No Way To Treat The Pope Series

THAT’S NO WAY TO TREAT A POPE!

Gal. 2:10-21

NASB

{11} Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed;

{12} for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision.

{13} And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.

{14} But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, "If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews?

{15} "We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,

{16} "knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

{17} "But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not!

{18} "For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

{19} "For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God.

{20} "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

{21} "I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain."

INTRODUCTION

Recently we have seen the Catholic Church elect a new Pope. The Catholic Church says Simon Peter was the first Pope. They say there has been someone in the office of Pope ever since Simon Peter, and that this Pope is in a direct line with Simon Peter. Baptist and many people in the Protestant persuasion do not agree. In this text Paul rebuked Simon Peter, and I ask "is that any way to treat a Pope.

1. By Giving Him a . . Lashing from the Tongue.

2. By Giving Him a . . Lecture from the Gospel.

3. By Giving Him a . . Lesson from the Law.

1. By Giving Him a . . Lashing from the Tongue. v 11-13

A. A Tongue Lashing because of . . Harm. v 11

{11} Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed;

B. A Tongue Lashing of because of . . Hedging. v 12

{12} for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the

Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who

were of the circumcision.

C. A Tongue Lashing of because of . . Hypocrisy. v 13

{13} And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.

ILLUSTRATION

Martin Luther had trouble with this verse of scripture. How can the Pope be rebuked like this by Simon Peter? I noted this week some of the articles in his famous 95 Thesis.

27. They preach only human doctrines who say that as soon as the money clinks into

the money chest, the soul flies out of purgatory.

53. They are the enemies of Christ and the pope who forbids altogether the preaching of

the Word of God in some churches in order that indulgences may be preached in others.

54. Injury is done to the Word of God when, in the same sermon, an equal or larger amount

of time is devoted to indulgences than to the Word.

APPLICATION

No Way to treat the Pope By Giving Him a . . Lashing from the Tongue.

But Simon Peter was not the Pope.

2. By Giving Him a . . Lecture from the Gospel. v 14-16

A. A Lecture Concerning the . . Certainty of the Gospel. v 14 a

{14} But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, . . . "

B. A Lecture Concerning the . . Consistency of the Gospel. v 14 b

"If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews?

C. A Lecture Concerning the . . Conclusions of the Gospel. v 15-16