxists cast President Trump as a dictator shredding the Constitution to destroy the Republic. Those who know the truth see him as a courageous president trying to SAVE the republic.
Paul and Barnabas Part Ways
Second Missionary Journey
Last time, we examined Paul’s epistle, the Book of Galatians. Now, we continue following apostle Paul, in chronological fashion, by returning to the Book of Acts for a second look.
Paul and Barnabas were favored with a great move of God, as they successfully planted their Gentile churches. Simultaneously however, the Pharisees in Jerusalem were still teaching the Gentiles that they must be circumcised to become Jews, and to fully obey the Mosaic law to earn their salvation.
When Paul and Barnabas got wind of this, they were filled with ire, and in approximately 48 or 49 A.D., they traveled to Jerusalem, for what would be called the ‘Jerusalem Council’. It was convened for the purpose of uniting the Jewish and Gentile followers of Christ.
The apostles and church elders assembled. The first to speak was Peter – making the case for the salvation of Gentiles. He argued that God did not distinguish between Jew and Gentile, borne out of the fact that Jehovah has sent the Holy Spirit to them both.
He also pointed out that it did not make sense to hold the Gentiles to strict adherence to the Mosaic Law, when the Jews themselves were not able to do so.
Paul and Barnabas then addressed the council – revealing all of God’s signs and wonders that He used the apostles to render for the Gentiles.
Finally, James (the brother of Jesus and the head of the church in Jerusalem), read aloud Scriptures that prophesied about the salvation of the Gentiles:
‘Afterward I will return to the fallen house of David. I will rebuild its ruins and restore it, so that the rest of humanity might seek the LORD, including the Gentiles – all those I have called to be mine. The LORD has spoken’- Acts. 15:16, 17. NLT (see also Amos 9:11, 12.)
The apostle James is saying that God replaced the Temple with the Church of Christ – both as a center of worship, and a place(s) to learn about salvation through Jesus.
James offered a solution for bringing the Christian Jews and Gentiles to come together in mutual respect – even so far as to gather in worship. And he agreed with Peter about how unjust it was to hold the Gentiles up to perfect obedience to the Mosaic law.
Then, James advised the church to teach the Gentiles not to engage in idolatry, sexual immorality, or ingesting blood, so that their Jewish brothers and sisters would not consider the Gentiles ‘unclean’.
In conclusion, James reminded the council that it was in one’s best interest that they obey the Mosaic law to the best of their ability, but not under the burden of the rigid Pharisaic demand for perfect compliance.
The Council sent a letter with Paul and Barnabas, to bring to the church in Antioch, stating the Council’s resolutions., which greatly encouraged the Gentiles.
While in Antioch, Paul asked Barnabas to accompany him on a return trip to the churches that they planted in the region of Galatia. Barnabas agreed, but he wanted to take the apostle Mark along. This did not sit well with Paul because he felt that Mark had abandoned them on his first missionary journey. (The Bible does not tell us why).
The contention between Paul and Barnabas got so heated that Barnabas and Mark set sail for Cyprus. Paul chose a prophet named Silas and Paul’s disciple, Timothy, to accompany him to Syria, Cilicia, and Galatia. This trip constitutes Paul’s ‘second missionary journey’.
Paul encouraged and strengthened the churches, and their congregants multiplied in number. He and his entourage left Galatia after he received a vision that prompted him to travel to the Roman-ruled country of Macedonia. He stayed for a few days in the city of Philippi. The apostle Luke met him there.
As they ministered, they were followed for days by a woman fortune teller, who kept shouting:
“These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.” Acts 16:17 NLT
This irritated Paul, (we are not told why). In response, he evoked the power of Christ and cast the ‘spirit of divination’ out of her.
Well, this woman was a slave to her masters, who were making money off her fortune-telling.
The masters dragged Paul and Silas to the Roman magistrates, accusing them of being Jews (who were held in disdain by the Romans), and charged them with inciting mayhem by way of teaching ‘illegal customs’ that opposed Roman laws.
An unruly crowd gathered. Paul and Silas were not allowed to speak in their own defense. They were summarily beaten with rods and imprisoned with their feet shackled in stocks.
Despite their punishment, Paul and Silas were praying and singing praises to God through the midnight hour – within the hearing of all the other prisoners. Then, an earthquake struck, the chains fell off all the prisoners, and the doors of the prison flew open.
The commotion woke the jailer, who was then going to kill himself, because he knew that he would be severely punished because of the prisoners’ escape. Yet at that moment, Paul called out to him, and told him that no one left the prison, even though they had been free to do so.
Trembling, the jailer brought Paul and Silas out and asked them:
“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” Ac. 16:30, 31. NLT
It’s always about the faith.
Paul and Silas baptized the jailer and his household and then returned to the prison to spare the jailer punishment.
In the morning, the magistrates sent word to the jailer to free his captives. Shockingly, Paul resists, declaring:
“They have publicly beaten us without a trial and put us in prison – and we are Roman citizens. So now they want us to leave secretly? Certainly not! Let them come themselves to release us!” Ac. 16:37 NLT
Paul was invoking his rights as a Roman citizen (conferred upon him by being born in a Roman colony). He was not going to allow the reputation of himself, the church in Philippi, or the Gospel itself, be tarnished.
When the magistrates heard of this, they grew fearful, apologized, and begged Paul and Silas to leave town.
So, they moved on to the city of Thessalonica, where they preached, established another church, and converted many Jews and Greeks to the Way.
Again, some non-believing Jews tried to make trouble for them. In the middle of the night, Paul and Silas slipped away to the city of Berea, where they were well received. Yet, some of those same Jews followed them there and made trouble for Paul.
For his own safety, the church sent him 100 miles away to the city of Athens. Timothy and Silas stayed behind.
When he arrived, Paul was appalled at the large number of pagan temples and idols. It motivated him to fiercely preach the Gospel. The Athenians were always hungry for ‘new philosophies’, so they gave Paul a chance to speak in the Areopagus (called ‘Mars Hill’ by the Romans) – where the court of appeals was held.
Paul begins:
“Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way, for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown God’. This God whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about.
“He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, and humans can’t serve his needs – for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need.
“From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries. His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him – though he is not far from any one of us.” Ac. 17:22 – 27. NLT
God, through Paul, is giving the Athenians a lot of information here. He says that He is the only true God, the Most High. In addition, He reveals that all people are descendants of Adam and Eve and that our time on this earth and where we spend it, is under His control.
Finally, Jehovah says that He wants everyone to come to Him.
Paul continues by quoting a Greek poet to warm up his crowd:
“For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ And since this is true, we shouldn’t think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone.” Ac. 17:28, 29. NLT
Next, Paul lowers the boom:
“God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.” Ac. 17:30, 31. NLT
Paul is saying that up to now, his audience has been ignorant of God and His intentions, but that they will be held accountable from this moment onward for their actions – especially for practicing idolatry and worshiping false gods…
The apostle sends for Silas and directs him to the other churches in Macedonia. Likewise, Timothy is called and directed to Thessalonica.
Paul himself, traveled to the city of Corinth, (about 50 miles from Athens). There, he runs into some trouble from the local Jews. He writes them off for good:
…Paul shook the dust from his clothes and said, “Your blood is on your own heads – I am innocent. From now on I will go preach to the Gentiles.” Ac. 18:6 NLT
Silas and Timothy meet up with Paul in Corinth, sharing good tidings regarding the churches that they visited. Together, they made many converts. Even God Himself encouraged Paul in a vision, regarding his efforts:
“Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me.” Ac. 18:9, 10. NLT
Paul wouldn’t be run out of this town; God had his back.
He stayed in Corinth for 18 months, teaching in this new church. It was here, that it is believed that Paul authored the letters referred to in the Bible as the books of 1 and 2 Thessalonians.
Building Better Americans 209
His ‘transformation’ was a total disaster – in race relations, Obamacare, and in foreign policy.
Apostle Paul Refutes False Teaching in the Church
Apostle Paul Refutes False Teaching in the Church
The Book of Galatians
At the end of Paul’s first missionary journey (See The Early Spread of the Gospel by Peter and Paul), he returned to the Gentile church in Antioch. There, word came to him that ‘false teachers’ had infiltrated one of the churches he planted in the region of Galatia. They were seeking power within the church by telling lies and creating division.
These false teachers were Jews, deceptively teaching the Gentiles that they must become Jews (through circumcision), to position themselves for salvation. So, they were saying that salvation was something that you must earn – effectively negating Christ’s work on the cross.
In response, Paul writes his first epistle (the book of Galatians) – a letter sent to all the churches in the region of Galatia, (in a section of modern-day Turkey), to refute these falsehoods. He begins by asserting His authority:
This letter is from Paul, an apostle. I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead. Gl. 1:1 NLT
The apostle is declaring that he got His marching orders from Christ Himself (on the road to Damascus). Next, Paul jumps right into what motivated him to write:
I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ. Gl. 1:6, 7. NLT
He then recounts his conversion on the road to Damascus (See Christ’s Greatest Enemy was Directly Converted by Jesus Himself)
Then he describes his walk with Jesus for the subsequent 17 years that have elapsed up to this point.
Next Paul reveals that he has been entrusted to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles, and the apostle Peter is bringing it to the Jews. Then, he humbles himself by saying that he was no better than the Gentiles – being equally subject to the same dictates of Jehovah:
We are Jews by birth and not “Gentile sinners,” and yet because we know that a person is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we ourselves have believed in Christ Jesus. This was so that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will be justified. Gl. 2:15, 16. CSB
(Isn’t it interesting that God chose to send this message of ‘attaining salvation by faith, not works,’ almost immediately after He sent the message of ‘good works are a natural outcome from being saved,’ through the apostle James? God never teaches confusion. Instead, He sometimes brings further revelatory clarity.)
Paul knows that no one could live in perfect obedience to all of the Mosaic law. We all slip and fall – repeatedly. Thus, we must depend upon (have faith in) Christ for or righteous transformation through His forgiveness and salvation.
That same righteousness is offered to all people who place their faith in the saving power of the blood of the Messiah. Indeed, the ultimate purpose of the law was to point us towards this necessity – the only way to salvation.
The apostle is saying that neither he nor anybody else could be justified (made righteous) by the law because it demanded obedience to every letter of it, which is humanly impossible. So, he lets that insurmountable task ‘die’ in him and accepts what Jesus did – how He fills that gap from what we are, to what we can ultimately become, a righteous child of God.
In addition, Paul says that he wears the work of Christ as an integral part of his own heart – acknowledging the miraculous work of Jesus’ sacrifice so that he can stand righteous in God and live his life to please Him.
Continuing, he reveals that there is a spiritual transformation that takes place upon salvation, and that salvation does not require one to perfect their flesh. Can’t be done.
Paul then addresses the church’s behavior by asking them if they are willing to give up their faith in the face of persecution.
He returns to the vital importance of faith, using Abraham as an example:
In the same way, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” Gl. 3:6 NLT
That same offer is extended by God to all peoples:
The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God. What’s more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would make the Gentiles right in his sight because of their faith.
God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, “All nations will be blessed through you.” So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith. Gl. 3:7 – 9. NLT
Again, Paul contrasts it with the law:
Now it is clear that no one is justified [that is, declared free of the guilt of sin and its penalty, and placed in right standing] before God by the Law, for “THE RIGHTEOUS…SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” Gal. 3:11 AMP
Paul is quoting Hab. 2:4. Then, he crystalizes the focus of our faith:
But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written it the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith. Gl. 3:13, 14. NLT (see also Dt. 21:23)
It’s like this: if we do our best to live by God’s laws, Christ will set us free from the curse of the law when we stumble. (And stumble we will). He stands between God and His children, and says to His Father, “It’s okay. I’ve paid the price for this one.”
The apostle goes on to tell his audience that God’s law, (the Mosaic law), which was laid down through Moses, does not nullify the promise of salvation. So, what purpose does it serve?
It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised. Gl. 3:19 NLT
The promised child was Christ. The law was not meant to be an eternal covenant as it stood. It was brought to its final evolution though Christ in His Gospel.
The law was given so that the people would have no excuse for what constituted transgressions against Jehovah and hopefully be led into practicing restraint against the commission of them. And it was to remind us of our sin nature, and for the need for our Savior. The law in and of itself was not bad. How could it be? It was the word of God:
Is there a conflict, then, between God’s law and God’s promises? Absolutely not! If the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying it. But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ. Gl. 3:21, 22. NLT
The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian.
For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. Gal. 3:24 – 28. NLT
What Paul had done with this epistle so far, has built up and hardened their Christian foundation – showing them the value of what they have. Now, he addresses their transgression of yielding to false teaching:
So Christ has truly set us free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. Gl 5:1 NLT
The apostle then tells them that if they submit to circumcision for the sake of salvation, they will instead be severing themselves from Christ. So again, he encourages them to keep the faith:
…we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us. For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love. Gl. 5:5, 6. NLT
Paul wraps up this epistle by teaching us how to have a better walk with God:
So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. Gl. 5:16 NLT
The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. Gl. 5:17, 18. NLT
When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these…anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Gl. 5:19 – 24. NLT
The apostle is referring to the willful indulgence of the flesh. We are mortal and we do falter. Thank God for His grace through Christ Jesus. We fall under that grace because God loves us. And we extend that grace by showing it to others as well:
…if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Gl. 6:1 NLT
Those who live only to satisfy their sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Gl. 6:8, 9. NL
Amen. Keep the faith!
Goodnight and God bless.