Acts 15 The Council of Elders

Introduction

There is nothing small about theological disputes, these disputes can be minor to major. Some theological debates that are minor in my opinion don’t call for the council of the church to determine such matters is that of issues such as one views of the end times, so long as the orthodox position of Christ is coming again is maintained. Then there are theological debates to which the council of elders representing the church should be called in.

An example of this is with the council of Nicea in AD 325 when the church had to take a stand for the doctrine of the triune nature of God. It is this very council that has drawn the line between those who are of a pure church and those who are not. The doctrine of the trinity is a doctrine that should and did call for the council of elders.

Today’s passage we see the council of elders called in to defend the truth of how one is saved. Our passage today deals with the debate of to be saved should one be circumcised and obey the mosaic law or is salvation in Christ alone freeing those in the New Covenant from the yoke of the law. This is a theological matter that impacts how the gospel will be spread.

We will look at three areas today’s among a passage that has so much value beyond what will be drawn out today.

First theological disbtues belong to the council of elders who are called

Second proper Church government

Getting the gospel right has missional implications

Point 1 Theology belongs to the elders

In our previous sermons we discussed in length the role of Elders and the role of Deacons. Elders (Pastors) are called for the ministry of word and prayer. The ministry of the word is crucial for members of the church. How shall you grow in Christ, if Christ has not appointed a God fearing man who understands the word to be watch over your soul? Please understand I am not stating Church members should not read and study God’s word, but members are not in the office of elder with the duty of keeping the truth pure within the church.

What should be noted and hopefully understand is no one elder is above another, there is no pope. There is a council of elders to determine among debate around the word of God, deep study, and prayer to determine the truth of the debate. There are doctrines to which the church has not been concise on and has agreed to leave for open interpretation. There are doctrines to which the church has made strong case, such as the Holy Trinity.

We live in a wonderful time of Church history where indeed there is nothing new under the son, doctrines within the church have formed, debated, and at time properly divided. The three branches of Christianity is rightly divided between the Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant. While I personally am under the presuastion the Protestant faith contains the true gospel and the other two branches have fallen from it; there are even within the Protestant church debates within the body.

So if theology belongs to the elders to train, teach, disciple the sheep of the church the importance of theology also falls to the members of the church to know what they believe and why. There are false teachers and if you as a member do not know the differnce from an elder who preaches the truth to one who is not, you will quickly fall away from the faith.

So if theology belongs to the elders to train, teach, disciple the sheep of the church the importance of theology also falls to the members of the church to know what they believe and why.

Because there is false teachers the collective council of the church should lead one to pure truth and guide members to be in one accord.

I spent over a decade being mentored by the Presbyterian Church in America, at one point was under care to be a Presbyterian minister.

One of the most valuable lessons I learned as a Presbyterian was the unity of doctrine around the collective doctrinal statement that Presbyterians build in 1647 and not but twenty years later even the Baptist built much of their confession from the Presbyterians. With slight variation, but overall both Baptist and Presbyterians were align in major doctrines.

The theology I was taught by men of the 21st century, is the theology was handed down from the reformation to this very day. The council of the church is important in handling affairs of theological disputes and teaching to the members.

We are a protestant church, not a Catholic church so our teachings are from the reformation fathers.

Doctrine matters and the elders of the church must rightfully handle the word of God to teach and equip the saints. This is the office of elder.

Second Point Church government

While the duties of elder and deacon are understood, we must examine Acts 15 from the form of government that is on display within this passage.

Elder’s govern the church, not members. When disputes came the elders of the church gathered to declare the stance that will govern the members lives.

In congregational or democratic polity which is no where to be found within scripture the church often has committees who make decisions and the Pastor is hired not called. He is viewed as an employee rather than a servant of God unto the people and things just become out of balance within how God designed His church.

This passage among others teaches how issues renegading the church are to be handles, though the council of elders. In regards to the teachings of the church, it falls to the elders.

In regards to who is or is not to do ministry, is within the rights of the elders. We see this within the ending of this chapter with the dispute of Mark joining the work of Paul and Barnabas.

The two disagreed and did indeed go in different directions, but it was not about theology it was about the qualifications of a man to join the ranks of minister or not.

While the local body has many expressions, the local body is united in the truth of gospel issues that is determined by the elders of the church.

The elders appoint other elders to do the ministry of the gospel. Just because of the separation here does not neglect the important doctrine of elders send and call Pastors, and elders determine the theology of the church.

Christ has appointed elders to rule the church, to govern the matters of the church. He has not appointed Aunt Betty and Uncle Jack to do the hiring of a Pastor, to determine what is taught within the church.

He called the elders of the church to send other Pastors to minister and for that minister to teach what God’s word says in agreement with the council of elders.

Missions Impact

I love breakfast, more so coffee. No one likes luke warm coffee. If I served you coffee that was luke warm, you would not drink it. If I have served the best coffee in the world, at the proper tempature not only would you drink it, you buy it, you would give it to your friends, etc..

I am a coffee snob, I ground my own beans at home, I can’t stand Folgers or Maxwell house, I will spend money on coffee. I care about the quality of coffee I drink.

In the same way we should care about the theology we embrace. A salvation by works which Rome promotes, and in some fashion so does the East would have been at this very council on the side of the pharisees promoting one must be circumcised to be saved.

Getting the gospel right has implications. One getting the gospel wrong is to spit on the face of Christ who gave His life. Getting the the gospel wrong is to lead someone to a path of destruction and possible judgment.

Getting the gospel right leads to someone knowing Christ and to the path of salvation through Christ alone.

This is the goal of missions that every Christian is called too. To give Christ.

I Pastored a church in NJ, it was a recovering Catholic Church over 80% of my members had a Catholic upbringing. Many of them read through the bible when I came in and started preaching Christ.

It had nothing to do with me, but they were starting to see proper doctrine. Proper doctrine leads to life and it leads to mission.

Barnabas and Paul

I need to make mention of the last part of the scripture; Paul and Barnbas did dispute for a season over taking Mark with them on the second missionary journey.

Paul at that time would not take Mark, because Mark abandoned them on the first missionary journey.

This is not a dispute for the council of elders as both Paul and Barnbas were elders disputing over their co-worker. Barnabas took Mark, and Paul did not.

The gospel was still spread with right doctrine. God will disperse His church where He desires so that the mission will expand.

Application

One of the downfalls today is we have far too many “protestant churches” which abused the purposes of the Protestant reformation. So the understanding of church councils is well beyond us in the Protestant faith even among Presbyterians who they themselves have divided over the years. In stating this, wherever God calls you membership next, you must ask the right questions of what do those elders believe, because they will hold the council of that church and it has implications over your soul.

Give Jesus and nothing but Jesus. A works based salvation is but a yoke upon someones neck, a life in Christ will produce works but salvation belongs alone to Christ.

Conclusion

The gospel message is Christ alone, the old covenant is fulfilled in Christ, and we stand in this New Covenant of Christ. The council of Jerusalem had to secure this and somewhere within Church history this council got lost, but praise God for the protestant reformation that God used to restore His message to us.

May we never forget Christ for that is the message that was at stake at the council of Jerusalem, and is the message being attacked to this day.