Acts 15:1-35 (Wednesday Evening Bible Study)

Acts 15:1-35

• If someone who did not know much about Christianity and they asked you, “How is a person saved?” How would you respond? By the grace of God by way of Faith in Jesus Christ.
• Context:
  • We are in Acts 15 tonight and this crucial question is dealt with.  Paul and Barnabas finished their 1st missionary journey and have returned to Antioch in Syria.  We need to remember that the bulk of the church worldwide is primarily made up of Jewish Christians.  The church was founded in 30AD about ten years later the gentiles in Antioch are receiving the gospel.  Paul & Barnabas go on their 1st missionary journey 46-47 AD.  So the church had thousands of Jewish converts before the 1st non-Jewish person.
• Acts 15:1-5
• Some men came down from Judea and began to teach the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom prescribed by Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 After Paul and Barnabas had engaged them in serious argument and debate, Paul and Barnabas and some others were appointed to go up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem about this issue. 3 When they had been sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they brought great joy to all the brothers and sisters. 4 When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, the apostles, and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them. 5 But some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”
  • Who are these certain people and what are they teaching?
    • See verse 5 They were Jewish Christians… it appears these were Pharisees that had become Christians.  They were teaching that to be saved one must also be circumcised.  We need to understand the circumcision was viewed by Jewish teachers as a pledge to keep the entire Law of Moses.
  • Were they concerned about salvation of Gentiles?
    • These Jewish Christian have been taught all their life that the Law of Moses embodies requirements of Holinesses to God. It appears they were concerned about salvation but thought the only way to receive it was thru Jesus and observing the Law.  
  • Were there sinister motives?
    • We don’t know.
  • Why were Christian Jewish Pharisees mandating circumcision for Gentile Christians?
    • Would Jews share a meal with Gentiles? No they would not.  So circumcision cleared the way for the Jews to fellowship with their Gentile Christian brothers.  In other words they need to submit to being Jews. These Jewish Christians don’t want to give up the law, their kosher food, and Sabbath observance because all these things identify them as a distinct people. So to them Christ is not enough.
  • How did Paul and Barnabas respond to their teaching?
    • Sharpe dispute…They were refuting what these men were teaching. 
  • Why was this issue so important?
    • See Galatians 5:3-4 3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 
  • All this had the church in Antioch unsettled.  So much they send Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem to settle the issue.
    • It was not so much circumcision versus uncircumcision but is the gospel alone sufficient unto salvation.
  • What happened right after Paul and Barnabas give a report on the work they have done?
    • See verse 5…Challenge from the Pharisaic Christians… What is they want done?
• Acts 15:6-11
• 6 The apostles and the elders gathered to consider this matter. 7 After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you are aware that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the gospel message and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he also did to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. 10 Now then, why are you testing God by putting a yoke on the disciples’ necks that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? 11 On the contrary, we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus in the same way they are.”
  • What does Peter remind them of?
    • The conversion of Cornelius and family the pouring out of the Holy Spirit on them. The 1st Gentile.
  • Notice how were their hearts purified?
    • By faith not by circumcision and other Law keeping. Whose decision was it to extend saving grace to all people? God’s, so this is not a Peter or Paul decision.
  • What does Peter mean when he says…putting on their necks a yoke that we cannot bear?
    • Yoke is the keeping of the Law…which doesn’t bring salvation.  
  • Are we still under the Law today?
    • Consider the following:
      • As followers of Jesus we are not governed by the law. But we are led by the Spirit of Christ, and prompted by love. And this is magnificently more powerful to change one’s life than law ever was.  
      • Under the New Covenant we are commanded to love God and love people
      • The appeal to obedience under the New Covenant is not law, but what? Relationship. We do not keep New Testament commands in order to earn merit or to escape punishment. (Which are the only two reasons one keeps law.) But we keep them because of the relationship we have with Jesus. Our obedience to the words of Christ reflect the depth of love for our Master and our level of Christian maturity.  
      • What did Jesus do with the law?  See Matthew 5:17 Jesus fulfilled it in two ways, (1) by obeying it completely, and (2) by fulfilling it or retiring it. The law is fulfilled in Jesus living it out and by His sacrifice.
  • According to Peter how is one saved?
    • Verse 11…through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved…
• Acts 15:12-18
• 12 The whole assembly became silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul describe all the signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 After they stopped speaking, James responded, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simeon has reported how God first intervened to take from the Gentiles a people for his name. 15 And the words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written: 16 After these things I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. I will rebuild its ruins and set it up again, 17 so that the rest of humanity may seek the Lord—even all the Gentiles who are called by my name—declares the Lord who makes these things 18 known from long ago.
  • Why do you think Paul and Barnabas emphasized the signs and wonders done among the Gentiles?
    • This offers proof of God’s approval for what they were doing.
  • Who is the James that speaks up here? And what does he point out?
    • The half-brother of Jesus. He links Peter’s report with prophecies concerning Gentiles and the kingdom of God. What Paul and Barnabas have told shows the fulfillment of these prophecies is taking place. Where is this prophecy found? Amos 9:11-12
• Acts 15:19-21
• 19 Therefore, in my judgment, we should not cause difficulties for those among the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 but instead we should write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from eating anything that has been strangled, and from blood. 21 For since ancient times, Moses has had those who proclaim him in every city, and every Sabbath day he is read aloud in the synagogues.”
  • What is James conclusion and what does he recommend?
    • No other burden should be added to Gentiles accepting the gospel. He recommends a letter be sent to the Gentile congregations.
• Acts 15:22-29
• 22 Then the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, decided to select men who were among them and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas, called Barsabbas, and Silas, both leading men among the brothers. 23 They wrote:“From the apostles and the elders, your brothers, To the brothers and sisters among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings. 24 Since we have heard that some without our authorization went out from us and troubled you with their words and unsettled your hearts, 25 we have unanimously decided to select men and send them to you along with our dearly loved Barnabas and Paul, 26 who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who will personally report the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it was the Holy Spirit’s decision—and ours—not to place further burdens on you beyond these requirements: 29 that you abstain from food offered to idols, from blood, from eating anything that has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. You will do well if you keep yourselves from these things. Farewell.”
  • What do you think of this letter?
    • Any question why they choose these things for them to avoid? These regulations can be found in Leviticus 17 & 18 directed to Aliens (non-Jewish people living in Israel.)
  • Does the letter make clear the apostles were not behind the teaching about circumcision?
    • It doesn’t even mention it.
  • Are these laws that are given to the Gentile Christians?
    • No!  These are not laws given to the Gentiles. Following Jesus you would avoid sexual immorality. The Immorality mentioned here probably is related to idol worship. In other words, this is not so much about their salvation. So what are these? They are commands or regulations which, when kept, would keep the Jews who might become Christians, from being offended by their potential Gentile brothers and sisters in Christ.  So these prohibitions are not commands for salvation but essentials for Christian unity between the Christian Jew and Christian Gentile. 
• Acts 15:30-35
• 30 So they were sent off and went down to Antioch, and after gathering the assembly, they delivered the letter. 31 When they read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. 32 Both Judas and Silas, who were also prophets themselves, encouraged the brothers and sisters and strengthened them with a long message. 33 After spending some time there, they were sent back in peace by the brothers and sisters to those who had sent them. 35 But Paul and Barnabas, along with many others, remained in Antioch, teaching and proclaiming the word of the Lord.
  • How was the Letter received by the Gentile Christians?
    • They were encouraged by it. It was clear nothing else was being added to the gospel for them.
• TAKW AWAY
  • Should we require more than God does concerning salvation?
  • Godly leaders open to the leading of the Holy Spirit and God’s Word were able to discern the truth of God’s will and apply this truth in a practical way.
  • False or incorrect teaching needed to be challenged. 
• Additional info: Why we are no longer under the law.
  • One must keep all the law to be justified by it, which has never been done, except by Jesus, (Galatians 3:10–12; 5:3).
  • The law can only condemn. It never makes one righteous (Romans 3:19, 20; 7:10,11; Galatians 2:16–21; 3:10,11,21).
  • The law arouses sinful passion (Romans 7:5). 
  • Law produces sin by informing us of our sin and educating us further as to what sin is and how to do it (Romans 3:20; 7:7, 8). 
  • The law is slavery, grace is freedom (Galatians 4:9–11, 21–26; 5:1). 
  • Those under law are severed from Christ (Galatians 4:11; 5:4). 
  • We have been released from the law (Romans 3:21; 8:1–3). 
  • We died, thus are free from the law (Romans 6:4–7; 7:1, 4; Galatians 2:18–20). 
  • Faith preceded and superseded the law (Galatians 3:15–25). 
  • Only faith can produce righteousness (Galatians 3:5–9). 
  • Christ abolished [KATARGEO = Render powerless], the law (Ephesians 2:15).
  • The law was fulfilled by grace, and thus retired (Romans 3:31; Matthew 5:17).
  • We are saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8–10; Acts 15:11).