Peter Could Not Resist Religious Pressure

Peter struggled with moving completely away from the requirements of the old covenant law and into the fullness of the new covenant of grace.

His struggle was so intense that God gave him a vision in Acts 10 showing him that he could relate to the Gentiles apart from the former mandates of the law.

He learned in the vision and in his experience at the home of Cornelius that he could enter Gentiles' homes and eat Gentiles' food.

Later, in Acts 15, Peter meets with others to discuss if a Gentile is justified by grace through faith in Jesus or by grace through faith in Jesus plus obedience to the law.

Based on his vision and experience in Acts 10, Peter explains in Acts 15 that a Gentile is justified by grace through faith apart from the law.

He also said the Jews were justified in the same way as the Gentiles...by grace through faith in Jesus apart from the law.

Justified is God declaring a person to be righteous (innocent of sin) at the moment of faith in Jesus.

That's what the book of Romans is about.

Righteousness is a gift God gives by grace apart from the law and is received through faith in Jesus.

It took a vision and a trip to Cornelius' home for Peter to understand that righteousness is by grace through faith in Jesus apart from the law.

It took boldness for Peter to declare this truth when leaders gathered to discuss this topic in Acts 15.

This is why it is difficult to understand why Peter turned away from grace and back to the law for righteousness when the men sent from James arrived in Syrian, Antioch.

We read about this account in Galatians 2:11-21.

According to Paul, Peter was afraid of the men sent from James.

Evidently, the men created a fear-based environment through a fear-based message, teaching that righteousness is by faith in Jesus plus obedience to the law.

Additionally, they communicated that Jews could not enter the homes of Gentiles or eat their food.

What the men sent by James were communicating was totally different than the vision Peter saw and the experience he had at the home of Cornelius.

It was fear of these men that compelled Peter to turn away from grace and back to the law for righteousness.

It was fear of these men that caused Peter to no longer eat with the Gentiles.

Peter could not resist the pressure placed on him by these men to return to the law and reject God's grace.

Because of fear, Peter yielded to these men.

He turned away from the grace of Jesus and back to the law of Moses.

Paul confronted Peter in Galatians 2:14-21, concluding with this truth spoken directly to Peter:

"I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”

Thank you, Paul.

Peter's fear of these religious leaders resembles the fear many people have concerning their own leaders.

They are taught about the new covenant of grace.

They understand they are not under the requirements of the law of Moses or under any other religious requirements.

They know righteousness is a gift.

They are free from observing strict religious mandates and following stringent discipleship disciplines and methods.

Yet when in the company of their leaders, they yield to religious pressure to observe the mandates and follow the disciplines and methods.

I do not condemn those who yield to such fear-based pressure.

It's not easy to break away from these controlling leaders.

It was difficult for Peter.

He even had God-given visions and experiences.

Please know, however, that you are not under the authority of these leaders.

You do not have to submit to them.

You are free to not let yourself be burdened with their requirements, mandates, disciplines, and methods.

It is for freedom that Jesus set you free.

Resist their pressure.

Stand in your freedom.

Paul writes in Galatians 5:1,

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."