Day 1168: By faith, and through grace - Acts 15 vs 1 - 12

1-2 But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. 3 So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers. 4-5 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”

6-9 The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. 10-11 Now therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” 12 And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. Acts 15:1-12 English Standard Version

We read today of a momentous turning point for the Church. With Paul and Barnabas having already preached the gospel to gentiles, the Church had to decide whether gentile converts needed to be circumcised. Paul and Barnabas had already had fierce debate with those who took that position, and so it was decided to take the matter to the apostles and elders af what, at that time, was still the 'mother church', as the gospel had first been preached in Jerusalem.

Notice that elders discussed this issue with the apostles. The apostles didn't assume that they were in charge. There was much debate, as the issue was seen as being important. It was Peter, who eventually pointed out what the real issue was. He said “why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?” One only has to read what prophets like Jeremiah and Ezekiel had said of the Jews to realize how true Peter's words were.

Perhaps Peter recalled the words of the Lord Jesus who said “Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-29) And so he reminded them of how God had not made any distinction between Jew and Gentile, but had cleansed their hearts by faith, and given Gentiles the Holy Spirit just as He had to the first Jewish converts.

He hit the nail on the head by saying that even the Jews believed they were saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as Gentiles would be. He went to the heart of the matter by pointing out that it was a matter of the heart! Our hearts are cleansed from sin by faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ, rather than our efforts to keep the yoke of God's law. Paul would later on tell Christians in Galatia that “If they counted on circumcision to make them right with God, Christ would be of no benefit to them! If they were trying to find favour with God by being circumcised, they needed to obey every regulation in the whole law of Moses. And if they were trying to make themselves right with God by keeping the law, then they have been cut off from Christ, and had fallen away from God’s grace.” (Galatians 5:2-4 New Living Bible)

Truly, we are saved by faith, and not our works. And this is through the grace of God.