#BibleStudy. Expressions of Faith. Acts Ch 12. On the Necks of Gentiles

 

⁸ God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. ⁹ He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. ¹⁰ Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? ¹¹ No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

Acts 15:8-11 

There’s almost always a person or sub-group that wants to have their way with specific details in any new group.

For the early church, circumcised believers, including converted Pharisees formed a vocal group on one issue.

Pharisees 

• were the strictest Jewish sect when interpreting Jewish Law. 
• were responsible for the hundreds of clarification laws that defined nearly every Old Testament term to the nth-degree.
• considered dragging your toe in the dirt while walking on the Sabbath to be plowing. Plowing is work, therefore dragging you toe a sin. 
• converting to Christianity felt obligated to assist the less-learned converts in the proper ways of worship.

Mandating Jewish Law in Christianity ripped the fabric of the new church.

Circumcision, a critical step in the life of all Jewish males, was taught as a mandatory step for uncircumcised male converts.

• The church in Antioch chooses Paul and Barnabas to plead the case against mandatory inclusion of Jewish Law in the church and sends them to Jerusalem.
• There was a heated debate on the topic in Jerusalem.

In Chapter 10, Peter experienced a vision from God making it clear that Jewish dietary restrictions would not be imposed on Gentile Christians.

Ultimately, Peter takes the floor in Jerusalem.

• Acts 15:8-1l, printed at the beginning of this post, is part of Peter’s argument.
• “God’s way of salvation by grace” replaces the desired “My way or the highway” of Jewish Law taught by the Pharisees.

What tradition from your past are you reluctant to allow other believers to ignore?

• How much like circumcision is it?

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