****The reason is given why all the elders of Jerusalem - not just James - told Paul to assist with the Jewish Christians who had made a vow.
Nowhere is doctrinal differences mentioned, but rather an expediency to disprove the rumors that Paul was denigrating the Jewish customs.***
Which included going to the Temple, offering sacrifices and paying for them (Be at charges with them)Paul never offered sacrifices for a Gentile why would James demand sacrifices for Jewish CHRISTIANS. I thought being Christian meant you left your Jewishness behind.
But another problem several years before...
Gal 2:11 ¶ But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
Gal 2:12 For before that certain (men) came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
If the gospel message was the same why did Peter fear those Christians who came from James?
Could it be that there IS two different gospels at that time, one for the Jews and one for the Gentiles?
Consider this with Cornelius...
Act 10:28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.
And this..
Act 11:2 And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him,
Act 11:3 Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.
Act 11:4 But Peter rehearsed [the matter] from the beginning, and expounded [it] by order unto them, saying,
As you can see there was a difference between Jewish and Gentile believers.
2Pe 3:15 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;
2Pe 3:16 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, as [they do] also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
So if the doctrines taught were the same there would be nothing that is “hard to be understood”.
Peter was wrong. And if those from James felt the way Peter thought they did, so were they. That's why Paul withstood him.
"As you can see there was a difference between Jewish and Gentile believers.
Rather, Acts 11 recounts Peter's declaration before the Jerusalem church that in the eyes of the Lord, there is no difference between Jewish and Gentile believers.
"So if the doctrines taught were the same there would be nothing that is 'hard to be understood'."
Wrong. One doctrine with some parts hard to understand. Peter upholds Paul's teaching here - he doesn't disagree with it. Those that "wrest the scriptures" are the ones that disagre with Paul's doctrine.
Again, "one Lord, one faith, one baptism." Your argument is with Paul, not with me.