Should we still observe the sabbath?

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Originally Posted by Esaias

In what way was Peter compelling the gentiles to conduct themselves like Jews? By refusing to eat with them, which was the custom of Jews - they would not eat with gentiles nor even go into their houses (Acts 11:2-3). This was hypocritical, because he had previously learned the gospel truth about this (Acts 10:28). So Peter had dissimulated when certain Jews showed up and regressed by peer pressure to force the separation between Jew and gentile, as commonly practiced by Jews. Whereas previously, he treated Jew and gentile alike as equals before God.

I do see that as involved. However, I think there's more. Paul said that through Peter's act, in effect, he indirectly demanded that the Gentiles live like the Jews.

When Peter separated himself from the Gentiles upon the arrival of the Jews, it was an indication to those Gentiles that the way in which the Gentiles were living had to change. They had to do whatever they were not doing, that the Jews were doing. Then Peter would fellowship them. The gentiles formerly with Peter would feel led, due to Peter's authority, to make necessary changes of life so that they would be like the Jews in order to be able to fellowship with Peter.

This raises the question of what lives the Jews were living that compelled the Gentiles to adapt and likewise live in order to fellowship with Peter.

So, now the question is what was it to live like the Jews?

It was beyond the idea of not fellowshipping with Gentiles. It was changing a way of life so that the Jews would fellowship with them. If it was not more than fellowshipping with certain people, then the Gentiles would likewise stop fellowshiping with other Gentiles, but that would not cause the Jews to begin to fellowship them.

There was some form of life that the Jews were living that the Gentiles were not. And if the Gentiles start living in that same way, then the Jews would fellowship with them, too!

Galatians 2:14.. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?