Not everyone walks the journey with you. Some leave and for all kinds of reasons. They decide not to walk any further with you. Some want to but they cannot. There are times when you have to leave people behind. You never saw it coming but the schism was too wide to cross. I’m not speaking of those who have died and left you. I am speaking of those who are still very much alive but you now know longer do life with. You no longer talk. We have all got that experience and there is a gap in our life in such a way that when it happens it does feel like grief.
Why do I say all that?
What I have come to know about this letter is that Paul and Barnabas had visited the churches in Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe, the cities of South Galatia in their first missionary journey (Acts 13-14). Not long after this there was a confrontation involving Peter (we will get to that in chapter 2) and Barnabas moved from Paul to stand with Peter on the matter. Hold that thought.
“Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— 2 and all the brothers and sisters with me, To the churches in Galatia” (Galatians 1 v 2)
This is definitely a personal letter from Paul but he recognises the family of God that are around him. He would have mentioned Barnabas for sure. But at this moment in time Barnabas is not there.
In our western world an individual Christian journey is common place. Yes we are in churches but for many the relationships we have are not close enough to hold each other accountable. However in other parts of the world community is hugely important and living out faith without community is not even thought of. This is the world of Paul. ‘Brothers and sisters with me’ is important to Paul and it should be to us too. Look around at the people you do faith with. Let them encourage you to live out the faith in Christ. You do the same for them.
Barnabas who had originally brought Paul into the discipleship community is now not with him. It wasn’t over a doctrinal issue it was over a personal decision. An opinion.
If only more arguments were about doctrinal issues but the Church today know more about their personal desires and opinions of how a church should be run and how people should be than what the Church believes. People walk from community all the time. It hurts for those who walk and it hurts those who stay. Paul and Barnabas never walked together again but it is clear that they both made sure their response to one another did as little damage to the gospel mission as possible.
If it has happened to you, don’t worry, it happens. Even if you can no longer say the person is still with you then you should still be thankful for the brothers and sisters that are. There may be a huge gap in your life and the adjustment is huge but the beauty of the church is that they do more than fill that gap. Make sure you stay within the family of God. Living out your Christian life has to be done within community. They will challenge you, provoke you, cheer you on and encourage you to be the best version of yourself. Do all that you can to stay in such a community for these are your brothers and sisters in God, they will fill the gap in your life. Try not to lose your friends. But if they walk then you will know there are others that God has given you.
Missions Paul 