Gospel Hypocrisy

Everything we do proclaims something about the gospel

Peter’s Call & Hypocrisy

Acts 10:10-14 Clear that Gospel is for Gentiles too

Gentile named Cornelius in Caesarea

God wanted Peter to share gospel with him

Prepared Peter by giving him a vision. A sheet lowered from heaven will all kinds of animals declared “unclean” by OT. “Rise, kill and eat”

“No way Lord. I’ve never eaten anything common/unclean”

“What God has made clean, do not call common”

Peter goes to house of Cornelius (massive moment in Peter’s life)

Piper says, “ Peter, a new era of redemptive history has dawned; the Messiah has come. The sacrificial and ceremonial laws of the Old Testament have done their preparatory work; let them go. I will show you something great at the house of Cornelius”

Acts 10:28 And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.

Preached the gospel to them

English Standard Version Chapter 10

44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, 47 “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.

d. Circumcision Party questions Peter

English Standard Version Chapter 11

15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” 18 When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

God vividly showed Peter the gospel is for Gentiles. Clear call, clear evidence.

2. Peter’s Sin & It’s Declaration About the Gospel

Table Fellowship

Antioch Christians replicated Jesus’ pattern

Jesus: “By this radical act he also was saying that the basis of one’s true standing before God could no longer be measured in terms of obedience to the law. Of far greater eternal significance was one’s relationship with Jesus, the only person who perfectly fulfilled the law”

Gradual, small shifts, little by little (Greek imperfect tense)

Fear of man

Proclaimed a “different gospel” (1:8)

Led many astray (Barnabas, Jews, [Gentiles])

3. Paul Confronts Peter to his face

Seriousness to this hypocrisy

Stood condemned by his own actions

Gospel too important to Paul

The New American Commentary: Galatians (2) The Incident at Antioch (2:11–21)

“This is the issue at stake here: Either Peter must be severely rebuked, or Christ must be removed entirely. Rather let Peter perish and go to hell, if need be, than that Christ be lost.”

Transition: If Peter can act “out of step with the truth of the gospel”, so can we

Our Call & Hypocrisy

Clear Gospel to us

Our Sin & It’s Declaration About the Gospel

a. Our hypocrisy can lead to the preaching of “another gospel”

i.Table Fellowship/Homogenous community

“What does it mean when the people of God, redeemed by the blood of Christ and sealed by the Holy Spirit, cannot share together a common loaf at a single table?” - Timothy George

i. Racism

i. Propagate Cultural Messages

i. Seeking of comfort

i. Constant fear over finances

i. Workaholic

i. Open, unrepentant sin

i. Political Ferver

i. Works Righteousness

b. Leads many astray

The Spirit’s confronting us now

Seriousness

Stand condemned by our own actions

Why does Paul call it “hypocrisy” and not “anathema”? Repentance.

Gospel Grace & Power

Repentance & Forgiveness

Happened for Peter, b/c we see his conduct later on

Peter’s old patterns

Simultaneously “righteous, yet sinful”

Available for us

Power to walk in step w/ truth of the gospel

Unbelief

Fear of man

Legalism