For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles. but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. (Galatians 2:12)
TEXT — Galatians 2:1-17
Message
The story is told of a zoo that was noted for its outstanding collection of rare animal species. One day, the gorilla died and, to keep up the appearance of a full range of animals, the zookeeper hired a man to wear a gorilla suit and fill in for the dead animal. It was his first day on the job, and did not know how to act like a gorilla very well. As he tried to move convincingly, he got too close to the enclosure wall and fell into the lion exhibit. He began to scream, convinced his life was over…until the lion spoke to him: “Be quiet, or you’re going to get us both fired!” Apparently, like the gorilla, the lion was not real.
Apostle Peter had been an advocate of the gentile believers, but disassociated himself from them when Judaizers from Jerusalem came around. Paul rebuked him openly for this dissimulation. He stood his ground against attempts by the Jews to compel the gentile believers to embrace Judaism and the ceremonial laws that Christ’s death had cancelled. He maintained that salvation is by grace through faith. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast with it.
Pretending to be who we are not, does not sit well with our Christian profession. Some believers, especially new converts, are afraid to take a stand, when their faith and beliefs contradict the society’s popular opinion. They publicly detest the things they privately accept. This is compromise and hypocrisy.
As believers, we must learn to identify with fellow brethren who are passing through challenges and persecutions, because of their Christian faith. There should be no room for hypocrisy and pretense. God wants us to be real and take our stand. If we fail to stand with Christ, we cannot reign with Him.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
