What is the root cause of disunity?
The Importance of Unity
1. Who is more responsible for unity, leaders or subordinates?
2. What are factors that complicate unity between Gentile Christianity and Jewish Christianity?
3. How important is it for the Adventist church to remain united?
Circumcision and the false Brothers (Gal 2:3-5)
1. Why is a marriage sign (such as circumcision used to be in the ancient near east) more appropriate for the male? Why would a sign between God and his people be only on the male?
2. Why would Jewish Christians insist on the ritual for gentiles rather than discard it themselves?
3. Is there any tradition or ritual that our church is hanging onto unnecessarily?
Unity in Diversity (Gal 2:1-10)
1. As Christians do we encounter more restrictions or more freedom?
2. What qualities are required in a person who is going to take the gospel to people of a different culture?
Confrontation in Antioch (Gal 2:11-13)
1. What was wrong in Peter avoiding eating with gentiles while Jews were around?
2. If you were Peter and Paul condemned you as a hypocrite, would you defend yourself justifying your behavior or would you submit and apologize?
Paul’s Concern (Gal 2:14)
1. Was Paul right in confronting Peter in public or should he have done it in private first?
2. Is it necessary to believe like some commentators that Peter’s hypocrisy consisted of eating unclean gentile meat with the gentiles on one hand and insisting on their circumcision on the other? Is there another way to understand Peter’s hypocrisy? Would mere avoiding associating with gentiles when Jews were around amount to hypocrisy?
3. How can Peter be held responsible for the hypocrisy which spread to Barnabas?
