Robbing Peter to Pay Paul?

Introduction

A little drama in our bible study meeting prompted this apologetic. I was in the Youth service some years ago when I first heard the teaching that Peter was the one that would have had the ministry to the Gentiles but because he refused to kill and eat the animals he saw in his trance, he lost it. The teaching seems so popular that it keeps on popping up among bible study teachers and other ministers who seem to understand the scriptures. I learnt that teaching had its origin from a high profile Christian conference (I suppose a ministers’ conference) in which a respected teacher of the scriptures came up with such teaching. Since then, various teachers have tried to use it to back many teachings raging from teachings to keep us from being dogmatic to such teachings as being careful the type of things we do in our dreams. I never gave it much thought even though I had my conviction. However, just yesterday in my church someone asked that question and I think that it is one question too many.

The Question:Did Peter actually loss the ministry intended for him by God when he refused to “Arise kill and eat”

In the book of Acts of the Apostles 10:9-20 Peter was fall into a trance and sees a sheet hanging from heaven. It contains various animals including unclean ones (according to the standard given to the traditional Jews). A voice comes from heaven asking him to kill and eat. He objects to this on the basis that being a true Jew he has never eaten anything unclean. The Lord now tells him not to call unclean what the Lord has cleansed. This is repeated three times and the sheet taken back to heaven. 

Premised on the foregoing, it was then posited that the sheet containing various unclean animals was the ministry to the Gentiles which was intended for but was withdrawn when Peter refused it. Question, what is the basis for that interpretation, the scriptures? But it never says so. It never says that the sheet or the animals therein are the ministry to the Gentiles. This interpretation therefore seems personal and individualistic. Should this lacuna in the source of authority not make us to behave like the Berean Brethren who “searched the scriptures daily whether these things were so”?

It was further posited that evidently the “Not so Lord” attitude of Peter (which first reared its head in Luke 22 when he was seen arguing with the Lord when given a clear prophesy) had not left him. As such it denied him of partaking in such a great ministry. This evidently teaches that Peter never did let go of his argumentative nature. This was intended to teach us that some mistakes become costlier as we grow older in the Lord and as we get closer to Him. That is not a bad one though. But what if God never recorded this issue against Peter as we are told? Would this not amount to making the bible say what it never said?

Moreover, to give greater credence to this point of view, we are told that the loss of the ministry is evidently the reason why we never heard of Peter again in the book of Acts after the Cornelius saga. Rather attention shifted from Peter to Paul. But we should not forget that the writer of the book of Acts of the Apostle, Dr. Luke, was rendering more of an eye witness account (Luke 1:1-4 & Act 1:1&2) . Remember that once Paul was sent on his way to the Missionary journeys, Dr. Luke went with Him. It is therefore only natural that such an intelligent historian as Luke should prefer to write what he saw than writing what he was told. After all that was one of the reasons he went with Paul. He therefore could not have been writing about Peter. This evidently is the reason why attention shifted from Peter to Paul (which is a more probable reason) that the presumptuous and unfounded argument that Peter loss his ministry to Paul.

Now why is that Teaching Faulty? 

Why do we need to give it a second look?

Firstly, it fails to take into cognizance the meaning of a trance. A trance is a type of vision in which the senses of the receptor are suspended for a while and such a person is allowed to look into the realm of the spirit. In such situation the person has no more control over the role he plays in the trance than he does in a dream. Now how many of us will wake up from a dream probably of committing a crime and goes about repenting and asking for forgiveness singing “Just as I am without one plea”? Rather, we ask ourselves what does this mean? What am I suppose to take note of or watch out for. This is because we know that God does not hold such things against us. Now to say that the test which saw Apostle Peter forfeiting such a great ministry was based on a trance in which he had no say as to how he featured, we indict God as being an unfair judge who judges us based on things we have no control over.

The next argument would be that God moves in a mysterious ways His  wonders to perform. Furthermore His sovereignty can make him do as he pleases. This negates the principle that God has standards which when met would produce an expected end. Though our God is sovereign, he has bound Himself by His words. Thus because He does not change nor change His standard that is why we are not consumed. Now that is called Holiness or Integrity. Isaia 45:19 says “I publicly proclaim bold promises. I do not whisper obscurities in some dark corner. I would not have told the people of Israel to seek me if I could not be found. I, the LORD, speak only what is true and declare only what is right” (NLT). Furthermore, in Acts 10:34&35 the scriptures says “…of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons but in every nations he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him” This would make our position worse than those of the Nigerian civil servants for at least they have some bit of job security.  Let us be careful so as not to hold God out as one critical boss who waits for the slightest opportunity—even untenable ones to replace us. We must make sure we that we present God in the right perspective. Remember that the first thing the devil did to Eve was to make Him see God from a wrong perspective. once he did that, Eve began to reconsider God's command because the love of God was occluded from her eyes.

Brethren this type of scriptural interpretation dies the death of individualistic interpretation of the Bible because it does not take other aspects of the scriptures into cognizance. Otherwise, it would have acknowledged that the purpose for the trance was stated in the same book of Acts. Remember that No scripture is of personal interpretation (2Pet 1:20). Thus, with the greatest respect, I humbly submit that this doctrine of Peter losing his ministry to Paul seems to me to be only sensational and lacks scriptural support. The fact that a type of teaching appeals to our emotion does not make it genuine. 

Also, the said teaching tends to lay credence to, or pave way for the erroneous teaching that Paul was greater than Peter—a comparison which even the apostle did not make and in fact forbid us from making them "For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise" (2Cor 10:12). Even if we were to compare them, Paul’s estimation was that God mightily worked in both of them (Gal 2:8). In fact he used Peter as a yardstick for measuring himself. Whereas Peter also acknowledged Paul in 2Pet 3:15-16.  He did this in the spirit of meekness fulfilling the scriptures that we should prefer  others before ourselves. The premise that Paul wrote much of the scriptures does not form a ground for the claim that he a greater Apostle than even John or Peter for example. Remember that he was given a ministry to the Gentiles and the Gentiles had no treatise. Thus God needed much to be written to us. Paul is thus the obvious tool for that. 

At this point you may ask, “Now Pastor Sam, what then is your position.

Firstly, Paul was never a replacement of Peter in the ministry to the Gentiles because Paul was clearly convinced that God had predestined him for this ministry from birth. He said in Gal 1:15-16 (NIV) “But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles. When this happened, I did not rush out to consult with any human being.” So he was merely called at the appointed time.

Furthermore, Paul stated clearly that the ministry was given to him just as that of Peter was given to him. This was clear to the early church and the church council and it should be clear to us too. He did not pick up another person’s mantle. See Gal 2:7.

Moreover, God confirmed the ministry of both of them with great apostolic signs. (Gal 2:8)

Also, Chronologically the calling of Paul was before the trance Paul was converted at between AD 35 and 35. Meanwhile the incidence of the trance took place around AD 37. Paul was told of this ministry to the Gentiles  at the point of his conversion even before the trance. So he had the ministry before Peter was supposed to have been tested for it by the trance Acts 9:1).

So if the trance is  not to test whether Peter would receive the ministry to the Gentiles then what is the meaning of the trance. 
Let us look into the Scriptures.The same Acts 10 gives the interpretation of the trance in verse 28 thus:

Peter told them, "You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean. (NLT). You see, God was about starting a new thing. He wanted to bring in the Gentiles to the commonwealth of Israel. But there was cultural and religious barrier. To break this in the church, He had to convince Peter that the Gentiles are now acceptable by the death and resurrection of Jesus. So God wanted to tell Peter that Jesus who is our peace has broken down every wall and has made us one. Being a pillar in the church God needed to first persuade this strong leader so that his voice could give a strong and credible support to His new and unpopular move in the church.

The importance of this explanation by our Loving Father to Peter was seen in chapter 11 of Acts. Peter was sharply antagonized for entering into a Gentile house. But now Peter was better equipped to teach. His defence was the trance and the impartation of the Holy Spirit to confirm what he learnt by the trance and that satisfied the church. You may wish to read Acts 11:1-18 yourself. 

All these having been said, the question now is why this teaching? Are we just splitting the hair?

Of course not. But we think it is good to avoid and rid the church of all forms of errors in teaching. Some errors came into the church because of the amount of light our sincere teachers had. But we should out grow them when we receive more light. Martin Luther once said that since they were coming form the dark age, it would not be right for God to shed all the light in their eyes at once. He would unveil it gradually. He said that acknowledging the fact that he may not at then know all that God intends to teach His church. But then, we should continually look into the scriptures depending on the Holy Spirit for clearer understanding.

Furthermore, the devil could use teachings like this to give us a wrong or negative perspective of God. you know that perspective matters a lot. perspective gives motivation. If you you have a healthy perspective of God, you will carry out His instructions gladly knowing that He has your best interest at heart. Some persons want to make us "dread" God so we can obey Him out of fear. but fear has never been a good reason to obey God. He doesn't want us to obey Him because we are scared of Him. Rather He wants us to obey Him because we love him. He also wants us to know that He is available for us helping us to succeed in our race. He is not the critical God who we are trying to please without any assistance from Him. actually He is the one working in us whatever good thing we do.

Moreover brethren, The greatest error can arise from the best motive. Therefore, motive is not enough for us to receive a teaching. It must be sound. You see, The slightest error can be the foundation for the greatest heresy. The cults that claim to believe in Christ and use the Bible today all started with the Scriptures but erred at a point.. check them, they make simple mistakes and the were found to be totally out of the way latter. Founding a nice message on a wrong foundation makes it faulty. 

Lastly, The scriptures calls it nobility to crosscheck what we are taught and not just take everything hook sink and liner. We are to test all spirits so we are not victims of error. May God bless His church

Please feel free to make comments and ask questions. you can be sure of an answer. 

Sincerely Yours In Christ
Pst Sam.