Acts 15:6-11 The apostles and elders met to consider this question. After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”
Paul, Barnabas and others from the Antioch church went to Jerusalem to discuss with the church leaders whether people needed to be circumcised to be followers of Christ. In Judaism circumcision is necessary to be accepted by God: this cutting of the flesh is a sign of being God’s people. Circumcision separates the Jews from all the rest of people in the world. In Paul and Barnabas’ ministry, they were not requiring circumcision as a step in being separated from the people of the world as believers in Christ as the Messiah. This caused some of the Judaic Christians to be concerned about the purity of their ministry. For they taught the grace and mercy of God through faith in Jesus Christ and his works. For the Judaic Christians, the law and circumcison were endemic in their view of God. Paul and Barnabas did teach circumcision but it was a circumcision of the heart, not of the flesh. They evaluated no one by the outward sign of circumcision. This sign of the flesh meant nothing to them; only the condition of the heart, changed by faith IN CHRIST, was the theme of their ministry. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:16-17) Paul emphasized the new creature, born IN GOD through faith alone. He was not in the remodeling mode of making the Jews or anyone better by being more zealous to laws and regulations. As Peter before him discovered, God affirms his own by giving them the Holy Spirit. Peter found this out in the house of Cornelius the centurion. While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. (Acts 10:44-46) Believing and trusting in Jesus as the Son of God changes the heart, brings the Holy Spirit to the souls of men and women. Real circumcision or separation to God as his own people is established in the heart, not in the outward flesh. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. The Gentiles who were once not God’s people were now being called in these latter days to his household. “I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me. (Isaiah 65:1) Paul and Barnabas were ambassadors to these people who had not been called, but are now called in these latter days. Through his Son Jesus Christ, God was reconciling the whole world to himself. This mystery hidden in God’s heart from the beginning of time was now being activated through the disciples, going throughout the world, preaching the Good News that whosoever believes in Jesus Christ as the Son of God will receive the circumcision of the heart, placing them in God’s kingdom forever. Nevertheless, this Good News of enduring change in the hearts of all people through faith in Jesus Christ alone was being challenged by the Judaic Christians.
The law and its regulations were always on trial in Jesus’ ministry. The teachers of the law followed Jesus from place to place. They did not appreciate that Jesus did good works on the Sabbath. He and his disciples were too active on the day of rest. Jesus, every day was constantly healing people; the Sabbath was no exception. Because of this fact, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were present with Jesus on the Sabbath, listening to him minister in a synagogue. A man with a deformed hand was also in the synagogue. Because Jesus was constantly healing people, his critics anticipated that Jesus would probably heal this man. John wrote, Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. (John 21:25) The enemies of Jesus were expecting Jesus to heal this man. Jesus knew why these men were there with him in that synagogue. HIs critics were there to condemn him if He healed this man who had lived with his deformity all his life. This could be considered a set-up by God. Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand in front of everyone.”So he got up and stood there. Then Jesus said to them,“I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?” He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand. ”He did so, and hishand was completely restored. (Luke 6:8-10)By healing this man on the Sabbath, Jesus was demonstrating that God is always working, always doing good to people, even on the Sabbath. If an earthquake hit Jerusalem on the Sabbath, the people rightly would flee, carrying their belongings. God allowed good or necessary activity on the Sabbath when it meant survival or restoration. “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions. ”Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man (enjoyment), not man for the Sabbath (enjoyment). So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:25-28) The Sabbath was a time to reflect on God’s goodness, his mercy and grace to humans, not a time to be bound by law and regulations. The Sabbath was made so that men and animals would not have to work seven days for their living, but that this day was one for them to reflect on God’s mercy and love for them, a time of rest and restoration. Jesus became the Sabbath to people in reality. He is the freedom from work; He is the grace and mercy of God. This was the message of Paul and Barnabas to all people. Believers did not need the sign of circumcision to be right with God. They did not need obedience to the Sabbath regulations; they only needed faith in Jesus Christ and his works. The cross ransomed all believers from their bondage to sin and to the works of the flesh. They were free from the cumbersome burden of the law.
Peter in defense of Paul's ministry asked these Jews who claimed circumcision to be a necessary act of salvation, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? This yoke of the law was heavy and not even the Pharisees or the Sadducees were able to fulfill the law in their lives. Jesus called them hypocrites, for their hearts were cold to the grace and mercy of God; yet they bound the people with the heavy burden of the law and its regulations. John the Baptist knew the condition of the Israelites’ leaders by calling out for them to repent. He saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. (Matthew 3:7-10) Now in the above focus, we see Peter pleading for the wholesome message of Jesus alone, not laws and regulations that even the leaders of the Jewish community could not satisfy. Paul knows in his journey through the Gentile communities that God did not discriminate between the law bound Jews and the lawless Gentiles. As Peter said,He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are. Paul and Barnabas’ ministry affirmed that God was in the saving business, Jew and Gentile. He was giving all who put their trust in Jesus Christ, God’s Son, the eternal Holy Spirit. They saw the fruit of their ministry; how happy the Gentiles were to know they were part of God’s family. These two disciples suffered much to bring this message of eternal life to the Greek communities. But their suffering was worthwhile because many were coming to the true knowledge of Jesus being the Lord of all people. Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:16-17) The law was given to Moses to release the people from their bondage of sin, but the law could not change the heart. The law demanded a lifestyle, a way by actions to please a righteous and holy God. But man’s sinful nature was unable to appease a holy God by his actions alone; he needed a complete transformation, a new beginning, a new life, and only Jesus could bring that to him. In Jesus' discussing the necessity of a new life with Nicodemus, Jesus says,“Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered,“Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”(John 3:3-8) Peter is telling the Jerusalem council that as in Jesus’ words, wind blows wherever it pleases.Paul has seen the wind of the Holy Spirit fall on many new believers. As with Jesus’ ministry, these believers will show God’s plan. They will be people of power, possessors of the Dynamo of God. If God does not discriminate, why should men by placing the burden of works on them. LET THEM BE FREE TO DO THE WORKS OF GOD IN THIS WORLD. Amen! It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm,then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1)
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