Peter & Paul: Was their message the same?
This question about their message is one of the most important you’ll ever have to answer. If you don’t see some important differences, you’ll be quite confused about God’s will for your life regarding many things, including even the means to your salvation. Some who read this may want to discard this article immediately. There was a time when I would have felt the exact same way, believing there’s only one gospel message in the Bible. But if you’re serious in your study of the Scriptures, you’re going to find as I did that there are some differences in what you read, causing you to wonder if there are statements in the Bible that are contradictory, even about something as important as the means to your salvation. One of the most obvious is the statement James makes about the place of works in salvation as compared to what the apostle Paul says about it.
James 2:20
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? [Emphasis added]
Here he’s clearly saying that faith alone is not enough to gain it.
James 2:26
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. [Emphasis added]
However, the apostle Paul tells us something entirely different, saying personal works are completely unnecessary for it.
Romans 4:4-5
4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. [Emphasis added]
The apostle Paul tells us salvation is a gift, not a reward for good works performed.
Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. [Emphasis added]
What are we to believe about this? I’ve found that many people will say it is by grace through faith, but works are still necessary to gain it. As with the above passage, they’ll sometimes refer you to the next verse in that same passage to “prove” the truthfulness of their belief.
Ephesians 2:10
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. [Emphasis added]
A key word in this passage is the word “should” toward the end of the verse. There are many things believers “should” do after they are saved, but that doesn’t mean they are required in order for someone to gain salvation. In all Paul’s epistles he speaks of things God’s people “should” be believing and doing and/or things they “shouldn’t” be believing or doing. But, again, that doesn’t mean that this is required for salvation. In our time salvation comes by believing what we are told that Jesus Christ accomplished for us through His death, burial, and resurrection.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: [Emphasis added]
It is by putting our faith in these things that God credits us with the righteousness His justice demands for our salvation.
2 Corinthians 5:21
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. [Emphasis added]
Instead of our sins being held against us, they were all held against Christ on the cross and He was judged for them paying the full penalty that was due. This is why we are told that salvation for us is a gift of God, not a reward for our works.
Romans 6:23
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. [Emphasis added]
As some of you may know, I’ve recently completed a study of the book of Galatians that is now on video and available through our website.
4Us2UsMinistries.com
There we noted some important statements that show that the gospel message the apostle Peter presented was not the same as the apostle Paul’s.
Galatians 2:7
7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; [Emphasis added]
It is important that you read this from a King James Bible translation because there are some others that mistranslate it. What you must understand about this is that some translators interpreted it rather than translated what they saw in the Greek text from which the “New Testament” portion of your Bible has come. Two different gospels are mentioned in Galatians 2:7. One belonged as a part of Peter’s apostleship and the other one belonged to the apostle Paul. For more information on this, please see my article on our website —
Gospels: Did Peter & Paul preach the same gospel?
When asked what someone needed to do to be saved, note how Peter answered.
Acts 2:37-38
37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. [Emphasis added]
Then please note what Paul would say in answer to the same question.
Romans 4:24-25
24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed [being credited with the righteousness of God for salvation], if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. [Emphasis added]
As you may know, the passage I usually refer to on this is this next one. It is this that is our gospel message for today.
Again, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: [Emphasis added]
There are other passages that clearly show these gospels to be different.
Galatians 1:11-12
11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me [Paul] is not after man.
12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. [Emphasis added]
In other words, Paul didn’t get his message, his gospel, from Peter or any other such person. Instead, he received it by direct revelation from the risen and ascended Lord Jesus Christ. Had it been the same as Peter’s, that would not have been necessary. He could have learned it from him. But because it was something different and new, he received it by special revelation from the Lord Jesus Christ who had other plans for Paul and his ministry. It included a new message and a new program. Later, Peter and the eleven would learn of all this from Paul at what is typically called the Jerusalem Council discussed in Acts 15. Even in Peter’s last recorded words he tells us we must learn these things through the writings of the apostle Paul, something most church leaders of today refuse to do. They attempt to somehow blend Peter and Paul’s message into one. But Peter tells us he himself had to learn this different message from Paul.
2 Peter 3:15-16
15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest [STREBLOO = twist or distort], as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. [Emphasis added]
This just goes to show that some things never change— There will always be teachers who are communicating the wrong message. Again, so much of this comes from people trying to mix or blend Peter’s message with Paul’s. The solution to this is found in what Paul speaks of as the right division of Scripture.
2 Timothy 2:15
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. [Emphasis added]
Apart from understanding this principle and applying it, many things in the Bible will seem contradictory. Unfortunately, most people don’t know enough about the Bible to see those seeming contradictions. I hope you’ll work to be an exception to that. Mastering the teaching you read on this website will be a big help to you with that.
This wisdom that Paul gained on all this teaching for our time was given to him by direct revelation from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. If Peter and Paul had been preaching the same message, why didn’t Jesus Christ send Paul to Peter to learn from him his message. Instead, Paul goes to Peter to inform him of this new gospel message the Lord had given him.
Galatians 2:1-2
1 Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.
2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain. [Emphasis added]
In verse two here we see how skillfully Paul introduced this revelation he was given of the Lord concerning a new gospel message that excluded the observance of the Mosaic Law and more. These revelations given to Paul were new teachings that Peter and others had known nothing about. Even today, most of Christendom refuses to accept these marvelous truths that are now revealed to us through the teachings of the apostle Paul. The newness of this message is further stated in this Galatians letter.
Galatians 1:15-19
15 But when it pleased God, who separated me [Paul] from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,
16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia [where the Lord revealed these things to him], and returned again unto Damascus.
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.
19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother. [Emphasis added]
Again, please notice what the Scriptures actually say. Immediately after he was saved, Paul did not meet with the apostles [Peter and the 11]. Paul says it was three years after his salvation before he met face-to-face with Peter. For the first few years of his Christian life, God did not want Paul to fellowship with and be influenced by Peter, or any of the other apostles in Jerusalem. Why? It was to have Paul separated to have a pure message of this new truth. He didn’t want him to be like today’s professing church, confusing his new divine revelation [this truth that had been a mystery, that is, a secret held in the mind of God] with the divine revelation that Peter, James, and John had been given earlier. The Lord wanted Paul to have a clear understanding of this new doctrine that was committed to him before he began sharing it with Israel’s apostles and others.
Again, Galatians 2:1-2, plus 3-8
1 Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.
2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel[Paul’s gospel of the grace of God that is also called the gospel of the uncircumcision] which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
3 But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek [a Gentile], was compelled to be circumcised:
Under the Mosaic Law and the gospel of the circumcision, this religious rite of circumcision was required for salvation. Under Paul’s gospel of the uncircumcision, it is not required.
4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty [of not being under the dictates of the Mosaic Law] which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage [that of the Mosaic Law]:
5 To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel [Paul’s gospel of the grace of God] might continue with you.
6 But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:
Again, they weren’t enlightening Paul, he was enlightening them. Then next we have that verse that so clearly speaks of these two different gospel messages.
7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
It wasn’t just a matter of who they were going to, but what they proclaimed as a message. They were by no means the same.
8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) [Emphasis added]
Again, because repetition helps us all in our learning, two separate programs are under discussion here, but they both brought Jesus Christ glory in their respective operations and realms. Peter, James, and John recognized the “grace” given to Paul, that is, his special divinely commissioned ministry. As we noted earlier, even the apostle Peter spoke of “the wisdom given” to Paul [2 Peter 3:15]. Furthermore, Peter admitted the difficulty of understanding the doctrine that was first given to Paul.
Again, 2 Peter 3:16
16 As also in all his [Paul’s] epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest [STREBLOO = twist or distort], as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. [Emphasis added]
The distortion of this truth goes on to this day, causing all kinds of confusion and division.
Conclusion—
God’s complete plan for us has now been revealed. There was Peter’s gospel in the past and there’s Paul’s gospel that is for us today. The message that had been held secret [the mystery truth] through the ages has now been fully disclosed in Paul’s writings— Romans through Philemon. It is this portion of the Bible that people are to focus on today. Anything they find in other parts of the Bible that conflicts with it is to be discarded as something for our learning, but not always for our application.
Romans 15:4
4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. [Emphasis added]
When people don’t understand the right division of Scripture, they try to blend it all into one. The result is all the division and confusion we have today in denominationalism. Peter’s message and that of Paul are different in many respects. Therefore, it is extremely important that you learn the meaning and application of the right division of Scripture.
Again, 2 Timothy 2:15
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. [Emphasis added]
That’s not a suggestion but a command. All Scripture is FOR us, but it is not all TO us. Until you learn and apply the meaning of this you will be confused about many things taught in the Bible. The apostle Paul is our apostle today. His teaching is the primary authority of God over us.
1 Corinthians 14:37-38
37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I [Paul] write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
38 But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant. [Emphasis added]
