The Festival of St Peter and St Paul

“Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.” So confessed St. Peter. And Christ promised to build His Church on it by the forgiveness of sins (Matt. 16:16–19). He does this so we don’t try to build the Church ourselves, on this or that person, or by any human means. Let no one boast in men, whether Paul or Cephas, for all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s (1 Cor. 3:21–23). The same Lord who worked through Peter’s ministry worked also through Paul’s and is still at work in His Gospel and Sacraments (Gal. 2:7–8). The Church of every age must be recalled to hear the Word of this Gospel—the free forgiveness of sins for Christ’s sake apart from the Law—and believe. The Holy Spirit makes no distinction among men, but cleanses hearts by faith alone. So will we be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus (Acts 15:7–11). Both were imprisoned (Acts 12:1–11), both wrote Scripture (2 Pet. 3:15–16), both opposed the world—and sometimes each other (Gal. 2:11–16)—but all that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for us (v. 5).