You must be in fellowship prior to your Bible study, so that the spiritual information you receive can become a source, of blessing to your soul and produce spiritual growth.
14 But [alla] when [hote] I saw [eido] that [hoti] they walked [orthopodeo]
not [ou] uprightly [orthopodeo] according to [pros] the
truth [aletheia] of the gospel, [euaggelion] I said [epo] unto Peter [Petros] before [emprosthen] them
all, [pas] If [ei] thou, [su] being [huparcho] a Jew, [Ioudaios] livest [zao] after the manner of Gentiles, [ethnikos] and [kai] not [ou] as do the Jews, [Ioudaikos]
why [tis] compellest thou [anagkazo] the Gentiles [ethnos] to
live as do the Jews [Ioudaizo]? KJV-Interlinear
14 But when
I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said
to Cephas in the presence of all, "If you, being a Jew, live like the
Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live
like Jews? NASB
In Acts 10, Peter saw a vision that had unclean together with clean animals that were presented to him for food. At first Peter refused the eat of the unclean animals, preferring to continue in the Levitical rituals with regard to foods, not catching on initially that God had opened the door of the spiritual life to gentiles, which was not meant just for the Jews. That the old ritual habits had been removed and that now there was a wider door of opportunity for all peoples.
Peter later understood this principle as he went to visit with and then eat with Cornelius, a gentile, for whom this vision was intended.
When Peter entered into the home of Cornelius, then he presumably began the activity of acting like and living like the gentiles, in so much as their diet was concerned. And, if this habit began with foods which were a huge part of the Levitical ritual, then it would have been easy for him to adopt other gentile customs.
And here, years later, now Paul confronts Peter for acting with a double standard, with hypocrisy, especially when his Jewish acquaintances were present.
This hypocrisy sends a wrong message and teaches the wrong principles of truth, as though Peter was saying and acting out one thing, when gentiles were present, and acting and saying differently when Jews were present.
So, Peter knew what he was doing, and Paul called him on the duplicity, and he called him on it in a public setting.
Peter was acting like and behaving like a Gentile when with gentiles and as a Jew when with Jews, which indicates that Pater was accepting both standards for the convenience of his company. This was a betrayal of principle.
There was nothing wrong with either lifestyle so long as the lifestyle was not driving the spiritual life or principles of truth.
You can wear the clothes you want to wear, eat the foods you like to eat, live in the home that makes you comfortable, and so forth, but these things are not the spiritual life.
Your spiritual life is doctrine, studying, learning, understanding, and using the principles of scriptures in so far as they are applied correctly to your life.
Your foods, home, clothes, deeds, are not your spiritual life. Doctrine in the soul is.
You can climb mountains, drive fast cars, change diapers, wear black, be a soldier, be a ditch digger, be a professional, be or do anything that you like, but all people learn doctrine by means of only own method which God had designed for the spiritual life, which is to study doctrine daily, learn doctrine and then apply it to your life, regardless of your chosen lifestyle.
Your lifestyle does not form your spiritual life. Doctrine forms your spiritual life.
Your preconceived ideas or ideas of convenience do not define doctrine, the scriptures define doctrine.
The only way that you can learn doctrine is to be taught by means of a consistent daily study.
Doctrine sets a single and unique standard for everyone. And then doctrine will define your morality, your beliefs, your standards with respect to God and people. After that you can be as unique unto yourself as you wish.
