Spiritual and Emotional Maturity

In the letter to the church of Galatia, Paul recounts his confrontation with Peter's hypocrisy. Paul says that when a group of Jews joined them, Peter withdrew from the Gentiles he was eating with and would not share their table. This act was second nature to Peter and was part of Peter's upbringing as he was obeying the cleanliness laws of the Old Covenant. Paul reminds us that we now live in the covenant of grace. This small but powerful account could have spelled doom for the early church if Peter and Paul weren't both spiritually and emotionally mature. It is a beautiful example of what Christian accountability could be and an example for us all to strive towards.