One Gospel (or, God Even Saves Italians!) Galatians 2:1-10 & Acts 10

Let’s begin today by reading from chapter 2 of Galatians.

1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 2 I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. 3 But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. 4 Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— 5 to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. 6 And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. 7 On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised 8 (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), 9 and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.

Here in chapter 2, Paul is continuing his defense of himself as an apostle and his gospel message.  The “circumcision party”, otherwise known as the Judaizers, have been lying to the Galatian believers telling them Paul is not legitimate.  “If he was legitimate, he would preach the same thing as the apostles in Jerusalem.  Clearly he isn’t one of the real apostles, one of the twelve.  And what Peter and the other apostles teach,” according to the Judaizers, “is salvation by faith in Jesus Christ and conversion to Judaism by circumcision, the same thing we preach.  Our message is legit.  Paul’s is not.”

Paul condemned anyone who would preach a message of salvation that differs from his.  If angels were to preach a different gospel than his, even if he himself were to tell them anything different, he would be anathema.  And, it is clear from the larger context here, that even if the apostle Peter were to preach a gospel that is in any way different than the gospel Paul himself has preached, according to Paul, Peter would be damned.  In other words, if the other apostles don’t preach the exact same gospel as Paul, they are going to hell.  There aren’t two gospels.

Paul tells us he spent 15 days with Peter in Jerusalem after his three-year stint in Damascus and Arabia.  There was no conflict between them.  Paul had come to understand by revelation from the Lord that the Gentiles are saved by faith alone.  At the same time, Peter also came to understand by revelation from God that Gentiles are saved by faith alone when God sent him to Cornelius’ house.  This is what he told the other apostles at Jerusalem:

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?” (Acts 12:15-17 ESV)

When Peter preached on the day of Pentecost, he and the apostles received the Spirit of God.  When they began to speak in tongues, people thought they were drunk!  And again on this occasion when Peter is preaching to the household of Cornelius and they receive the Holy Spirit and begin to speak in tongues, Peter remembered what the Lord Jesus had said about the giving of the Holy Spirit: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’

Peter was saying, “God saved those Gentiles the same way He saved us!  He baptized them with the Spirit the exact same way He baptized us with the Holy Spirit!  Was I supposed to try to stop God from doing this because they weren’t circumcised?”

The gospel Peter preached to the Gentiles of Cornelius’ household was the saving gospel.  It was obviously the true gospel message because of the resulting miracle: they received the Holy Spirit.  God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed!

When Peter was preaching at Pentecost, as he preached he was reminded of what the Scripture says:

14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:

17 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,

that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, (Acts 2:14-17a, ESV)

“All flesh.”  What does that mean?  Well, whatever it means, it doesn’t mean “Jews only.”

Exactly what did Peter say to Cornelius that caused this outpouring of the Spirit of God upon them?  What does the gospel that Peter preaches sound like, and how does it presumably differ from the gospel Paul preaches?  Because that is what the Judaizers are trying to tell the Galatians: Paul doesn’t teach the authorized apostolic version of the Gospel.  So what did Peter preach that resulted in the conversion of Gentiles and how does it differ from what Paul preaches?  Let’s turn to Acts 10 please.  We need to take the time to read this together because it’s amazing what you learn when you stop moving, turn off the TV, get off the Internet, sit down, open your Bible and read the text.

1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, 2 a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. 3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” 4 And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. 5 And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside.” 7 When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him, 8 and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

9 The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. 10 And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance 11 and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. 13 And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” 15 And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” 16 This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.

17 Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood at the gate 18 and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there. 19 And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. 20 Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them.” 21 And Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for.  What is the reason for your coming?” 22 And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say.” 23 So he invited them in to be his guests.

The next day he rose and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. 24 And on the following day they entered Caesarea.  Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.” 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. 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. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without objection.  I ask then why you sent for me.”

Peter doesn’t yet know why he is there!!  He understands God has told him not to consider any person common or unclean, but it has not dawned upon him that the Lord has sanctified them for Himself, set them apart for salvation, and now He is about to grant all of them "repentance that leads to life" (11:18 ESV) through the hearing of the word of God.  They are about to be baptized by the Holy Spirit just like Peter and the apostles had experienced at Pentecost.  But it seems even at this point Peter doesn’t have a clue about any of this because he says, “I ask then why you sent for me.” What do you want with me?  Why did you call?  So Cornelius has to explain it to him:

30 And Cornelius said, “Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter.  He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ 33 So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come.  Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”

This is astounding!  “Peter, we’re all gathered here for you to tell us everything God has told you to say.”  Neither party understands what is about to happen.  Cornelius doesn’t know what to expect.  Peter hasn’t come with evangelism in mind..  Notice what he says in the next two verses:

34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all),

The light bulb is starting to come on!  He just mentioned in verse 28 it is unlawful for him to be there associating with anyone of another nation.  But here he says, “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality.“ The light is getting brighter!  So he starts to preach and he adds this little phrase, “He is Lord of all!” Even Gentiles!  So the light is getting even brighter.

37 you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power.  He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem.  They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, 40 but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, 41 not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. 43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Now as Peter speaks he suddenly understands the words that are coming out of his own mouth!  What he just said goes against everything he has believed all of his life.  Peter finally understands that “everyone” means “Gentiles too.”  The light is shining brightly now!

44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word.

This is exactly how Paul says salvation is accomplished: “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17 ESV)  Peter’s experience is exactly what Paul preaches.

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.

None of the Jews in Peter’s entourage thought what they were seeing was possible.  Gentiles were being saved by God and were receiving the Holy Spirit as a result of hearing about Jesus.

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.

So what was this gospel Peter preached?  He preached about Jesus.  He says God was with Him, He went about doing good, but the people crucified Him.  God then raised Him from the dead, appointed Him to be the Judge of the living and the dead, and all the Old Testament prophets testify that EVERYONE who believes in this man Jesus receives forgiveness of sins through His name.  ALL the prophets testify to the salvation of the nations through Jesus Christ.

When God granted them ears to really hear that word, that message, that gospel, saving faith came to them, God granted them repentance, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and these Gentile Italians were gloriously saved right before Peter’s eyes.  They believed on the Lord Jesus and were saved.

Peter and Paul preached the exact same gospel.  Paul’s message is not inferior, it is not home-made, it is not manufactured, it is not a figment of his own imagination, it is not a gospel created by men.  Rather, it is the very same message which Peter and all the apostles always preached.  The ONLY thing that is different is the audience.

But that is not what the Dispensationalists in our day have taught for 100 years.  And lest you think this is something that is not relevant, let me mention that the fifth largest seminary in America, Dallas Theological Seminary, whose past president was Chuck Swindoll, is strongly and historically Dispensational.  David Jeremiah, Tony Evans, and many others whose names you may or may not recognize, are Dispensational in their thinking.

Other schools you might recognize are Baptist Bible College in Clark’s Summit, Moody Bible Institute, Philadelphia College of the Bible, Lancaster Bible College, and the Master’s Seminary which is directly connected to Dr. John MacArthur.  They all represent widely varying degrees of Dispensational thought.

One thing that remains consistent throughout Dispensationalism is the separation of Israel and the Church.  The Jews and Israel are a separate entity from primarily Gentiles and the Church.  Dispensationalism keeps them separate, and the ultimate separation of the two will come at the Rapture of the Church when the Lord Jesus comes for His Bride and leaves Israel and the Jews behind.  Classic Dispensationalism teaches that both entities are actually separated forever, with Israel remaining an earth-bound kingdom of God, and the Church being a heavenly kingdom.  Never do the two meet.  For example, from the Baptist Bible College web page, we read this from their Doctrinal Statement:

We believe that the universal Church is the body of Christ, comprised of all true believers from Pentecost until the Rapture.

We believe in the pre-tribulational rapture and bodily resurrection of the Church at Christ’s imminent coming.

We believe in the distinction between the nation of Israel and the Church, the Spirit-baptized Body of Christ.  The Church is not the collection of all believers of all times. (1)

Some rather radical Dispensationalists (2) even teach that Peter and Paul preached two different gospels.  They get this in part from Galatians 2:7 - On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised . . ..  Do you see it?  Paul was given the gospel to the uncircumcised, and Peter was entrusted with the gospel, a different gospel, for the Jews.

No!  This is the very thing Paul is trying to disprove in this letter.  This is what the Judaizers have accused him of: preaching something different, something other than what Peter and the other apostles preached.

Peter and Paul weren’t entrusted with two different gospels but with two different groups of people!  Peter, Paul, and all the apostles were entrusted by God with the exact same gospel message for all people for the furtherance of one universal church, not two, comprised of all the saints of all the ages.  The Church does indeed consist of all believers of all the ages.  Abraham and Moses are members of God’s one true church, the Body of Christ.  Once again, here’s Paul’s explanation of the reality of the single gospel message to both Jews and Gentiles, in 1 Corinthians 15:

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. (1 Corinthians 15:3-11 ESV)

Paul says, “Whether it was me preaching or the other apostles, so we preach and so you believed because we all preach the same thing.”  Beloved, it is a dangerous thing to play around with the gospel.  Paul said if anyone preached anything other than what he preached as the saving gospel of the grace of God in Jesus Christ, he is cursed.  Anyone.  Even Peter.  So be very careful who you listen to.  Don’t be a follower of those who try to divide the people of God by setting Peter against Paul.  That was the tactic of the early enemies of the Gospel: the Judaizers.

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1. http://www.bbc.edu/confession.asp

2. For example, Altoona Bible Church in Altoona, PA.  From their online doctrinal statement, paragraph 6: “We believe that the church of this dispensation is the Body of Christ which is to be distinguished from the prophesied, earthly kingdom of Christ. The historical manifestation of the Body of Christ began with the Apostle Paul before he wrote his first epistle”.  Also paragraph 7: “We believe the mission and commission of the Body of Christ is to proclaim the message of reconciliation and to preach Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery. The"gospel of the grace of God" is referred to as "my gospel" by the Apostle to the Gentiles. It is this gospel with which we are entrusted today”.  [All emphases mine, and “this gospel” is Paul’s gospel which is considered to be distinct from Peter’s gospel.  See http://www.altoonabible.org/beliefs.htm]