The most powerful Church leaders have little meaning in comparison to the born-again experience in Jesus Christ

Galatians 2:6-10

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“Those who were recognized as important people didn’t add a single thing to my message. (What sort of people they were makes no difference to me, since God doesn’t play favorites.)” Galatians 2:6 [GW Translation]

When Paul refers to those who seemed to be something but made no difference to him, he is referring to the two times when he went to meet the leaders of the Church, who worked from Jerusalem. The first time was three years after his conversion when he met Peter and James [Galatians 1:18-20]. Then the second time was fourteen years later when he met Peter again and other leaders of Judaism, etc. [Galatians 2:1]. Paul confronted Peter for his hypocrisy towards the non-Jewish community and embracing the powerful leaders of Judaism [Galatians 2:11-21].

Paul was a Pharisee of all Pharisees, meaning he was a most prestigious Pharisee of his time, and rising quickly in the power ranks of Judaism. In that light, none of the leaders of Judaism knew the Old Testament better than Paul. As far as Christianity, he had a personal born-again experience with Jesus Christ, and everyone far and near were talking about his conversion from a persecutor of Christianity to a friend of all Christians. There were no Christian leaders, even Peter, who could say anything contrary to Paul’s Holy Spirit filled life. Paul knew that Jesus was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy as the Christ and Son of God.

Whatever those leaders were supposed to be to the Church, it made no difference to Paul because he was living by his faith in Jesus Christ and his personal born-again experience from persecuting Christianity to encouraging others to live for Jesus Christ. As followers of Jesus Christ, our personal born-again experience is far more important than prestige, power, influence, and reputation. God shows personal favoritism to no one, and those who seem to be important leaders in this world, within the Church or elsewhere, can add nothing to what Jesus Christ has done for us within our heart and soul.

 “In fact, they saw that I had been entrusted with telling the Good News to people who are not circumcised as Peter had been entrusted to tell it to those who are circumcised. The one who made Peter an apostle to Jewish people also made me an apostle to people who are not Jewish. James, Cephas, and John (who were recognized as the most important people) acknowledged that God had given me this special gift. So they shook hands with Barnabas and me, agreeing to be our partners. It was understood that we would work among the people who are not Jewish and they would work among Jewish people. The only thing they asked us to do was to remember the poor, the very thing which I was eager to do.” Galatians 2:7-10 GW

When the leaders of the Church [governing from Jerusalem] saw that Paul was effectively and powerfully spreading the Gospel of Christ to the non-Jewish community they accepted him as the Apostle to the Gentiles. Paul’s ministry to the non-Jewish was just as powerful and effective as Peter’s ministry to the those of Judaism. James, Peter, and John [Paul said they seemed to be pillars of the Church] saw the mercy and grace of God given to Paul. They gave him and Barnabas the right-hand of fellowship and agreed that they should go to the Gentiles with the Gospel while they go to those of Judaism with the Gospel.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we always hope that others might see what we have become through the mercy and grace of God that caused the born-again experience in our life. This should be an undeniable occurrence in our life that not even the highest powers in the Church leadership can doubt our devotion to God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

Peter, James, and John had only one request of Paul and Barnabas, that they remember the poor, which Paul had every intention of doing and had been doing for the past 14 or 17 years of his ministry, without having to be told to do so. May we also do whatever good work we can do in this inhospitable world where love has grown cold, “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:12-14

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:1