Pastors Notes 23 October 2011
This afternoon we will continue our prayer focus on thanksgiving and petition in respect to our God-given identity. By identity I mean the church’s unique personality. At NBC we have a set of qualities or distinguishing features, that make us unique in our local community. Our identity will be different to other community organisations in our region. When people outside our church community wish to find out about us, what is that image of us which we wish to portray? How do we view ourselves both as a church and in relation to local community? What are the markers that identify us? At the heart of our God-given identity is the fact that we as a church are ‘in Christ’ (Gal 1:21). That is we are a new creation, a new humanity, created by the Holy Spirit as a result of our faith in Christ by God’s grace. In Christ we have a God-given identity. In my blog on the church website, I have outlined some thoughts about what our God-given identity might be, which are connected with our reason for existence (our ends) at NBC – to become a ‘splendid tree’ (Ezk 17). A 'splendid tree' is one that reflects to the extent it can, the nature and character of God making the kingdom of God visible here on earth.
Our identity in Christ may not yet be evident in the life of our church, but it is certainly part of our ‘DNA’ in Christ. Therefore, God calls us to realise our identity in Christ, in a way that is specific to our ministry context. That is in our ministry context we may choose to emphasise certain aspects of our God-given identity, that will set us apart for the sake of God’s mission. Unfortunately the apostle Peter failed to do just this on one occasion whilst visiting Gentile Christians in Antioch. We read in Galations 2 that Peter was eating with Gentiles. Peter was a Jew by birth, and before he became a Christian, his identity as a Jew was intertwined with the Law of Moses. As a Jew his identity markers included the observance of the Jewish food laws, circumcision, and the Jewish calendar which included the Sabbath. Jews believed that these had to observed to be fully accepted by God. In particular Jewish food laws prohibited a Jew from eating with gentiles, as gentiles were considered ‘unclean’. Consequently, a Jew could never be seen eating with a Gentile. When Peter accepted the gospel of Christ by faith and he received the Holy Spirit he became a Christian. He was no longer a Jew. He was a Jewish Christian. Peter had a new identity in Christ.
It was soon revealed to him that it was ok to eat with gentile Christians – ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean’ (Act 10:15).
And so, in Galatians we hear of Peter, who was born a Jew, eating with gentile Christians, and not acting like a Jew anymore (Gal 2:14). But when certain Jewish Christians came to Antioch, who falsely taught that to be fully accepted by God you need faith in Jesus plus observance of Jewish customs like food laws, Peter put aside his identity in Christ, and separated himself from his gentile Christian friends (Gal 2:12). Peter was motivated by fear. He was afraid of what other people might think. He was tyring to please these false teachers. He was not acting in line with his new identity in Christ. He was not acting in line with the heart of his identity; that is, the truth of the gospel of Christ (Gal 2:14). Peter failed to emphasise in his God-given identity the importance of eating, of fellowship with gentile Christians. By his actions Peter was forcing his gentile Christian friends to follow Jewish customs to be fully accepted by God. At worst, Peter was setting aside the gospel of grace and preaching a different gospel. Acceptance by God was no longer Jesus plus nothing. It was Jesus plus Jewish customs, which is not grace (something given we do not deserve).
Thankfully, the apostle Paul came on the scene and condemned Peter’s behaviour and reminded him of the church’s God-given identity in Christ. Two features of that identity were: 1. In Christ the church is a people of God's presence, specifically the presence of the risen Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit (Gal 2:20). People in our local community should know us as a people where the Spirit of God dwells. 2. In Christ the church is a community of faith (Gal 2:16). God shows no favouritism (Gal 2:6). We cannot gain the righteousness of God by observing a custom (Gal 2:21). People in our local community should know us as a people who have faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone and exercise faith.
In our prayer focus we will be thanking God for our God-given identity in Christ, and ask God to show us which of our God-given identities, does he want us to emphasise in our context. For Paul and Antioch it was eating and fellowship with people other than Jews. What might it be for us? Remember, the gospel of Christ is linked with our identity in Christ. The way we live out the gospel will reveal our identity. And the gospel of grace demands a response that brings glory to God (Gal 1:5).
God bless
Pastor Phil
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