Acts 15: The Gospel Plain and Simple
CHAPTER 15 PROVIDES US WITH A SIMPLE BUT VERY STARK MESSAGE.
IT IS EXPRESSED IN A SMALL QUESTION:
WHAT IS THE PRICE OF SALVATION?
THE ANSWER HAS ALREADY BEEN GIVEN US WITHIN THE CONVERSION OF CORNELIUS, THE ROMAN PAGAN CENTURION.
THAT ANSWER ARRIVED IN CHAPTER 10, VERSE 43:
“To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive the remission of sins.”
JESUS HIMSELF HAD PROVIDED THE SAME ANSWER IN HIS CONVERSATION WITH NICODEMUS IN JOHN 3:14-15:
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up.
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
JESUS FURTHER PROVIDED THIS ANSWER OF TRUTH AS HE ASKED A SIMPLE QUESTION OF HIS OWN DISCIPLES IN JOHN 16:31:
“Jesus answered them, do ye now believe?”
HERE WE HAVE THE TRUTH OF THE PRICE OF SALVATION FROM THE SENDING OF PETER TO THE GENTILE PAGAN FAMILY TO THE TEACHING WORDS OF CHRIST HIMSELF.
THE PRICE OF SALVATION IS FAITH.
JESUS SAID SO IN JOHN 3:18:
“He that believeth is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
THIS ANSWER IS THE RADICAL TEACHING OF THE EARLY CHURCH TO BOTH THE JEWS AND THE GENTILES.
THE EARLY CHURCH NEVER WAVERED ON THIS TEACHING.
1500 YEARS LATER MARTIN LUTHER CONFRONTED THE ENTIRE ROMAN CHURCH WITH THE SAME TEACHING, PREVAILING IN THAT SPIRITUAL WAR WITH A SIMPLE SENTENCE:
SALVATION IS BY FAITH ALONE IN CHRIST ALONE.
THE CHURCH THAT JESUS ESTABLISHED WAS NO MORE THAN 30 YEARS OLD WHEN TEACHING ERRORS WERE SEEN ON THIS MATTER.
WE VIEW THIS CONFLICT IN VERSE 1 IN TEACHING BY CONVERTED PHARISEES THAT “… Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.”
PAUL AND BARNABAS CONFRONTED THIS FALSE TEACHING STRONGLY AND THE CONFLICT WAS SO HARSH THAT IT WAS DECIDED IT MUST BE BROUGHT TO THE ELDERS IN JERUSALEM.
THIS ISSUE IS SIMPLY ONE OF SEPARATING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW FROM THE FREEDOM OF GRACE.
WHILE THE ISSUE SEEMED SIMPLE, THE DECISION WAS MONUMENTAL. IT HAS CARRIED THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH ALONG THE JOURNEY OF THE CENTURIES SINCE THAT TIME.
WE NOTICE VERSE ONE REFERS TO THE TEACHERS OF ERROR AS “TEACHING THE BRETHREN”.
THESE WERE SAVED GENTILE BELIEVERS IN THE CHURCHES OF ANTIOCH, SYRIA, AND CELICIA. (V23)
THESE CHURCHES WERE BORN FROM THE SCATTERING OF BELIEVERS AFTER THE DEATH OF STEPHEN.
PAUL CLEARLY GAVE THE TRUTH ON THESE MATTERS IN GALATIANS 5:6 WHEN HE SAID THAT NEITHER CIRCUMCISON OR UNCIRCUMCISION MEANS ANYTHING, BUT FAITH WORKING THROUGH LOVE IS THE ONLY PRICE OF SALVATION.
PAUL, BARNABAS, AND SOME OTHER BELIEVERS WERE SENT TO JERUSALEM TO RESOLVE THIS MATTER.
THESE MESSENGERS WERE WELL RECEIVED IN JERUSALEM AS THEY DECLARED ALL THAT GOD HAD DONE THROUGH THEM AS THEY SHARED THE RESULTS OF THE FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY.
WE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT IT HAD BEEN TEN YEARS SINCE THE JERUSALEM CHURCH HAD ACCEPTED GENTILE CONVERTS ON AN EQUAL BASIS AS JEWISH CONVERTS.
WE REMEMBER THE STRONG TEACHING OF GOD TO PETER AS TO WHAT WAS CLEAN AND NOT CLEAN BEFORE HE ALLOWED PETER TO TRAVEL TO CORNELIUS.
NOW IN VERSE 5 WE SEE A CALL TO LEGALISM, APART FROM GRACE.
IF ANYTHING WAS TO BE ADDED TO GRACE, IT IS NO LONGER GRACE.
IN VERSES 6-11 WE SEE THE DISCUSSION AMONG THE APOSTLES AS THEY CONSIDER THIS IMPORTANT MATTER.
THERE WAS FORCEFUL DISCUSSION EVEN MUCH DISPUTING.
AFTER SOME DEBATE PETER ROSE IN THE ASSEMBLY TO REMIND THE GROUP THAT GOD HAD MADE THE CHOICE TO ACCEPT GENTILES EQUALLY ON FAITH AND HE HAD GIVEN THE HOLY GHOST TO PAGAN CONVERTS JUST AS HE HAD TO THE JEWS AT PENTECOST.
VERSE 9 STATES THAT GOD PUT NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEM AND US AS GOD PURIFIED THEIR HEARTS BY FAITH.
VERSE 10 REVEALS SO VERY WELL THE UNDERSTANDING OF PETER AFTER HIS VISION WHEN HE ASKS WHY GOD IS TO BE TEMPTED BY PUTTING A YOKE ON THE NECKS OF DISCIPLES WHICH NEITHER OUR FATHERS OR OURSELVES WERE ABLE TO KEEP?
IN VERSE 11 PETER REMINDS ALL THERE THAT ONLY THROUGH THE GRACE OF JESUS BOTH JEWS AND GENTILES WERE SAVED.
SILENCE OVERCAME THE GROUP.
NOTICE THE ORDER OF PETER’S STATEMENT.
INSTEAD OF SAYING THAT GENTILES ARE SAVED THE SAME WAY JEWS ARE SAVED, HE SAID THE OPPOSITE.
HE SAID JEWS ARE SAVED THE SAME WAY GENTILES ARE SAVED.
THE HOLY GHOST WAS SURELY GUIDING THESE SPECIAL WORDS.
JAMES, THE LEADER OF THE JERUSALEM CHURCH, SPEAKS NEXT.
VERSES 12-21 REVEAL THE DECISION AFTER THEY HEARD OF THE MANY SUCCESSES AMONG THE GENTILES BY PAUL AND BANABAS FROM THEIR OWN LIPS.
JAMES ASKS ALL IN THE ASSEMBLY TO HARKEN TO HIS WORDS.
FIRST HE SAID HE AGREED WITH THE WORDS OF PETER.
HE POINTED OUT THAT PETER WAS THE FIRST TO GO TO THE GENTILES, EVEN BEFORE PAUL AND BANABAS WERE SENT AND HE QUOTED AMOS 9:11 REMINDING ALL THERE THAT GOD PLANNED THE REBUILDING OF THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID AND NOW IT WAS TO OCCUR.
SECOND, JAMES SAID THERE WAS NO REASON TO MAKE FAITH HARDER THAN IT WAS INTENDED TO BE BY REQUIRING GENTILES TO OBEY JEWISH RULES AND CUSTOMS.
THIRD, HE SAID THE GOSPEL SHOULD BE PLAIN AND SIMPLE WITH ONLY A FEW UNDERSTANDINGS FOR GENTILES:
ABSTAIN FROM THE POLLUTION OF IDOLS
ABSTAIN FROM FORNICATION
ABSTAIN FROM THINGS STRANGLED
ABSTAIN FROM CONSUMING BLOOD
THESE FEW ITEMS HARKENED ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE DAYS OF NOAH WHICH GOD HIMSELF COMMANDED IN GENESIS 9:4.
WE NOTE JAMES DID NOT COMMAND JEWISH BELIEVERS TO STOP CIRCUMCISON OR THEIR OWN DIETARY MANNERS.
HE SIMPLY SAID THESE ARE NOT TO BE REQUIRED OF GENTILES BELIEVERS TO BECOME CHRISTIANS.
SIMPLY SAID, DO NOT INSULT EACH OTHER BUT HAVE RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER.
THE ASSEMBLY FELT THE WORDS OF JAMES WERE APPROPRIATE AND SHOULD BE ADOPTED AND A LETTER GIVEN TO PAUL AND BARNABAS FOR THE GENTILE CHURCHES SO THAT ALL MAY KNOW THE DECISION OF THE ELDERS.
WITNESSES WERE ALSO SENT ALONG TO ASSURE THE UNDERSTANDING WAS A TRUE REPRESENTATION OF THE DECISION.
HERE IS THE FIRST INSTANCE OF A CHURCH WRITING TO ANOTHER CHURCH IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.
VERSE 24 CLARIFIES THE FALSEHOOD WHICH WAS BEING OVERCOME AND THAT THE JERUSALEM CHURCH NEITHER HAD SENT THE FALSE TEACHERS NOR ACCEPTED THEIR TEACHING AS TRUTH.
VERSE 28 REVEALS THE REASON FOR THE LETTER. IT CLEARLY STATES THAT THE HOLY GHOST HAD INSPIRED IT SO THAT NO GREATER BURDEN BE PLACED ON BELIEVERS THAN DIRECT AND PURE FAITH.
THE WORDS “GREATER BURDEN” MEANT THE RULES OF THE JEWS.
VERSE 29 CONCLUDES THAT IF THESE FEW ITEMS WERE FOLLOWED, THE CHURCHES WOULD “FARE THEE WELL” AS THE DETAILS WERE LISTED IN VERSE 20.
VERSES 30-35 TELL OF THE DELIVERY OF THE LETTER.
THE TRIP OF 300 MILES WAS MADE TO ANTIOCH, GATHERING TOGETHER THE MULTITUDE, AND DELIVERING THE DECISION.
THE CONTENTS OF THE LETTER BROUGHT GREAT JOY AND WAS A LIBERATING MOMENT FOR ALL GENTILE BELIEVERS.
PAUL, BARNABAS, AND SILAS ALL REMAINED IN ANTIOCH TO GUIDE THE CHURCH AND HELP IT CONTINUE TO GROW.
IT SEEMS LIKELY THAT THIS PERIOD MAY HAVE BEEN WHEN PETER MADE THE JOURNEY THERE TO ANTIOCH AND PAUL CONFRONTED HIM CONCERNING EATING WITH GENTILES ONLY UNTIL JEWS ARRIVED.
IN VERSES 36-40 WE SEE PAUL WISHING HIMSELF AND BARNABAS TO REVISIT EARLIER CHURCHES AND TO CHECK ON THEIR PROGRESS.
HERE A STRONG DISAGREEMENT HAPPENS AS BARNABAS WISHED TO TAKE JOHN MARK WITH THEM IN THE TRAVEL.
JOHN MARK HAD SPENT PART OF THE TIME WITH PAUL AND BARNABAS ON THE FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY BUT HAD LEFT THEM AND RETURNED TO JERUSALEM BEFORE THE JOURNEY WAS COMPLETE.
WE ARE GIVEN NO DETAILS ON WHY BARNABAS WAS SO DETERMINED, BUT POSSIBLY HE SAW THE NEW TRAVEL AS A POSSIBILITY FOR JOHN MARK TO REDEEM HIMSELF, CONSIDERING THAT JOHN MARK WAS SAID TO BE A COUSIN TO BARNABAS.
THE CONTENTION WAS STRONG AND PAUL WAS DETERMINED NOT TO TAKE THE YOUNG MAN WITH HIM WHO MAY AGAIN QUIT THE TEAM IF THE TRAVEL SEEMS DIFFICULT.
AFTER HEATED DISPUTE THE TWO MEN “DEPARTED ASUNDER”, MEANING THE WERE TORN APART FROM EACH OTHER OVER THIS MATTER.
WE DO KNOW THE ISSUE WAS RESOLVED LATER AS PAUL WRITES SEVERAL YEARS LATER KINDLY ABOUT BARNABAS IN 1ST CORINTHIANS 9:6.
BARNABAS TOOK MARK AND WENT TO CYPRUS AND LUKE DOES NOT MENTION BARNABAS AGAIN IN THE BOOK OF ACTS.
PAUL WENT THROUGH SYRIA AND CELICIA TO ASIA MINOR WHERE HE MAKES HIS SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY.
WE DO KNOW THAT LATER PAUL SEEMED MORE AGREEABLE TOWARD MARK AND ACCORDING TO COLOSSIANS 4:10 MARK WAS WITH PAUL IN ROME.
PERHAPS MARK MATURED DURING HIS TRAVELS WITH BARNABUS AND HE BECAME THE WRITER OF THE SECOND GOSPEL UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF PETER.
WE SHOULD CONCLUDE WITH THE FACT THAT THE TEACHING TO ADD NOTHING TO GRACE FOR SALVATION THAT PAUL PREACHED IS STILL ACTIVE TODAY.
PAUL & BARNABUS TAUGHT THAT ONLY FAITH IN REPENTANCE TO CHRIST WAS NEEDED FOR SALVATION. HE WILL STRONGLY TEACH THIS LESSON AGAIN IN ACTS 16 TO THE PHILLIPIAN JAILER.
NO SIGN IN THE FLESH WAS NECESSARY, MEANING ONE WHO WAS A GENTILE NEED NOT BE CIRCUMCISED TO GAIN ETERNAL LIFE.
PAUL WILL LATER TEACH IN PHIL 3:3 & COL 2:11 THAT THE CIRCUMCISION OF THE HEART WAS NECESSARY, NOT OF THE FLESH.
IF WE SUBSTITUTE THE WORD “BAPTISM” FOR THE WORD “CIRCUMCISION” WE SEE SUCH TEACHING REMAINS AROUND US TODAY.
SOME WHO CALL THEMSELVES CHRISTIAN TEACH THAT SALVATION DOES NOT ARRIVE UNTIL ONE IS BAPTIZED IN WATER, THAT FAITH IN CHRIST AND HIS GRACE IS INSUFFICIENT.
THEY WILL MOVE MOUNTAINS TO ASSURE BAPTISM SAME DAY AS ACCEPTANCE AND TEACH THAT ONE IS NOT SAVED WITHOUT IT.
(CHURCH OF CHRIST / POINT 5 IN THEIR ARTICLES OF FAITH)
OF COURSE THEY TRY HARD TO NEVER DISCUSS THE SALVATION OF THE THIEF ON THE CROSS.
THESE WHO TEACH THIS FALSEHOOD ARE JUST AS SINCERE AS THE JEWS WERE IN THE DEBATE IN THE EARLY CHURCH.
THEY ARE SINCERE BUT ARE SINCERELY WRONG.
THOSE WHO ARGUED STRONGLY FOR CIRCUMCISION FOR SALVATION HAD NO ANSWER AS TO HOW THE HUNDREDS OF GENTILES ALREADY SAVED GAINED SALVATION WITHOUT IT.
CORNELIUS AND HIS HOUSEHOLD WERE GREAT EXAMPLES OF GENTILES WHO EXPRESSED FAITH AND ALL WERE BOTH SAVED AND WERE SEEN BY PETER TO HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT COME UPON THEM.
GOD HAD ALREADY GIVEN MUCH EVIDENCE AS TO WHAT WAS NECESSARY FOR SALVATION, AND THEREFORE PAUL AND THE OTHER APOSTLES PREVAILED IN THE MEETING AT JERUSALEM.
NEXT WEEK WE STUDY THE FREEDOM AND FLEXIBILITY OF THE SPIRIT.
