June 10, 2015 (Wednesday)
This evening we will study Acts 15 at the Bethel Baptist Church of Ingleside.
Gentiles in Antioch had accepted Jesus as their Messiah, and they were not required to observe any of the Jewish laws, such as circumcision. Some Jewish believers came to Antioch and taught the Gentile believers that they must be circumcised in order to be saved. Paul and Barnabas argued with them that the grace of God does not require adherence to the Jewish law. The debate was so strong that the church sent Paul and Barnabas and others to Jerusalem to confer with the church leaders and settle the matter.
When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church leaders as they told about God’s blessings among the Gentiles. Some believers, who were Pharisees, argued that Gentiles must be circumcised and must keep the law of Moses in order to be saved. They all met together to discuss the issue in what is now known in church history as “The Jerusalem Council.”
Peter testified that God had sent him to Gentiles and when they heard the gospel and believed, they were saved. In fact, he said, everyone–Jew or Gentile–is saved by grace.
Barnabas and Paul testified about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.
Then James stood up and reviewed the discussion, and, citing the Book of Amos, declared this development to have been promised by the Lord in the Scriptures, and suggested writing to the Gentile believers, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. *
They sent the letter with Barnabas, Paul and representatives from Jerusalem (Judas and Silas). The church at Antioch received the letter with great joy. Judas and Silas spent some time with the church at Antioch, encouraging them in the Lord. After a while, Judas returned to Jerusalem; Barnabas, Paul and Silas remained, where they taught and preached the word of the Lord.
And so it was settled. We are saved by grace. Later Paul would write to the Ephesians, “it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV). This statement reflects the message from the Jerusalem Council to Gentile believers throughout the world.
* What do these stipulations mean? A good article giving four possible explanations can be found on the web. Click here.