Scripture
13As a result, other Jewish believers followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14When I saw that they were not following the truth of the gospel message, I said to Peter in front of all the others, “Since you, a Jew by birth, have discarded the Jewish laws and are living like a Gentile, why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions?” Galatians 2:13-14
Observation
Paul was the new guy. Who did he think he was calling Peter on the carpet for hypocrisy? Just a few verses before Paul made it clear that he was a newly minted apostle: “In fact, James, Peter, and John, who were known as pillars of the church, recognized the gift God had given me, and they accepted Barnabas and me as their co-workers.” (Gal. 2:9). Wasn’t he afraid that if he confronted the head honchos he’d lose his esteemed position? Short answer. Nope. Paul was done with the life of pursuing position and esteem among his peers that had defined his life prior to Christ. He was ready to die for his faith, passionate for the presence of God, and zealous for a pure Gospel presentation with no religious hoops to jump through. He wasn’t trying to be best buds with those who were best buds with Jesus because he and Jesus were already tight. He was willing to have fierce conversations with friends for the sake of the gospel. Thankfully, this reproof was received in the spirit for which it was given. A short time later as they would all meet with the Jerusalem Council it was there that Peter and James were the two strongest supporters of the gospel as preached by Paul. They spoke out clearly in defense of Paul’s gospel, and they denied the teaching of the Judaizers (Acts 15:24) who were trying to add qualifiers on to the requirements of faith in Christ for the Gentile converts. I wonder what would have happened to this fresh move of God reaching the nations if Paul hadn’t called his compatriots on their duplicity?
Application
Susan Scott in her book Fierce Conversations defines it this way, “A fierce conversation is one in which we come out from behind ourselves into the conversation and make it real. While many are afraid of “real”, it is the unreal conversation that should scare us to death. Whoever said talk it is cheap was mistaken.” Fierce conversations aren’t about being angry, but being real and loving the person enough to cut the rope before they hang themselves with it. We all have blind spots and need people in our lives to show us what we’re missing. “For by wise guidance you will wage war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.”(Prov. 24:6). I just had a fierce conversation yesterday with a brother who has been living with his girlfriend and didn’t see the need to get married. This growing trend of co-habitation over covenant relationship among Christian couples is stealing the true joy and freedom that God intended in the name of convenience and compromise. I shared that if he didn’t intend to marry this woman then he was using her to serve his own needs and that was not the sacrificial love that God has called us to as Christ followers. It wasn’t easy to have this conversation, but he was grateful for it. It’s one thing to talk to a peer. It’s a whole other thing to have fierce conversations with those in power and authority. If I’m worried about my reputation or climbing some kind of corporate ladder then I will kiss the ring and look the other way instead of loving these leaders enough to call them on their hypocrisy. My brother-in-law has been calling the church out on some toxic leadership traits we’ve allowed to be become systemic (read it here on Honest Conversations). He doesn’t do this because he hates the church. Quite the opposite. He loves the church, he loves Christ and he loves these leaders. As Warren Wiersbe once said, “Truth without love is brutality, and love without truth is hypocrisy.” Sadly, many of them have not responded the way Peter and James did to Paul. Many have attacked him or ignored him and it grieves my heart at how he’s been treated. Yet, like Paul, he knows who he his and whose he is and is continuing to have fierce conversations with those who will listen. I believe God will use his example to bring health back to the Bride.
Prayer
Lord, I repent for the times when people pleasing has kept my mouth shut for fear of reprisal or being misunderstood. I pray that, like my brother-in-law, I would have the courage to speak up and have fierce conversations with those You’ve put around me and over me. Thank You for loving me enough to have fierce conversations with me like this passage in scripture this morning. You reveal my blindspots not to condemn me but to cure me of my self-preservation.
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