08/11/2026
"But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face." (Galatians 2:11)
Paul had to confront Peter.
Peter, the pillar of the early Christian church. Peter, the one who walked on water. Peter, the one who Jesus hand-picked to be a leader. Peter, the one who had so many great spiritual moments…but also so many spiritual failures.
In this instance, it had to do with eating with Gentiles. The church just agreed that since we are saved by Christ alone, we don't need to follow all of the Old Testament dietary laws. But when some false teachers, called Judaizers, showed up, Peter fell into peer pressure. He began to keep his distance from the Gentile Christians who weren't keeping the Old Testament dietary laws.
Paul had to confront Peter.
The gospel was on the line here. Are we saved by Christ alone or are we saved by keeping the laws? Peter's actions made it look like it was a little bit of both. Paul had to step in and call out Peter's error so that all would know that we are saved only by Jesus. Not by laws.
Paul had to confront Peter.
And I'm so glad he did! Peter tried to add something onto Jesus. And so often we do the same. We so quickly tell ourselves that it's Jesus plus being a good person. Jesus plus having an intense religious experience. Jesus plus certain traditions. Jesus plus conquering our giants of depression and anxiety.
But the gospel is Jesus alone.
God put Paul into Peter's life to point him back to Christ. And praise God that he puts other Christians into our lives to point us back to Christ when we stray too.
Martin Luther wrote:
“Samson, David, and many other celebrated men who were full of the Holy Spirit fell into huge sins. Job and Jeremiah curse the day of their birth, Elijah and Jonah are tired of life and pray for death. Such error and sins of the saints are set forth in order that those who are troubled and desperate may find comfort and that those who are proud many be afraid. No man has fallen so grievously that he could not have stood up again. On the other hand, no one has such a sure footing that he cannot fall. If Peter fell, I too, may fall; if he stood up again, so can I.” Martin Luther (Galatians Commentary)
Peter fell. Peter got up again.
You will fall. Through Christ, you will get up again.
In Christ,
Pastor Tom
