THE GOSPEL OF THE UNCIRCUMCISION AND CIRCUMCISION IS THE SAME

Pastor Art Watkins of Coden Bible Church (Coden, Alabama)

December 4, 2015

Galatians 2:7-9 says: But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; (For  he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the  circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace  that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of  fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.

Many extreme dispensationalists teach that Peter and Paul preached two different and opposing gospels at the same time. They say Peter preached salvation by works and warned believers they could lose their salvation, whereas they say Paul preached salvation by grace and eternal security. The verse they use to ‘”prove” Peter and Paul preached two different and opposing  gospels is Galatians 2:7 which says, Paul preached the gospel of the uncircumcision and Peter preached the gospel of the circumcision. But does this prove their gospels were different? What saith the scriptures?

When Paul preached the gospel of the uncircumcision to the gentiles what did he preach? He wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4: For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.

When Peter preached the gospel of the circumcision to the Jews what did he preach? He wrote in 1 Peter 3:18: For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

When Paul preached the gospel of the uncircumcision to the gentiles what did he preach? He wrote in Ephesians 2:8-9: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

When Peter preached the gospel of the circumcision to the Jews what did he preach? He said in Acts 15:10-11: Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be  saved, even as they.

When Paul preached the gospel of the uncircumcision to the gentiles what did he preach? In Colossians 1:14 he wrote: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.

When Peter preached the gospel of the circumcision to the Jews what did he preach? He said in 1 Peter 1:18-19: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb  without blemish and without spot.

It  is obvious from these scriptures that their message was identical. They  both preached the sacrificial death and resurrection of Christ for sins and sinners. They both preached salvation by grace through faith without works. They both preached redemption by the blood of Christ.

Their message was the same; it was the audience that was different. The  background of the gentiles Paul preached to was totally different from the Jews Peter was sent to. Paul preached to gentiles who did not know the true and living God and knew nothing of Christ and who worshipped idols most of their lives. See Romans 15:20-21. The Jews Peter preached to came from a very religious background. They spent most of  their lives under the Law of Moses observing laws and ordinances and offering animal sacrifices for sin. But, even though their backgrounds were different, they believed the same gospel as you can plainly see in the verses mentioned above.