Reconciling Barnabas

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Terry

As I paraphrase another brother "who is right? who is wrong? Barnabas and Paul labored together. History tries to judge Paul must be right. Barnabas must be wrong. God does not judge this way. When we come to the judgment seat, we may hold a different view of Barnabas."

The book of Acts, written by the beloved physician Luke, records some of Paul's history. That's it folks! That is how the Spirit inspired him to write. Paul and Barnabas had a disagreement, a "sharp contention, so that they separated from each other," and parted ways for their 2nd journey. Luke actually assigns no blame to either man. Probably Luke was not even there, and later joined Paul in Troas.

Years ago I had a Christian friend on campus who was from India. He told me of the history of the church in their country, identifying Thomas as the apostle who first brought the gospel to them. When I heard this story I was filled with praise to the Lord. Firstly, that God could use such a "doubting Thomas" to bring the gospel to a distant land. Secondly, that the move of the Spirit was never restricted to Paul as we were taught by Lee. Thirdly, that Thomas is still honored today among succeeding generations as a "lasting fruit."

Lee's teachings about Barnabas were loaded with extra-biblical and incorrect innuendo, inference, and implication to his own followers. Note that Benson Philips and Ray Graver were able to capitalize on this teaching and coerce 400 plus leaders to sign that pledge of allegiance to Lee. Lee had successfully made Barnabas into the Recovery "bogey man" for all to fear lest they too have their record "stricken" from the heavenly account. This is just one more case in which a simple reading of the scriptures should have dispelled Lee's teaching, but as with everything in the Recovery, Lee could supposedly "see things no one else could."