Understanding Kingdom vs. Grace - Why Peter Found Paul's Message "Hard to Understand"

Key Scripture "As also in all his epistles... in which are some things hard to be understood" (2 Peter 3:16 KJV)

Introduction Why did Peter, a chief apostle who walked with Jesus, admit Paul's writings were "hard to understand"? The answer reveals how God's message changed from the gospel of the kingdom to the gospel of Christ.

1. What Peter and the 12 Knew

• 1. Jesus taught kingdom gospel: "And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people" (Matthew 9:35 KJV)

  2. The 12 were commissioned with same: "Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick" (Luke 9:1-2 KJV)

  3. The kingdom message continued: "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 3:2 KJV)

2. The Kingdom Requirements They Taught

• • What was required for salvation:

  • Water baptism: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved" (Mark 16:16 KJV)

  • Works required: "Faith without works is dead" (James 2:20 KJV)

  • Maintain faith: "But he that shall endure unto the end... shall be saved" (Matthew 24:13 KJV)

  • Keep the law: "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:20 KJV)

3. The Gospel of God - More Than Common Ground

• What "Gospel of God" Means

  • Term describes source: "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God" (Romans 1:1 KJV)

  • Not a specific message: Used by both apostles differently

  • Built on prophecy: "Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures" (Romans 1:2 KJV)

• Peter's Understanding

  • Limited to prophesied aspects

  • Saw through kingdom lens: "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God" (1 Peter 4:17 KJV)

  • Required works and baptism

  • Israel's program only

• Paul's Fuller Understanding

  • Knew prophesied and mystery aspects

  • Additional revelation: "By revelation he made known unto me the mystery" (Ephesians 3:3 KJV)

  • Grace alone without works

  • For all people: "But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter" (Galatians 2:7 KJV)

4. Then Came Paul's Different Message

• Directly from the risen Christ in Arabia:

  • New gospel revealed: "I neither received it of man... but by the revelation of Jesus Christ" (Galatians 1:12 KJV)

  • Three years of teaching: "Neither went I up to Jerusalem... but I went into Arabia... after three years" (Galatians 1:17-18 KJV)

  • Special apostleship: "For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles" (Romans 11:13 KJV)

5. Why Peter Was Confused

• Paul taught completely different requirements:

  • Faith alone saves: "For by grace are ye saved through faith... Not of works" (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV)

  • No water baptism: "Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel" (1 Corinthians 1:17 KJV)

  • No law keeping: "Ye are not under the law, but under grace" (Romans 6:14 KJV)

  • Eternal security: "Sealed with that holy Spirit of promise" (Ephesians 1:13 KJV)

6. Peter's Growth in Understanding

• Eventually acknowledged Paul's authority:

  • Recognized as scripture: "Even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you" (2 Peter 3:15 KJV)

  • Admitted difficulty: "In which are some things hard to be understood" (2 Peter 3:16 KJV)

  • Equal to other scripture: "As they do also the other scriptures" (2 Peter 3:16 KJV)

Conclusion The gospel of the kingdom (preached by the 12) and the gospel of Christ (revealed to Paul) are different messages for different dispensations. While both apostles preached the gospel of God as a foundation, their specific messages and requirements differed. Peter's honest admission helps us understand why right division is crucial - even he found Paul's new message challenging to grasp.

Remember

• The 12 only knew the kingdom gospel

• Paul received new truth from the risen Christ

• The requirements completely changed

• We follow Paul's grace message today

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