RECEIVING NEW BELIEVERS
"Arriving there (Antioch) they (Barnabas and Paul) gathered the church together and declared all that God had accomplished with them, and how He had opened to the Gentiles a door of faith [in Jesus as the Messiah, through Whom we obtain salvation in the kingdom of God]. . . But some men came down from Judea and were instructing the brethren, Unless you are circumcised in accordance with the Mosaic custom, you cannot be saved" (Acts 14: 27, 15:1 AMP).
Both Barnabas and Paul disagreed with these men from Judea. So much so that it was agreed they go to the apostles in Jerusalem to confer "about the matter" (Acts 15:2). Here is the question debated: Should the Gentiles who, in God's eyes, are "cleansed by faith," be yoked with religious custom in order to be saved? (A custom that could not save those who had followed it in the past.) Peter, who was the chief apostle in the Jerusalem church at the time, made a statement foundational to faith in Christ: "But we believe that we are saved through the grace {the undeserved favor and mercy] of the Lord Jesus, just as they [are]" (Acts 15:11). This silenced the whole assembly and they began to listen attentively to the report of Barnabas and Paul (v.12). The issue was resolved by honoring the message of "salvation by faith in Jesus Christ." However, a message was sent to encourage the Gentiles to honor God with their bodies, as well as their hearts, with "these indispensable requirements: That you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from [tasting] blood and from [eating the meat of animals] that have been strangled and from sexual impurity." If you keep yourselves from these things, you will do well. Farewell--be strong!" (Acts 15:29)
Today, there is often the same concern when new believers enter the faith. We, who have been in church longer, can fall into the mindset that our religious customs must be adhered to in order for us to recognize some one's salvation. We must be careful not to yoke the new Christians among us with burdens that God did not intend anyone to bear. We are saved and made clean by Jesus Christ through our faith in Him. But there are some practical things we can teach these new "brethren" that, if followed, will do them good. They are the same for each generation: (1) Keep yourselves from idols; and, (2) Keep yourselves from sexual impurity. Think about it.
"Arriving there (Antioch) they (Barnabas and Paul) gathered the church together and declared all that God had accomplished with them, and how He had opened to the Gentiles a door of faith [in Jesus as the Messiah, through Whom we obtain salvation in the kingdom of God]. . . But some men came down from Judea and were instructing the brethren, Unless you are circumcised in accordance with the Mosaic custom, you cannot be saved" (Acts 14: 27, 15:1 AMP).
Both Barnabas and Paul disagreed with these men from Judea. So much so that it was agreed they go to the apostles in Jerusalem to confer "about the matter" (Acts 15:2). Here is the question debated: Should the Gentiles who, in God's eyes, are "cleansed by faith," be yoked with religious custom in order to be saved? (A custom that could not save those who had followed it in the past.) Peter, who was the chief apostle in the Jerusalem church at the time, made a statement foundational to faith in Christ: "But we believe that we are saved through the grace {the undeserved favor and mercy] of the Lord Jesus, just as they [are]" (Acts 15:11). This silenced the whole assembly and they began to listen attentively to the report of Barnabas and Paul (v.12). The issue was resolved by honoring the message of "salvation by faith in Jesus Christ." However, a message was sent to encourage the Gentiles to honor God with their bodies, as well as their hearts, with "these indispensable requirements: That you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from [tasting] blood and from [eating the meat of animals] that have been strangled and from sexual impurity." If you keep yourselves from these things, you will do well. Farewell--be strong!" (Acts 15:29)
Today, there is often the same concern when new believers enter the faith. We, who have been in church longer, can fall into the mindset that our religious customs must be adhered to in order for us to recognize some one's salvation. We must be careful not to yoke the new Christians among us with burdens that God did not intend anyone to bear. We are saved and made clean by Jesus Christ through our faith in Him. But there are some practical things we can teach these new "brethren" that, if followed, will do them good. They are the same for each generation: (1) Keep yourselves from idols; and, (2) Keep yourselves from sexual impurity. Think about it.
© S.M. Hudson, Hidden Treasure Ministries, December 2003. All rights reserved.
Categories: forgiveness
