—Peter’s Commission or Paul’s Revelation?
This is not about choosing between Peter and Paul.
It is about recognizing the message and ministry God gave to each of them.
It is about understanding the difference between Israel’s prophetic program and the Mystery revealed through the Apostle Paul.
And ultimately, it is about understanding:
What is God doing today?
Because if we do not rightly divide the Word of Truth, we can sincerely preach Scripture and still apply the wrong message to the wrong people.
▪️PETER HAD A COMMISSION
During Christ’s earthly ministry, the Twelve were given a specific commission concerning Israel.
Jesus told them:
“Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
— Matthew 10:5–6
And their message was:
“And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
— Matthew 10:7
That was not a mistake.
That was not false doctrine.
That was God’s prophetic program for Israel.
Israel had been promised a kingdom.
Israel had been promised a Messiah.
Israel had been promised earthly blessings.
Israel had a prophetic hope.
The Twelve were commissioned accordingly.
▪️BUT PAUL RECEIVED A REVELATION
Then we come to Paul.
Paul wasn’t simply another apostle continuing the exact same commission.
He says:
“For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles…”
— Romans 11:13
And concerning his Gospel, Paul says:
“For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
— Galatians 1:12
Notice that carefully.
By revelation.
Paul received something directly from the risen Christ.
And that revelation concerned the Mystery.
“How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery…”
— Ephesians 3:3
This Mystery had not been revealed in Israel’s prophetic program.
Paul says it was:
“Kept secret since the world began.”
— Romans 16:25
That changes how we read the Bible.
▪️PETER AND PAUL—SAME CHRIST, DIFFERENT COMMISSIONS
Let’s be very clear.
We are not saying Peter preached a different Christ.
Peter preached Christ.
Paul preached Christ.
Peter believed in Christ’s death and resurrection.
Paul preached Christ’s death and resurrection.
There is one Savior.
There is one Cross.
There is one resurrection.
But the question is:
What message did God commit to each apostle concerning His program?
Paul gives us an important distinction:
“But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;”
— Galatians 2:7
Why make that distinction if there were absolutely no difference in their commissions?
Peter had the ministry of the circumcision.
Paul had the ministry of the uncircumcision.
Peter’s ministry was connected with Israel’s prophetic program.
Paul’s ministry was connected with the Mystery and the Body of Christ.
That’s not division for division’s sake.
That’s simply believing what the verse says.
▪️WHAT ABOUT THE GOSPEL?
Paul defines the Gospel he received:
“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:”
— 1 Corinthians 15:3–4
That is the heart of the Gospel of Grace.
Christ did the work.
Christ finished the work.
Christ paid for our sins.
And salvation today is received by faith—not by religious performance.
“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”
— Romans 4:5
That is grace.
No boasting.
No religious achievement.
No attempt to complete what Christ has already accomplished.
▪️THE DANGER IS MIXING THE PROGRAMS
This is where confusion enters.
Someone reads Matthew 10 and says:
“That is my commission.”
Someone reads Acts 2 and says:
“That is the beginning of the Body of Christ.”
Someone reads Israel’s kingdom instructions and makes them requirements for the Church today.
Someone takes Law and mixes it with Grace.
Someone takes Israel’s earthly promises and claims them as the Church’s promises.
And suddenly the Gospel becomes blurred.
Paul says:
“For ye are not under the law, but under grace.”
— Romans 6:14
We need to believe that.
Law is Law.
Grace is Grace.
Israel is Israel.
The Body of Christ is the Body of Christ.
Prophecy is Prophecy.
The Mystery is the Mystery.
▪️OUR BLESSINGS ARE HEAVENLY
Israel’s prophetic hope centers around an earthly kingdom.
But look at what God says concerning us:
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:”
— Ephesians 1:3
That’s our position.
In Christ.
Not in Israel’s covenant.
Not in Israel’s earthly kingdom.
Not under Israel’s Law.
In Christ.
And Paul explains that the Body of Christ has a heavenly purpose:
“And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”
— Ephesians 2:6
God is doing something far greater than simply preparing people for an earthly kingdom.
He is forming a Body with an eternal purpose in the heavenly places.
▪️SO WHOSE GOSPEL ARE YOU PREACHING?
That’s the question we need to take seriously.
Are we preaching a mixture?
Are we taking Israel’s kingdom message and blending it with Paul’s Gospel of Grace?
Are we putting people under Law while telling them they are under Grace?
Are we telling people to work for what Christ has already finished?
Or are we clearly proclaiming what God has revealed concerning the Body of Christ?
Paul says:
“Now then we are ambassadors for Christ…”
— 2 Corinthians 5:20
An ambassador represents the one who sent him.
And Paul was given a special ministry:
“For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles…”
— Romans 11:13
That means we should take Paul’s epistles seriously—not because Paul replaces Christ, but because the risen Christ revealed the Mystery through Paul.
▪️FOLLOW PAUL AS HE FOLLOWS CHRIST
Paul says:
“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”
— 1 Corinthians 11:1
Following Paul is not following a man instead of Christ.
It is following Christ according to the revelation given to Paul for this present Dispensation of Grace.
That’s the key.
We don’t ignore Matthew.
We don’t ignore Mark.
We don’t ignore Luke.
We don’t ignore John.
We don’t ignore Peter.
We believe all Scripture.
But we also obey the command:
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
— 2 Timothy 2:15
▪️WHAT SHOULD WE PREACH TODAY?
We preach Christ according to the revelation of the Mystery.
We preach the Gospel of Grace.
We tell lost people that salvation is not found in themselves.
Not in their works.
Not in religious performance.
Not in keeping Israel’s Law.
Not in water baptism.
Not in enduring to the end.
Christ is sufficient.
His death is sufficient.
His blood is sufficient.
His resurrection is sufficient.
His finished work is sufficient.
And when we trust Him, we are:
• Saved by grace through faith.
• Justified without works.
• Complete in Christ.
• Members of His Body.
• Blessed in heavenly places.
• Called to be ambassadors for Christ.
▪️SO, WHOSE GOSPEL ARE YOU PREACHING?
Peter’s commission was not meaningless.
Paul’s revelation did not make Peter a false apostle.
God had a purpose for Israel.
God has a purpose for the Body of Christ.
The issue is not choosing Peter instead of Paul.
The issue is recognizing which program God is operating today.
Peter was sent to the circumcision.
Paul was sent to the uncircumcision.
Peter’s ministry was connected with Israel’s prophetic program.
Paul’s ministry was connected with the Mystery.
Israel has an earthly hope.
The Body of Christ has a heavenly calling.
Israel was under Law.
We are under Grace.
And today, as members of the Body of Christ, our message is wonderfully simple:
Christ died for our sins.
He was buried.
He rose again.
And salvation is by grace through faith in Him.
So let’s not mix the messages.
Let’s not confuse the programs.
Let’s not put the Body of Christ under Israel’s Law.
Let’s not claim Israel’s earthly promises as though they were ours.
Let’s rightly divide the Word of Truth and boldly proclaim the Gospel of Grace.
Not Peter’s commission for Israel.
But Paul’s revelation concerning the Mystery.
Not Law mixed with Grace.
Not Prophecy mixed with Mystery.
But Christ—preached according to the revelation of the Mystery.
THAT IS THE MESSAGE OF GRACE FOR TODAY.
All Scripture quotations are from the King James Bible
