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The Works of the Law "Those of Reputation""Galatians 2 tells a story that casts one of the most beloved and revered figures of Chris tian tradition in a sharply negative light. In the 2000 years since the crucifixion of Jesus,""many believers have chosen to elevate the""apostle Peter to near-divine status himself. In a display of veneration that would likely have shocked the former fisherman, they pray to him, bow before his statues, and rely on a doctrinal tradition that emphasizes his""infallibility.""In Galatians 2, however, this near-idol is presented with conspicuous feet of clay. Peter, of allpeople, knew that God had bro ken down the wall of separation between Jew and Gentile. He knew that God wanted him to welcome every brother into fellow ship, regardless of his ancestry. However, when put on the spot, Peter chose the path of hypocrisy. To avoid losing face before other Jews, he chose to pretend that those old barriers still existed. Only a white-hot rebuke from Paul brought Peter back.""Even though Peter was undeniably a good man, he ·was only a man, no more, no less. As has been true of every man other than our Lord, he had his faults, his foibles, his spiritual slip-ups, and his spiritual collapses. Anyone who places confidence in Peter is building on sand, not the Rock.""This lesson, however, applies not just to Pe ter, but to any of the other equally human men from antiquity unt,7 today. No one is petfect, and so no one is worthy of the trust that should only be placed in God and His word. We must always remember to revere the King, not His ambassadors. Such men may indeed be good men, but any power and authority they possess comes not from themselves, but from the message that they""bear. Before all else, let us hear it." Part 2