Wednesday, November 4, 2009

November 4

Acts 15: 1-30

Then certain individuals came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." 2 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 discuss this question with the apostles and the elders. 3 So they were sent on their way by the church, and as they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, they reported the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the believers. 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them. 5 But some believers who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees stood up and said, "It is necessary for them to be circumcised and ordered to keep the law of Moses." 6 The apostles and the elders met together to consider this matter. 7 After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "My brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that I should be the one through whom the Gentiles would hear the message of the good news and become believers. 8 And God, who knows the human heart, testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us; 9 and in cleansing their hearts by faith he has made no distinction between them and us. 10 Now therefore why are you putting God to the test by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? 11 On the contrary, we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will." 12 The whole assembly kept silence, and listened to Barnabas and Paul as they told of all the signs and wonders that God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 After they finished speaking, James replied, "My brothers, listen to me. 14 Simeon has related how God first looked favorably on the Gentiles, to take from among them a people for his name. 15 This agrees with the words of the prophets, as it is written, 16 'After this I will return, and I will rebuild the dwelling of David, which has fallen; from its ruins I will rebuild it, and I will set it up, 17 so that all other peoples may seek the Lord-- even all the Gentiles over whom my name has been called. Thus says the Lord, who has been making these things 18 known from long ago.' 19 Therefore I have reached the decision that we should not trouble those Gentiles who are turning to God, 20 but we should write to them to abstain only from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from whatever has been strangled and from blood. 21 For in every city, for generations past, Moses has had those who proclaim him, for he has been read aloud every sabbath in the synagogues." 22 Then the apostles and the elders, with the consent of the whole church, decided to choose men from among their members and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leaders among the brothers, 23 with the following letter: "The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the believers of Gentile origin in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. 24 Since we have heard that certain persons who have gone out from us, though with no instructions from us, have said things to disturb you and have unsettled your minds, 25 we have decided unanimously to choose representatives and send them to you, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to impose on you no further burden than these essentials: 29 that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from fornication. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell." 30 So they were sent off and went down to Antioch. When they gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter.

Even in the early church there were those who argued “we have never done it that way before.” This is not about being unwilling to accept change. The question the early church is addressing is what is required of one to become a Christian. Is a Christian a Jew who believes in Jesus? Or is a Christian anyone who believes in Jesus regardless of ethnic identity? For us this question has been answered. For the early church this is a question about how to interpret scripture and what is the nature of belonging to the community of faith.

On the one hand scripture is very clear from Genesis 17 that only circumcised males are members of the covenant people. Other references in the Old Testament support this conclusion. So the others are coming to Antioch with clear words of scripture to support their arguments. This is not simply put an argument about legalism or the gospel. This is an argument about what is necessary for salvation and being a member of the church.

Ultimately the issue comes before the leaders of the church in Jerusalem. I have called this the first church assembly or convention. It is clear that it was a gathering to decide what to say to these increasing Gentile Christians.

The decision is based on the fact that Jews and Gentiles alike are saved by the grace of God in Jesus Christ. With this as the foundation the leaders are able to set aside the requirement of circumcision for the Gentile converts. They do not abandon the law. They apply it with a focus on the saving work of Jesus. The admonition to abstain from meats sold at temple stores, fornication and eating strangled meat are all part of avoiding practices associated with idol worship. Gentile Christians will not have to be circumcised, but the mark of their faith will be in leaving idol worship and joining in worship with the church.

Reflection questions:
1. What do you hear when the report is prefaced with the words, “it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us…”?
2. Is there danger in applying scripture in this way that focuses on the grace of God as the primary interpretive tool?
3. How does omitting circumcision but keeping other rules fit under this grace principle?

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