By Robert Olsen, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Christian Studies, University of Mobile
THE GOSPEL
Acts 15:7–9, 22–31
Requirements for Gentiles (7–9)
Some Jews had a problem with Gentiles receiving the gospel. According to the Jews, since God had given the Old Testament Law and everyone who loved God needed to keep it, this would include circumcision. As such, the uncircumcised Gentiles needed to be circumcised in addition to accepting the gospel.
Because this was such a big issue, there was a council in Jerusalem where Christians like Peter, Paul and Barnabas told about how the Gentiles had experienced salvation apart from circumcision. This was confirmed by the fact that they received the Holy Spirit.
It is easy to see why the Jews believed that the Gentiles should be circumcised. After all, it had been a Jewish practice for more than 1,000 years. This should help us to see that today we sometimes have cultural issues that we try to impose on new believers.
This is easiest to see in the history of Christian missions when at times, missionaries believed that new Christians needed the same style of church architecture and hymns, among other things. We often see the same type of issue today. Unless there is a biblical command, we need to allow for flexibility.
Not Bound (22–26)
Once the council reached a decision, they tasked Paul, Barnabas, Judas and Silas to spread the message that the Gentiles are not bound by the Jewish law. This was a crucial step in the history of the Church. Salvation is found by grace through faith in Christ, not by following external rules. Many people think they have to do something to be saved, but the Bible is clear that no one can earn their salvation.
The gospel is free for us. Christ died for us, paying the penalty for our sins and raising to life to show that death has no power over us anymore. This is a clear message, but it doesn’t sit well with some because it seems too easy. Many denominations and cults add to this so that salvation is no longer just about the gospel.
We have to be careful not to take our personal preferences and force them upon others. This takes the focus off of Christ and the gospel and puts a yoke on us instead.
Believers Rejoice (27–31)
The council detailed four things that Gentiles were to abstain from: food sacrificed to idols, blood, meat of strangled animals and sexual immorality. This may seem that the council was undermining their teaching about the gospel.
We can read from Paul in Romans that meat sacrificed to idols is a matter of personal conviction, so why is this council undermining Paul’s teaching?
The best answer is that these were practices associated with pagan temple rites, and it would be beneficial not to do them so that the Gentiles don’t fall back into pagan practices and so that pagans don’t misunderstand the gospel. (Avoiding sexual immorality is a universal Christian practice. It just needed to be emphasized because pagan culture was rife with immoral sexual practices, similar to our current society.)
There are things Christians will want to avoid in modern settings so that we are above reproach and don’t cause another Christian to stumble.
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