The early church had a difficult time sorting out where circumcision and obedience to the Mosaic law fit into their newfound faith in Jesus Christ. In Acts 15 we find them debating and hashing this out, until the Spirit made them of one mind on the matter.
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Grace Alone, Through Faith Alone!
Acts 15:1-35
As we come to Acts 15, we come a crisis in the life of the early church. It was a crisis of doctrine. The church needed clarity on the Gentile believer’s relationship to the OT (Mosaic) Law. In Acts 10 Gentiles were converted for the first time. The Jerusalem leaders had been able to reassure themselves that God was in it, because they had received the Spirit exactly as the Jews had. Then, more Gentiles were converted in Antioch. However, after the 1st missionary journey had been completed, that trickle of Gentile conversion was becoming a torrent. The Jerusalem leaders had no problem with Gentiles being saved, because many Old Testament passages predicted this. Their theological issue was whether these Gentiles needed to be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses in order to be saved.
As we work our way through Acts 15, we are going to look at The Dispute (1-5), then The Discussion (6-21), and finally The Decision (22-35).
1. The Dispute: 15:1-5.
Who Were The Opponents? In a debate, each debater will refer to the other as his “opponent.” Well who were the opponents of Paul and Barnabas?
- Some men from Judea: These were from Jerusalem, the Jewish center of Christianity.
- The sect of the Pharisees who had believed: These were Jewish believers with a background as Pharisees, just like Paul.
What Was The Historical Situation? In order to understand the situation, you need to read Galatians and Acts 15 side by side. Paul and Barnabas had just completed their 1st missionary journey. On this journey they had made many disciples in several cities, a large number being Gentiles. When they came to faith in Christ, they were incorporated into God’s people through baptism, but they were not required to be circumcised or to obey the Law of Moses. When Paul and Barnabas arrived home in Antioch, they spent a long time with the disciples (14:28). Well, it is at this time that “certain men from James” (Gal.2:12) came down, who Paul considered to be “false brethren” (Gal.2:4). They sneaked in to spy out their liberty in Christ, in order to bring them into bondage.
What was their message? 15:1,5. Gentiles must be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses to be saved.
How did Paul and Barnabas respond? 15:2. Great dissension and debate! There must have been sparks flying, raised voices, and passionate disputing. Evidently, neither side could convince the other, so the brethren in Antioch decided that Paul and Barnabas with some others should go up to Jerusalem to discuss this issue.
What was the problem Paul faced? Some of these Judaizers had gone to the churches that Paul had planted and were convincing these new converts that faith in Christ was not enough. They needed to embrace the whole OT Law. The Judaizers were saying that Paul gave only ½ the message to these Gentiles, to make it more appealing. They showed up with the OT scrolls in hand, which they said came before the gospel, and started instructing them to live by the OT laws and regulations. The believers had been regenerated and desired to please God and grow in holiness, so some began to accept this false message. The Judaizers offered them membership in the one true people of God. Yes, circumcision might be painful, but it would be a mark of real commitment. Paul knew he needed to go up to Jerusalem to face the apostles who presumably had endorsed these “false brethren”. Now, Paul couldn’t be in two places at one time. He must have been torn between wanting to back to the churches he had planted and make sure they did not desert the true gospel of grace for a gospel of grace plus law, and going up to Jerusalem. So what did he decide? He would write a short letter and send it to the Galatian churches, warning them of this false gospel of grace plus law, faith plus works, Christ plus circumcision, but then go up to Jerusalem to have it out with the apostles in Jerusalem.
What Happened when they Got to Jerusalem? 15:4. They were received by the apohstles and elders. They found out that these Judaizers had not been sent from James, but they had just claimed James’ authority as their backing. Paul submitted to them the gospel of grace he had been preaching among the Gentiles, to see if they were all on the same page (Gal.2:1-3,6). The apostles recognized the grace God had given to Paul and gave them the right hand of fellowship. They didn’t correct Paul in the least in his understanding of salvation by grace, but agreed completely.
Why did the Judaizers Believe in the Necessity of Keeping the Law? Before we come down too hard on them, we should try to understand their situation. For at least 2,000 years, the only way to become one of the true people of God was through circumcision. If Gentiles wanted to be saved, they needed to be incorporated into Israel through circumcision and learn to obey God’s requirements in the Law. When Jesus died, He brought monumental changes. He abolished much of the Old Testament laws, especially rites and rituals and food laws. The Church was in an age of transition, where they were trying to figure out what Christ’s death and resurrection meant for them. It took time for the Holy Spirit to show them their new relationship to the OT Law. Remember, that the Pharisees’ whole life was spent in pursuit of keeping the Law. They revered the Law, and gloried in it. Thus you can see how difficult it would be to accept that their salvation had nothing to do with Law-keeping, and that Gentiles could be incorporated into the true people of God apart from circumcision.
What Was The Bottom Line Issue? The issue was really whether Gentiles had to become Jews before becoming Christians, or whether they could be Christians simply through faith in Christ. Was Christianity a sect of Judaism, or was it something completely new and different? In the first missionary journey, God had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. Well, now these Judaizers were making it difficult for them to get through the door! Jesus broke down the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile in His death, and they were trying to build it back up. So, this was an extremely important theological issue that needed to be solved. Was salvation a gift of grace, or was it dependent on law-keeping?
2. The Discussion: 15:6-21.
Who investigated this thorny theological issue? 15:6. The apostles and elders – the leadership of the church in Jerusalem. They were respected by all, because they had been Christians the longest. After all, the Christian movement began in Jerusalem. The whole church in Jerusalem consisting of several thousand believers didn’t look into the matter. This was an issue for the leadership to consider and resolve. I believe that when theological issues arise in the local church, it is the duty and responsibility of the leaders to tackle and solve them. We are not to determine doctrine by taking a vote of the church! In this discussion there were three primary speakers.
- Peter: 15:7-11. What is Peter’s primary point? Vs.9 “He made no distinction between us and them.” Notice the “us-them” and “we-they” theme. It repeats four times in 15:8,9,11. So, whatever God has done for the Jews, Peter says, He also does for the Gentiles.
What did God do for the Jews? He saved them by grace, not law! In fact, the Law was a yoke with neither they nor their fathers were ever able to bear (15:10). No one had ever been able to keep the Law. In fact, God never gave the Law as a means of salvation. It was given not to save, but to condemn – to show sinners that they were guilty and needed salvation from someone else. Since they could not keep the Law to be saved, they turned instead to God’s grace – His undeserved favor in Christ.
How Is Grace Received? 15:9. God cleansed their hearts by faith. Faith is the God given means to appropriate His grace. Faith is set in contrast to works. Grace is set in contrast to Law. Peter is saying that all men are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone!!
How did Peter know God saved them by grace through faith? 15:8. God gave them the Holy Spirit, evidenced by their ability to speak in other tongues. And that salvation was given while they were uncircumcised and had not obeyed any Old Testament laws.
Conclusion? 15:11. All men, Jew and Gentile are saved on exactly the same basis: by grace through faith in Christ ALONE!
- Barnabas and Paul: 15:12. Whereas Peter appealed to eye-witness testimony, Paul and Barnabas appealed to signs and wonders. Their message was one of sheer grace. Acts 13:39 “and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.” And God confirmed that message with signs and wonders. We never read of God doing signs and wonders to confirm the message of the Judaizers, but He did so to confirm the message of salvation by grace through faith!
- James: 15:12-21. Whereas Peter appealed to eye-witness testimony, Paul to signs and wonders, James appealed to the Word of God. Ultimately, this must become the ground and basis for any doctrinal conclusion we arrive at. Notice, that the Council did not come to their doctrinal conclusions through fresh revelation from a prophet. They came to their conclusion by comparing what God had done in these Gentiles’ lives by the Word of God. So, what is the emphasis of James’ argument?
The OT Scriptures Agree with Peter’s Message: Peter spoke of how God saved these Gentiles through faith, now Law. James brought up Amos 9:11-12. Notice in the Scripture that James quotes, that he speaks of “the rest of mankind” and “all the Gentiles” – two references to the Gentiles being saved. Notice also, that these Gentiles are not seeking after Israel, or the Law of Moses, or circumcision. They are seeking the Lord (15:17), and the Lord is accepting them by granting them His name. How will God call and save the Gentiles? By rebuilding the tabernacle of David and restoring it. Now, there are various ways interpreters approach this passage. Dispensationalists take this “tabernacle” quite literally, and say it applies to a rebuilt temple at the end of the world. However, keep in mind that James is seeking to prove that this text is showing how God was calling out the Gentiles in his own day unto salvation. James’ concern was not about what would happen at the end of world history, but how the Gentiles were being saved in his own day. It is for this reason, that the older writers believe that the tabernacle of David which had fallen down refers to God’s kingdom which Jesus came to call men and women into (Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand!). Through Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, He would rebuild and restore God’s kingdom (within Israel), and then God would bring in the Gentiles. Of course all of this took place as the gospel went first to the Jew. When the Jews rejected the gospel of grace, the apostles took it to the Gentiles.
What is James’ Conclusion? 15:19-21. Apparently, James was the Moderator of this Council. He listened to all, and then spoke last. The rest of the apostles and elders recognized the God-given wisdom in his judgment, and all agreed with it. I don’t think James gave his conclusion as a dogma or decree, but as his personal judgment. So what was it?
1) We should not require the Gentiles to keep the Law to be saved: In other words we shouldn’t place them under the burden of the Law. James says nothing of the necessity of circumcision here, or for that matter the Sabbath, or Tithing. James completely agrees with Peter and Paul, that salvation is of Pure Grace, unmixed with any works of the Law. Salvation has nothing to do with our performance, but everything to do with Jesus’ Performance!
2) We should ask the Gentiles to do 4 things out of love for their Jewish brothers: Notice that these 3 things are not in order for them to be saved. 15:29 “if they do them they will do well, NOT they will be saved.” So what were they? 3 of them have to do with food regulations and one with a marriage law.
- Things contaminated by idols: this is the same as “things sacrificed to idols” in 15:29.
- What is strangled:
- Blood: things strangled and blood are referring to the same thing. Leviticus 17 prohibits the eating of blood or flesh that still has the blood in it. If an animal is strangled, the blood is not drained.
- Fornication: This word refers to sexual immorality. It may refer to the fact that the Gentiles participated in fornication with temple prostitutes readily, so that they were blinded to the evil of this as sin against God, just as multitudes are ignorant of the sinfulness of fornication today. Or it could refer to incest (Lev.18). Jews were taught that they ought not marry those from their own family, while Gentiles would think little about those regulations.
Why Did James Think They Should Ask This of the Gentiles? 15:21. Because the believing Jews in the local churches had been long accustomed to hearing the Law of Moses over and over, and consequently their consciences were hyper-sensitive over these issues. Both Jews and Gentiles were trying to worship together in these local churches. The churches would often eat together; hence the advice about the Gentiles voluntarily restricting their liberties with food. James is simply asking the Gentiles to love their Jewish brothers, by not purposely doing things that would offend them or wound their consciences. It was not a matter of Law but of Love.
3. The Decision: 15:22-35.
Who agreed on the decision? 15:22. Everyone! The apostles, elders and whole church. Oh the blessing when a church can come to consensus on important decisions!
What was the decision? 15:22. To send Judas and Silas with Barnabas and Paul with a letter from all the apostles to be read in the Gentile churches. If only Paul and Barnabas carried the letter, the Judaizers would have said that the letter was rigged or forged. Judas and Silas would confirm and explain the contents of the letter.
What was the Content of the Letter? 15:23-29. Basically what James suggested. They disavowed that the Judaizers were sent out with their approval or authority. Instead they condemn their teachings, and support the teaching of Paul and Barnabas. Notice the good light they put Paul and Barnabas in (beloved, risked their lives for Jesus).
What was the Result when the Letter was Read? 15:31. They rejoiced because of its encouragement. Why would a letter telling them they had to abstain from four Jewish Laws be encouraging? To answer that question, let me quote a letter a young woman wrote to her parents when she had gone off to college. “Dear Mom and Dad, I just thought I would drop you a note to clue you in on my plans. I have fallen in love with a guy called Jim. He quit high school after the 11th grade to get married. About a year ago he got a divorce. We have been going steady for 2 months and plan to get married in the Fall. I dropped out of school last week, although I’d like to finish school in the future.” On the next page the letter continued, “Mom and Dad, I just want you to know that everything I wrote so far in this letter is false. None of it is true. But Mom and Dad, it is true that I got a C in French and flunked Math. And it is true that I am going to need some more money for my tuition payments.” News that may not sound particularly good sounds terrific when we look at it from a different perspective. For the believers in Antioch, a few minor food restrictions so they didn’t offend their Jewish brothers were nothing compared to the burden of keeping the Law to be saved!
Conclusion
There are 2 Primary Applications I believe the Spirit of God wants us to make from this passage:
1) Never allow anything to be added to Christ’s Finished Work as the ground of your salvation! Believers today can make the same mistake that the Judaizers made so many hundreds of years ago. When I go out and survey people, I find that they understand there is 1 God, that they are sinners, that there is a heaven and hell. Where they wrong invariably is their ground of salvation. In 9 cases out of 10, they point to something in themselves as the ground of their salvation. “I’m a good person. I’m generous. I’m caring. I never did anything really bad.” If I gently point them to Christ and His finished work as the ground of salvation, they will say, “Oh yeah, of course I believe in all of that.” However, they do not consciously think of Him as the reason they will be saved. They think of something they have done.
Sometimes people think that they are saved by faith in Christ PLUS their baptism, or their church attendance, or their bible study, or their charity. If you trust in those things, they will lead to death! The old hymn says it well, “Lay your deadly doing down, down at Jesus’ feet. Stand in Him, in Him alone, gloriously complete.” Or again, “Do this and live the Law commands, but gives me neither feet nor hands. A better word the gospel brings. It bids me fly and gives me wings!” Preach the gospel to yourself every day! Remind yourself that it is by the grace of God that you are who you are!
2) Be Willing to Set Aside Your Liberty for the Sake of Your Brother in Christ! That is the message of Romans 14. Some believers know and understand their liberty to eat meat, or drink alcohol, or for a woman to wear pants, or wear makeup, etc. Others have weak consciences which will not allow them to do these things. So, we need to love our brothers more than our liberty. We need to be willing to lay down what we want to do, if it is going to stumble our brother in his walk with Christ. This means first of all, that we must know one another well enough to know what will stumble them. Secondly, it means that our priority is not to indulge our desires, but to love and serve one another!
May God bless you as you seek to apply His Word today!
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