Acts 15:1-21 - The Jerusalem Councel

Introduction

Last Week

Paul appointed elders at the churches he established

They continued on preaching the word until the arrived back at Antioch where they had started.

End of the 1st Missionary Journey

This Week

The Jerusalem Counsel

Intense controversy around the gospel and what is required for one to be saved.

The Text - Acts 15:1-21

The Need for the Council (v.1-5)

Acts 15:1–5 ESV

1 But some men 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 the apostles and the elders about this question. 3 So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers. 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. 5 But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”

Gospel Corruption and Confusion

Some people were stirring up trouble amongst the believers! (v.1 & 5)

They were saying that physical circumcision was a requirement for salvation!

Paul talks about this kind of corruption in his letter to the Galatians:

Gal 1:6-10 - Tells of Pauls bewilderment with the Galatian believers for turning from the gospel

Something Worth Fighting For

Paul and Barnabas debated with them!

There are some things we have to contend for!

There are some things that for the sake of unity that we will decide to agree to disagree because it is a second or third tier doctrine - like Eschatology (end times theology)

Peters Testimony to God’s word in the Cornelius Episode (v.6-11)

Acts 15:6–11 ESV

6 The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. 7 And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, 9 and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. 10 Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”

Peter is back to share what happened with Cornelius

Gospel is now open to the whole world

Two men now made one!

James Testimony from Scripture and Ruling (v.12-21)

Acts 15:12–21 ESV

12 And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. 15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written, 16 “ ‘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, 17 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 18 known from of old.’ 19 Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 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. 21 For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”

Take from the Gentiles a people for his name

God has people from every tribe nation and tongue.

What is the tent of David that is restored?

The Davidic King!!

Christ is the Davidic King - Explain the Davidic covenant

The Struggle Hear: What part of the mosaic law do we follow?

“We determine what is morally binding on us today by appealing to the entirety of Scripture viewed through the lens of the new covenant.

Although christians are not “under the law” as a covenant, the law still functions for us as Scripture. As with any biblical text, however, before we directly apply it to our lives, we must first place it in its covenantal location, and then we must think through how that texts points forward, anticipates, and is fulfilled in Christ. It is only by doing this that we correctly apply any biblical text to our lives as Christians.”

- Stephen Wellum, Kingdom Through Covenant

Essentially what we have to do is read scripture in the context of the entire Bible!

Matthew 5:17–20 ESV

17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Romans 3:21–31 ESV

21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

Romans 3:31 (ESV Study Bible): overthrow … uphold. Justification by faith does not nullify the law but establishes it. That is, the law itself points to the fact that human obedience to the law cannot save and that righteousness can be achieved only through faith in Christ; Christ has achieved this righteousness on behalf of all who believe in him, through his perfect fulfillment of the law and his atoning death on the cross for the salvation of all who believe. When Paul says, “we uphold the law,” he also affirms the abiding moral norms of the law and thus anticipates the charge of antinomianism, to which he responds more fully in chs. 6 and 7. Essentially our ultimate interpretive lens is Christ and the gospel

Example: We are to see what the purpose of a command was, like do not murder, but Christ interprets this and takes it a step further - do not even be angry with your brother.

The law was given with a specific purpose that was to give God’s people something that they could not fulfill that would make them look forward to a coming redeemer to remove the yoke. The law was freeing in a sense that it gave the people a guidance but it ultimately could not be fulfilled perfectly.

Now we do not have to circumcise or offer sacrifices anymore because we have seen these commands fulfilled in Christ!

Application

We are saved by grace through faith

Some things are worth fighting for

We apply all of Scripture through the interpretive lens of Christ