The Right Hand Of Fellowship

By Levi Yoder

July 1, 2010

Intro: Over the years, I have had some great opportunities to sit next to men of God, who, without a doubt, have the gift of teaching God's Word. You'll know who these men are very quickly, because they are able to take God's Word and lay it out so simply that even the most difficult to understand verses seem so simple and easy to grasp. The man who wrote this article, "The Right Hand of Fellowship" for the Amish Voice, is one of those men; his name is Levi Yoder. In order to fully grasp this power and precious study, may I encourage you to read the whole chapter of Galatians 2? And then, please enjoy the message. It is God's gift to you today. -Joe Keim

Levi Writes:

In Galatians chapter 2:9, the apostle Paul talks about the right hand of fellowship, which in this case involved himself, Barnabas, James, Peter and John.

Was there an issue going on with these early Christians, according to Galatians chapter 2? There certainly was and the issue was that the gospel was being challenged.

This can clearly be seen in Galatians 1:7, where Paul says "...there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ."

Later, in Galatians 2:5, Paul says, "To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you."

So we might ask---was the gospel at stake? The answer is obvious. So just how important is this issue? I believe that we would all recognize the extreme importance of the gospel since no one has ever had their sins forgiven, other than through the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Did the early church leaders struggle with salvation by grace, through faith, in Christ alone ?

Let's look at Acts 15:1, where it reads, "And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, EXCEPT YE BE CIRCUMCISED AFTER THE MANNER OF MOSES, YE CANNOT BE SAVED." And again in verse 5, some leaders were saying: "it is necessary to command them [believers of the gospel] to keep the law of Moses."

By these verses, we can clearly see, some believed it was necessary to add stipulations [extra conditions] to faith, in order to be saved. Let's watch this argument closely to see how it unfolds, because these truths are of the utmost importance for us today. God was leading the outcome as we see in verse 28, which says, "It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and us"

Paul and Barnabas were preaching the gospel to the Gentiles and they were responding and many were coming to faith in Christ.

In Acts 14:27, Paul is reporting to the church what God had done and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles [non-Jews]. Was it hard for some of them to come to grips with the fact that Gentiles were coming to Christ and being saved? It most certainly was, because for centuries they had a deep-seated mindset that they alone were God's chosen people and His favor did not include the other nations. It is obvious they really wrestled with the issue, as Acts 15:2 points out, they had great dissension and debate.

In verse 7, we are told again that after much debate, Peter stood up and spoke.

In verse 12, Paul and Barnabas--- in order to strengthen their case--- related what miracles and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.

In their conclusion, they determined that God saved the Gentiles through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as the Jews also were saved, cleansing their hearts by faith and giving them the Holy Spirit (Acts 15:8, 9 and 11).

James, in his conclusionary statement (Acts 15:13-21), quotes scriptures, affirming his agreement with what Peter, Paul and Barnabas had said.

Going back to Galatians 2, Paul's rebuke to Peter was strong; he confronted him in front of everyone. I doubt that any of us can imagine just how much pressure was on these men. All the early church leaders had been devout Jews, and the Jewish teachings were, that in order to be right with God, you had to keep the whole law of Moses right to the letter.

We get a glimpse of this, in Acts 10, where Peter's response, when asked of God to "rise, kill and eat." Peter said, "By no means, Lord." God's answer to Peter's response was, "What God has cleansed" man should no longer consider unholy.

Although, God was using these men in a tremendous way, they still struggled with the transition from the old into the new.

In Acts 10:19-20, it says: While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.

When Peter gets there, in front of this gentile group, what is one of the first things he says?

Acts 10:28 says, And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

In the latter part of chapter 10, Peter preaches a powerful sermon and a group of Gentiles are saved. What a time of rejoicing! But did everybody rejoice? Not exactly, because when Peter came up to Jerusalem some took issue with him, accusingly saying, "Thou wentest in to uncircumcised men, and didst eat with them." And then Peter carefully makes his defense, explaining to them how God had told him to go without doubting. After hearing this in 11:18, we are told that they quieted down and also glorified God.

In view of all that happened here, one would think that Peter so knew the truth that nothing could ever sway him and yet, as we see in Gal. 2:12, Peter is swayed. Fearing those of the circumcision, he begins to withdraw, and in so doing, incurs a sharp rebuke from Paul.

In verse 14, Paul terms it like this: "If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles...why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?"

Was it serious? Most certainly, since the truth of the gospel was at the center of the issue. Peter's actions affected his co-workers.

Even Barnabas, Paul's valued co-laborer, followed Peter's example.

So why are we even talking about this? Well, to me this gives me courage, knowing that all of these men were so being used by the Lord. They were all about proclaiming and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ and rejoiced in seeing others come to Christ, and yet, we see the struggles they went through and didn't always do the right thing. This should give us courage, seeing how God used them and knowing He can use us, too. Sure, we feel our frailties, sense our weaknesses, feel so unqualified---but what we as Christians have to share is so desperately urgent in nature that we had better not sit back and fail to share the Gospel of Christ. We need to pray for boldness as the early Christians did in Acts 4:24-31.

Paul says in Romans 1:16, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes."

In Philippians 1:16, he makes reference to the fact that he was "appointed for the defense of the gospel."

And in Gal 2:7, he says that "he had been entrusted with the gospel."

In Galatians 1:11-12, Paul said the gospel that he was preaching was not received from any man, nor was he taught it, but he received it through a revelation from Jesus Christ Himself. He had such a passion to share the gospel with everyone!

In 1 Corinthians 9:22, Paul makes this statement, "I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some."

Paul certainly lived this out in his life, as we see in Luke's account in Acts.

Exactly, what was this gospel message that Paul proclaimed everywhere he went? The scriptures have the answer.

First of all the word gospel means "good news". What did the angel bring to the shepherds (Acts 2:8-12)? He brought good news of great joy! For whom? All people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:11)

This is very, very good news, since each one of us is a sinner in desperate need of a Savior.

The angel also spoke to Joseph, saying, "Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary, thy wife; for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she will bear a Son and thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:20-21)

Jesus Himself said in John 3:14-17 that He was sent so that the world might be saved through Him.

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

In John 4:39-42, we see that many Samaritans were convinced that Jesus Christ was indeed the Savior of the world.

John 4:39-42: And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. And many more believed because of his own word; And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.

1 John 4:14: And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.

1 John 2:2: He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

So will everyone benefit if He died for the sins of the whole world?

The invitation is open, as we so clearly see in Rev 22:17:

And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

But Jesus also said in John 8:24:

Unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.

There can never ever be any greater tragedy than for someone to die in their sins, because Hell is a real place and is the destination for all who die in their sins.

Jesus often spoke about and taught that Hell was a real place. And this is why the gospel is so very important.

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the scriptures."

This is truly the gospel that Paul was preaching and people were responding to and receiving Christ (being saved just as he says in verse 1-2 of Galatians 15, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and by which also you are saved).

Again in 1 Timothy 1:11 Paul mentions "the glorious gospel of the blessed God" and then defines it in verse 15 "that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners".

He came to save us by laying down His life for our sins. This is the central truth of the gospel. Paul clearly points out in Romans 10:9-10, the word of faith which we are preaching,

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Romans 10:13 tells us "Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

Paul writes to the Ephesian Christians:

In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise. (Ephesians 1:13)

We clearly see a timeline here: first, they heard the gospel of truth, but it was when they believed that they received Christ, the gift of eternal life! God saved them by His grace (caused them to be born again). When they believed, they were sealed in Christ and they actually passed from death into life!

Jesus Himself said: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)

When this happens, God is glorified.

The Bible says, in John 1:12-13, But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

This clearly tells us that everyone that received Jesus became born again, born from above, born of God.

Jesus says in Revelation 3:20, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him."

Here is another question: Are we inviting others to come to Christ?

Jesus said in John 6:37: All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

Are we sharing the gospel with our neighbors, our friends, people we work with, people we meet wherever?

If we study the life of Paul, as recorded in the book of Acts, it is doubtful that anyone could have gotten in or out of his presence without hearing the gospel. That is what we need to be doing, telling others that Jesus is the Christ, that He is Lord, that we have offended Him since He is holy and we are sinful, that we need to turn from our sins in repentance and in faith, asking Him to forgive us and save us by His grace and give us spiritual life---and He will. That is what salvation is all about.

In Peter's sermon, in Acts 4:12, he says:

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

I would like to leave you with a hypothetical scenario: If the apostle Paul walked into my church or your church (of course in this scenario his identity would be hidden), and carefully scrutinized [or examined] everything that is being taught and preached and practiced---keep in mind this is the man that wrote over half of the New Testament--- in view of what he found, would he be able to give the leadership of my church or your church the "right hand of fellowship"?

This study was written by Levi Yoder for the Amish Voice.

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Keywords: amish, amish voice, christian living, levi yoder, map ministry, mission to amish people, right hand of fellowship