Footsteps #38

In Galatians 2:1–14, we find the apostle doing everything in his power to maintain the unity of the apostolic circle in the midst of attempts by some believers to destroy it. To Paul unity was important “¹⁰ I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters,^[c] by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. ¹¹ For some members of Chloe’s household have told me about your quarrels, my dear brothers and sisters. ¹² Some of you are saying, “I am a follower of Paul.” Others are saying, “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Peter,^[d]” or “I follow only Christ.” ¹³ Has Christ been divided into factions? Was I, Paul, crucified for you? Were any of you baptized in the name of Paul? Of course not!” NLT (1Cor1:10-13) but the truth must not be compromised to achieve it. 

Having refuted the allegations that his gospel was not God-given, Paul directs his attention to the accusation that his renegade gospel did not agree with that preached by Peter and the other apostles. In response to this charge, Paul recounts a trip he made to Jerusalem at least fourteen years after his conversion. Though we’re not totally sure when that trip took place, no trip in antiquity was an easy affair. If Paul travelled by land from Antioch to Jerusalem, the 500km trip would have taken at about three weeks and would have involved all kinds of hardships and dangers. Yet, in spite of such difficulties, Paul undertook the journey, not because the apostles had summoned him but because the Spirit had. While he was there, he set the gospel he had been preaching for 14 years before the apostles. He did this not because he needed their permission or approval but because he highly valued the other apostles’ support and encouragement. The accusation that his message was different was not only an attack on Paul but also an attack on the unity of the apostles and on the church itself. Maintaining apostolic unity was vital because a division between Paul’s Gentile mission and the mother-church in Jerusalem would have had disastrous consequences. With no fellowship between the Gentile and Jewish Christians, then Christ would be divided, and all the energy which Paul had devoted, and hoped to devote, to the evangelizing of the Gentile world would be frustrated.  

Unity in the Christian church is an imperative (Jesus prayed for it in John.17:21). It makes the church more efficient. If we are in disarray people could question the value of what we believe. This would undermine our witness. The NT teaches that the church is the body of Christ and how we relate to others (the Church) is how we relate to Christ.