Day 1172: As it is written - Acts 15 vs 13 - 29

13-18 After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written, “‘After this I will return and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things known from of old.’ 19-21 Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”

22-26 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27-29 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.” Acts 15:13-29 English Standard Version

Having heard Peter speak of his experience, how God chose him to take the gospel to the gentiles, and then hearing Paul and Barnabas tell of all God had done through them, it was now James' turn to address the council. He was one Mary's sons who was born after Jesus. He wisely turned their attention to the word of God, and says 'it is written'. God's word must always be our final authority in all questions of the faith!

He quoted from the Septuagint translation of Amos 9:11-12 where God told of a day when He would rebuild the tent of David, and even the gentiles called by His name would be saved. Oh that more denominations would let God speak through what He has written for our instruction. So what decision did the Church come to concerning gentile converts and the law of Moses? (vs 19-21)

The GotQuestions website says: “The Council gave four 'rules' for Gentile Christians to live by. They were not rules they must follow in order to be saved, rather, they were to build harmony between Jewish and Gentile Christians in the first century.” Essentially, they were called to break away from sexual immorality and idolatry. The site goes on to say “there are still groups today who teach that Christians must obey the Old Testament Law to be saved. Whether it's the Sabbath day or food laws, observance is either required for salvation, or at least a crucially important aspect of the Christian life.” Not so, said the council.

The fact that James said “from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues”, suggests that even the gentiles knew by now that lying, stealing and adultery were wrong. But he says: “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, from blood, from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well.” What God had written, and what seemed good to the Holy Spirit, was enough to settle the debate. And so they sent Judas and Silas with Barnabas and Paul with a letter to the Church at Antioch. How the Church still needs to look to what God has written in the New Testament when it comes to settling the debate on modern day contentious issues.