When Paul confronted Peter, we find out that truly, the ministry of Christ is two separate ministries, both devoted to the Father.
One is for Messianical Jews, and Peter was placed in charge of this. All of the 12 disciples also committed to this.
The other ministry is for Gentiles, which is the remainder of the world. Paul led this up, and although he himself was a zealous Jew previous to this, he set that all aside to become the beacon for the ministry Christ appointed him head of.
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Galatians 2:13,14
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The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.
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When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?
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To this very day, the distinction has not been made between these two very distinct ministries. The gentiles ministry does not call for circumcision, does not honor the Sabbath, does not require water baptism, and remains complete by faith and denial of self to bring righteousness through individuals. Our circumcision is spiritual, our Sabbath is called Today, and there is only the Holy Spirit baptism. We are dead to the Law, as it was fulfilled by Christ Jesus, and he is within us, as we are the body of Christ.
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Galatians 2:19,20
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“For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God.
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I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
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In our day, we have leaders that attempt to combine these two ministries. And this is why confusion and misinterpretation happen. All the books or Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, James, 1st 2nd and 3rd John, 1st and 2nd Peter, Jude, and Revelations, all have their foundation in Messianical Judaism. Peter himself when dealing with Gentiles, did his ministry on them, instead of following the course laid out by Paul and his helpers. This is why to this very day, churches use messianical jewish teachings when dealing with solely gentiles.
Why does it matter?
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Galatians 2:21
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I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”
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It matters because Jews follow a path under Law that leads them into an understanding of righteousness. Gentiles are not raised in such a manor, nor have they ever followed the statutes, and ordinances set out through the first 24 prophets. Gentiles are raised to walk in their own transgressions. So it is a fundamental for Gentiles that they remain dead to their previous self amd allow Christ to be what lives in them, (the Holy Spirit). To lead gentiles who are alive through Christ, back into a path under the Law, undermines their faith based on the ascended authority of their Savior.
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Acts 10:43
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All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
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While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.
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The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles.
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For they heard them speaking in tongues b and praising God.
Then Peter said,
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“Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.”
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So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.
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So here we see that Peter delivered the Truth about Christ to a group of Gentiles. As they received it and believed it, the Holy Spirit came upon them, this is the Holy Spirit baptism. Then Peter, acknowledging his ministry, ordered that they then received a water baptism, which only honors the Law. Even though he did it and claimed it to be in Jesus name, he did not comprehend that the authority of Christ is what already set the Holy Spirit upon them. This is in the book of Acts. And because of this and multiple other mentions in the books of the disciples of the water baptism, that in today's 'churches' we have such confused and backwards ideas about the Gentile ministry.
Paul did not baptize with water. We do not baptize with water. We do not need to circumcise our children. We live Today as a Sabbath, everyday in the Lord.
So after nearly 2000 years, we have major religions that have not only combined these two ministries, but have taken on their own traditions, setting up ministers of error in between the faithful and the Holy Spirit. From christenings to marriage, from false prophets to honoring the dead, from idol worship to empowerment of self, from false gifts to false tithing, we have created houses of misdirection and replaced faith with that which honors the world and the flesh. The Holy Spirit baptism is rarely experienced, and would only be found outside these corrupted houses. Christianity was made into a religion, when it is truly a message of freedom in the living God.
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There a great differences between messianic Jews and Gentiles from a point of ministry. But in the eyes of God, we are the same in Christ. Today, Jews and Muslims can still be led to Christ by what ministry Peter and the Disciples laid out as witnesses and in their testimony. But for the rest of the world, it is the ministry of Faith brought through the Spirit led revelations of Paul that can supply salvation.
Should then a Gentile read the books of the disciples and the Old Testament? To answer that, I say this; the Torah and the books of the disciples were not available to the mass populace for hundreds of years. The letters of Paul were only a collection made also many years afterward. The ministry of the Kingdom and of Faith for salvation were spoken, like a message of truth for generations. The Torah/Old testament is good for instruction on how to existence from a moral standpoint. The books of the disciples are good for interpretation of what the good news of the Messiah meant for the Jews. But truly, two men could be in the desert, without possession, and one can share the message of salvation to the other led by the Holy Spirit, and bring that other man into redemption and the Holy Spirit baptism.
We believers must separate ourselves from the controls of man over faith, and be present in the Lord, so he may be present in us. We must walk in our day with the Lord, and when possible, deny ourselves to allow what is righteous to come through us for the sake of others. We cannot do this when we serve the will of a minister, or the will of a religion, or our will. We each are unique as parts of the body of Christ. And we are only able to recognize that when we truly believe in his authority.
Help the helpless. Be loving. Be kind. Be selfless. Pray constantly. Focus on what is good and holy that you are witness to. Get used to listening to what is ser upon your heart by the Holy Spirit. Work on denying yourself. Do not judge others, as you are also still bound in your imperfection. Be forgiving to keep your conscience clear. Be thankful to God for His Son and your place within him.
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