Acts 15-16

Arguments.

Paul and Barnabas had a parting of the ways. The Bible is clear that their disagreement was more than a simple difference of opinion. Their differing opinions were so divergent that they chose not to remain together. Barnabas takes John Mark and Paul takes Silas and they head off in opposite directions. Can brothers separate and still be effective in their work? Yes. Is it what God wants? No. But God takes our separations and uses them for his will and our good. By the end of Paul’s life he reconciled with John Mark (2 Timothy 4). I assume he did with Barnabas as well. What we need to see is that two God loving people can disagree to the point of separation. It isn’t what God wants but God uses it anyway. We also need to see that disagreement did not result in God’s kingdom being negatively affected. Instead, we see two groups going out and working to make the kingdom more real. God’s desire is for us to get along with each other. But there are times when we don’t. In such cases the kingdom of God must not suffer. Even with two different views, we ultimately work to reveal God’s glory.