I want to answer the question: Is it right for Christian’s to oppose each other? Is it right to confront my Christian brothers and sisters in Christ? And, if so, when is it right, and how do I go about that? There are times in the church when opposition and confrontation is necessary. There are times when you will have to defend what you believe. Scripture teaches we are called to call out and address heretical teaching and other sins when we are confronted with them.
Situated between Paul explaining why the Galatians could trust him and the gospel he preached, and explaining that we are saved by faith, there is a section of this letter that Paul writes regarding his opposition to Peter in Galatians 2:11-14. Again, I want you to see that there are times for which we should oppose others in the church, especially if what they are doing or saying undermines the gospel, and there are ways to go about it.
Paul writes (Gal. 2:11), “But when Cephas came to Antioch”. This scene takes place in Antioch, when Peter goes to where Paul is. What’s special about Antioch? Antioch was a major trade center in ancient times, it was heavily populated by Greeks, but it eventually became strongly populated by Christians. So much so that it was here that followers of Jesus were first called Christians (Acts 11:26) and eventually Antioch became the headquarters for the Gentile church, and Antioch was Paul’s base of operations. So, Antioch was a big deal in church history.
What happened when Peter went to Antioch where Paul was? Then Paul writes (Gal. 2:11), “I opposed him to his face.” The greek word for “oppose” is anthistemi, it is a military term; and it means to forcefully set against, to forcefully push back, to forcefully withstand, to forcefully resist, or to forcefully declare one’s personal conviction. So, Antioch is not only the place that would become headquarters for the Gentile church, Antioch was not only the place that would become Paul’s base of operations, Antioch was also the place that Paul confronted Peter. It is the place Paul would oppose Peter. It is the place that Paul engaged in conflict with Peter. It is the place that Paul contended with Peter. It is the place where Paul entered into a disagreeable relationship with Peter. The place where Paul stood against Peter. The place where Paul resisted Peter. And did so forcefully. Paul was not gentle about this, he was forceful.
Notice how Paul opposed Peter. This opposition was not by phone call, it was not by text message, it was not by email, it was not through Zoom, he didn’t blast him on Facebook, Paul didn’t write Peter a letter, Paul confronted Peter “to his face”; that’s a big deal. It would be one thing if Paul was opposing Peter by letter, but it is another ball game when Paul opposes Peter in person. And you know what I am talking about. It’s one thing to oppose someone by text, Facebook, phone call, email or by written letter; that does not require a whole lot of courage. It is a whole different level to oppose someone in person; it takes a whole lot of courage to engage in face-to-face disagreement. The tone is different. It’s easy to talk big over phone calls, texts, private Facebook messages, and emails, but when you have them sitting across from you they take on a completely different tone.
Now, I understand that this may take some of you by surprise. I mean here we have two brother’s in Christ, two super Apostles, and they are engaged in a verbal conflict. You might even be thinking Paul is not being very Christian, because he is not being very nice. Well, who ever said a Christian has to be nice? We are called to be kind, which means to be benevolent or good. We are called to be loving. But we are not called to be nice, which means to be pleasing and agreeable. We think nice means kindness, but it doesn’t. Nice means to be agreeable. Voodie Baucham speaks about how Christians act like there is an 11th commandment that says, thou shall be nice. There isn’t one.
There are times when you as a Christian cannot be nice, because there are times when you as a Christian cannot be agreeable, such as with homosexuality. As a Christian, I just cannot agree that homosexuality is godly, because of what God says in his Word. There are times when you as a Christian will have to contend for what you believe in. Times when you as a Christian will have to stand firm, refuse to compromise, and proclaim truth even if it is in opposition to what the world says. Times when you as a Christian will have to oppose those who oppose the gospel (those times are now). Times when you as a Christian will have to withstand, resist, disagree, and even confront those who are even in the body of Christ; or, at least, claim to be.
There are many Christians who think they are not Christ-like or loving if they take a stand for something and oppose what is not right; that is not true. When those times come, you are not acting unChristian or unloving. In fact, you can be loving and merciful and Chirstlike, and contend for the faith at the same time. Paul opposing Peter is an example of this.
Another example of this is Jude who writes (Jude 1:2-3), “May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. Beloved, although I was eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.” In one sentence Jude addresses how he prays that love and mercy and peace be multiplied unto them, and in the next sentence he appeals for them to contend for what they believe in, argue for what they believe in, confront for what they believe in, and oppose for what they believe in. So, can you be loving and be oppositional at the same time? Yes. Is there a way we should go about this? Of course, there is a way we as Christians should go about this, which is, according Peter, “with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15).
Is Paul acting unChristian for opposing Peter to his face? No. In fact, Paul is doing exactly what Jesus says do when a brother in Christ sins against you. Jesus said in Matt. 18:15-17, “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” In other words, if there is a matter to be settled between two people, try to handle it without getting others involved; with the goal being restoration and reconciliation between the two parties. You’re not out to pick a fight with them, you’re not there to be rude, you’re not there to be mean; you’re there to correct them and help them and point them back to Christ. If that doesn’t work, try to settle the dispute with witnesses. If the person still doesn’t listen, then they are to be excluded from the church per Jesus.
Why did Paul oppose Peter? Paul answers that question by writing in Gal. 2:11, “because he stood condemned.” The word “condemned” in the Greek means, decisively guilty or to blame. In other words, Paul opposed Peter because Peter did something that wasn’t right. So, Paul isn’t opposing Peter just because he can, there was something that Peter had done, that is wrong, and that needs to be addressed.
What did Peter do that deserves such face-to-face opposition? Here’s how Paul explains it in Gal. 2:12, “For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party.” In other words Peter was acting like a hypocrite. How was Peter acting like a hypocrite? During those days there were certain ceremonial and dietary laws that Jews held too. The dietary laws required only certain animals could be eaten, they must be killed according to Jewish law, certain parts of the animal could not be eaten, certain foods had to be eaten a certain way (meat could not be eaten with dairy), utensils had to be used a certain way and certain utensils could not come into contact with certain foods, and grape products made by non-Jews could not be consumed. They also believed one had to be circumcised to have a relationship with God. These are whom Paul refers to as “the circumcision party”.
When Peter, who is also Jewish, first arrived in Antioch, he would eat with Gentile believers, without acknowledging any Jewish ceremonial or dietary laws. Peter and the Gentiles could eat how they wanted and what they wanted. But when these Jewish people came with James, who insisted on following Jewish ceremonial and dietary laws, and insisted on circumcision, Peter stopped eating with Gentiles, withdrew himself, separated himself, and started eating with these Jewish men, according to their Jewish ceremonial and dietary laws. Well, why did Peter do that? Paul explains that Peter separated himself from eating with the Gentiles because Peter feared “the circumcision party”..
That’s what the fear of men does, it causes you to be who you are not. The Bible says in Proverbs 29:25, “Fear of man will prove to be a snare.” When you fear men greater than you fear God, it will cause you to act like a hypocrite. When you fear men greater than you fear God, you will pretend to be something you’re not. When you fear men greater than you fear God, you’ll pretend to have virtues, morals, or principles, you don’t actually possess. When you fear men greater than you fear God, you will act like a Christian among Christians, but then act like a sinner among sinners, and the church is filled with people like this. The church is filled with people who claim to be Christian come Sunday morning, but when Sunday is over, and they return to home or work or school, they let go of their Christianity and they start living as though they never knew Christ.
Now, here’s the bigger issue with Peter: not only was Peter an influential leader in the church acting hypocritically, but by acting hypocritically because of fear of men, he was also leading others astray, including Baranabas (Paul’s missionary companion). Paul continues to explain in Gal. 2:13, “And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Baranabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.” People are always watching you, and some of those people are following your example, even if you don’t realize it. How you live your life, especially if you claim Christianity, is either leading people to Christ or it is leading them astray. Teenagers: how you live your life among your friends is either leading them to Christ or leading them astray. Sunday School Teachers and Children Church workers: how you live your life among your students is either leading them to Christ or leading them astray. Deacons: how you live your life is either leading people to Christ or leading them astray. Northeast church: how you live your life is either leading people to Christ or leading them astray. Mom & Dad’s: how you live your life in front of your children is either pointing your kids to Christ or leading them astray; if you claim to be a Christian but you’re not putting Jesus first in your life – you’re boat comes first, your beach home comes first, sports come first, dance comes first, your job comes first – don’t expect anything different from your child.
Here’s my plea to each of you – Don’t be a hypocrite. If you’re going to be a Christian, be one. If you are going to follow Christ, then follow him. But make a decision of whom you are going to follow – Jesus or the world. Again, I am not arguing for perfection, I am simply asking you to be what you claim to be and don’t let this world influence you otherwise. Don’t let the fear of men persuade from following Jesus.
How did Peter’s hypocrisy lead others astray? Paul writes in Gal. 2:14, “But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, ‘If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?” When these Jews were present, Peter required that Gentile believers observe Jewish requirements, if they wanted to eat with him. Thus Peter was trying to get Gentile believers to adhere to Jewish traditions, while these Jewish men were present, but when the Jewish men were away, Peter and the Gentiles could eat how and what they desired.
What’s the big deal about that? This undermined the gospel. Or, in Paul’s words, Peter’s and those who he was leading astray, “conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel.” How did eating according to Jewish requirements undermine the gospel? How was not in step with the truth of the gospel? It undermined the gospel because it made salvation depend on works instead of faith in Jesus Christ. These Jewish men, whom Paul calls “the circumcision party” believed that in order for these Gentiles to be saved, not only did they need to believe in Jesus, but they also needed to adhere to Jewish laws and customs, including circumcision; thus Jesus + good works = salvation; that’s what Judaism is all about and Catholicism. Christianity teaches Jesus is enough.
Peter, being that he was an influential leader in the first century church, was not representing the true gospel of Jesus Christ in his actions. So, Paul, seeing Peter’s hypocrisy and the harm Peter’s hypocrisy was doing, confronted Peter face-to-face. Not only did Paul confront Peter in person, but because Peter’s sin was a public one, therefore Paul opposed Peter publicly. And Paul was right for doing so.
Brothers and sisters, when you live as a Christian on Sunday but you don’t Monday through Friday, you are undermining the gospel. When you live like a Christian among Christians and a sinner among sinners, you are undermining the gospel. When you claim to be a Christian on Sunday, but then you go to school, home, or work and let go of your Christianity because you are around your friends or family, your conduct is out of step with the gospel. You are acting like a hypocrite. You need to stop, because you’re not yourself or the church any good.
So, is it right to oppose your brothers and sisters in Christ? Yes. Sometimes sincere Christians, even Christian leaders, like Peter, make mistakes; and sometimes, it takes other sincere Christians, like Paul, to get other Christians, like Peter, back on track. If you see your Christian brother or sister sinning, it is right to approach them. If you see your Christian brother or sister’s sin leading others down the same unrighteous path, it is right to approach them. If you feel someone is undermining the gospel by how they are living or what they are teaching, it is right to approach that person. But if you do, there is a way that you should do so: 1) Do so with gentleness and respect. 2) Do it privately, with the goal being restoration and reconciliation. It should never be the goal of the Christian to confront someone to condemn them, but to correct them, to help them, to lift them up, to bear their burden, and restore them to Christ. 3) If that does not work take it to the elders of the church and handle it in the presence of witnesses; even then, the goal is restoration and reconciliation. Excommunication from the church, though necessary sometimes, should be the last resort.