Pastor John
I’ve got some more questions if you have the time.
In Acts 15 when Peter is talking to the apostles and elders and is telling them all that God had done for him and through him and the elders agreed to write a letter for the people not to ” lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things”. It seems that Peter was agreeing with Paul and Banabas. But later in Romans Peter and Paul had a big disagreement about the law of moses and Jesus being enough. What am I missing?
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The conflict between Paul and Peter was recorded in Galatians, chapter 2, not Romans. There, Paul and Peter did not disagree as to the Gentiles not being required to observe the ceremonies of the law. What Paul rebuked Peter for was for eating and associating with the Gentile brethren at Antioch — until some Jewish brothers showed up from Jerusalem. Paul rebuked Peter for being a hypocrite and making the Gentiles feel like second-class citizens in the kingdom of God. As far as the doctrine was concerned, Peter had no quarrel with Paul. But Peter feared the reputation which those Jewish brothers would give Peter back in Jerusalem if they saw him eating with the Gentiles. Peter had already been harshly criticized by the elders among the Jewish believers in Jerusalem for going to the Gentile Cornelius’ house (Acts 11), and, apparently, he dreaded going through that again.
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Also, did all the gentiles go to hell before the Holy Ghost fell on them? Just seems so sad that you were born with no hope of anything else.
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No. Paul touches on that in Romans 2:12-16.
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In Acts 11:26- it says that this was the first time that the disciples were called Christians. So is it the word “christians” that is bad or just the ceremonies that they envolve themselves with?
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The point is, Michelle, God never called, and does not call His people “christians”. That is a word invented by those in Antioch who did not belong to God, probably as a derogatory term for believers. Notice what the Bible says: The saints “were called (not “called themselves”) christians”. Some people say that the word “christian” means “like Christ”. Personally, I would feel as if I was bragging if I called myself “like Christ”, and I doubt very seriously that the earliest followers of Christ thought so highly of themselves that they would have judged themselves to be “like Christ”, either, and then given themselves a name — “christians” — to publicize their flattering self-judgment.
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Sorry, its just I feel like I have to re read the bible and learn everything all over again.
Thank you
God Bless,
Michelle
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No apology necessary. Please do learn the Bible again. We all need to do that along the way.
Thank you for the questions.
Pastor John