Peter knew that the Gentiles were no longer to be considered unclean (Acts 10:9-16), and he demonstrated this by eating with them. However, when some prominent Jews arrived, Peter “withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.” He knew better but allowed fear to cause him to rebel against the clear teachings of the Lord. As such, Peter “was to be blamed” (Galatians 2:11), and Paul had to rebuke him. It is one thing for a man to sin against the Lord through ignorance, but Peter knowingly, purposely, and openly violated God’s word. In like manner, believers today must bear the blame and the shame when they sin against the clear teachings of scripture.
Christians frequently find it difficult to consistently make their practice align with their position in Christ. The saints of God are positionally blameless in Christ, but practically, each believer must strive daily to “be blameless and harmless . . . in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation.” In this world, believers represent the Lord as sons of God. As such, they should “do all things without murmurings and disputings.” Why is this so very important? The importance points to the fact that believers are to “shine as lights in the world.” It is imperative that every believer strives daily to live a godly life and preserves a godly testimony in a world that has little to no knowledge of God (Matthew 5:16).
Since God is the rightful recipient of man’s sacrifices, then, by necessity, He is the only One who can rightfully provide the rules for the administration of the sacrifices. In the Old Testament, God established rules about the place (Joshua 22:29) and purity (Malachi 1:8, 14) of man’s sacrifices. Men who violated these rules, choosing rather to adopt their own rules of sacrifice and worship, often suffered harsh consequences, including death. The sacrifice of Christ for sin has changed many details of God’s demands for sacrifice; it has not, however, changed the fact that man must do things God’s way. God’s rules for sacrifice whether performed in the past, present, or future are to be dictated by scripture.
