When people go off the rails

When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. Galatians 2:11-13

One of the challenges of church life is the way trends come and go. You have to think about things you had never even dreamed of a year before, because they have become popular in certain circles and are causing confusion. You have to ask yourself: is this trend from the Holy Spirit? – or is it just a passing fad?

I have been a Christian long enough to remember the birth of what became known as the charismatic movement, with its emphasis on the person and gifts of the Holy Spirit – that certainly shook a few foundations in its early days! Then there was what became known as Christian Zionism, a teaching that put the nation of Israel in the spotlight. I remember too what was virtually a craze, that no service or meeting was complete if it didn’t include people falling over, trance-like, supposedly “slain in the Spirit”. Not to mention the “prosperity gospel” and various other movements.

Some time ago I heard of an old friend – I’ll call him Pete – who had headed off down a track which, I felt, was dubious to say the least. I remember shaking my head in disbelief: “What, Pete? Good, solid, reliable Pete? I find that very hard to believe!” But so it was.

You may have had similar experiences…

Writing to the churches in Galatia that he and Barnabas had founded, Paul got embroiled in a major crisis. There isn’t space to go into all the unhappy details here – suffice to say that certain Christian teachers had come to Galatia and were spreading what Paul believed was a “different gospel” (Galatians 1:6) to the one he and Barnabas had taught.

It was threatening a split in the church, for it meant that Christians from a Jewish background were being asked not to share meals with Christians from a Gentile background – which, as far as Paul and Barnabas were concerned, was an absolute outrage, a denial of the true gospel, that all believers in Jesus are one body in him.

Paul is scandalised that “Cephas” (Simon Peter) – the man appointed by Jesus as the human head of the church, no less! – had gone along with this wrong teaching (Galatians 2:11). But what was particularly painful for him was that “even Barnabas” had done so (2:13).

Note that sad, puzzled, anguished “even”. Like me and my friend Pete, surely not Barnabas!

Barnabas, it was you who welcomed me into the church in Jerusalem when nobody else wanted to know me (Acts 9:27)! It was you who came looking for me in Tarsus so that we could check on the exciting things going on in the church at Antioch (Acts 11:19-26)! It was you who made me your number two on that pioneer missionary journey we shared (Acts 13 and 14)! It was you who supported me at the big conference in Jerusalem – remember, when we got the leaders of the church to see that Gentiles don’t have to become Jews in order to follow Jesus (Acts 15)!

And now – this! Oh Barnabas, Barnabas, what has happened to you?

Why retell this story?

Well, if nothing else, it reminds us that the early church was anything but perfect or trouble-free. Far from it! Indeed, this wasn’t the only time Paul and Barnabas had a major falling out. For their second missionary journey Barnabas wanted to take his nephew John Mark with them again, even though he had let them down the first time. But Paul said a very firm No. There was a “sharp disagreement” between them (Acts 15:39), so much so that they actually went separate ways.

The early church was certainly not always a harmonious, united community. And that, I think, can be an encouragement to us when we experience similar things in church life today. None of us are right in every respect. We can all get things wrong. We can all be taken in by wrong ideas that are doing the rounds.

We aren’t told how the relationship between Paul and Barnabas developed, but the impression we get is that they remained in fellowship as time went on. Certainly, however shocked Paul was with the behaviour of Barnabas (and Peter of course), he never regarded him as anything but a true fellow-Christian.

And so we are reminded that our duty is always to love one another, and to look – and pray – for agreement and reconciliation.

In church last Sunday our pastor preached about the wretched failure of Simon Peter in denying Jesus before the crucifixion – and how the risen Jesus tenderly and lovingly restored him (John 21:15-24). A wonderful illustration of our responsibility to show love and compassion – even to those we fear have gone off the rails.

(Come to think of it, if Barnabas could go off the rails – and Simon Peter – and even my friend Pete – I suppose it’s not impossible that you or I could too, is it…?)

Dear Father, thank you that your word is so honest in depicting the frailties and failings of the first Christians. Please use the church to which I belong, in spite of its errors and weaknesses – and please use me to, in spite of mine. Amen.