Getting the Gospel Right

Getting the Gospel Right

Acts 15:6-21

I. Introduction

A. Putting my desk together – I read the directions and tried to follow them closely. I was almost done putting it together and one piece would not fit. I turned it every way I could but could not make it fit. I finally figured out the problem was not that piece, but one that I had put in several steps back. I put it in backward. It fit for the moment, but the desk was never going to go together completely after I got that part wrong. The same is true with the gospel. We keep wanting to add the step of personal righteousness before we get to faith in Christ, and it doesn’t fit that way. It’s backward.

B. Context: Christianity started as a sect of Judaism based on their belief that Jesus is the promised Messiah. Because of that, the original Christians were Jews who had always followed the law. With the faith expanding to Gentiles the question arose of whether they would have to convert to Judaism through circumcision and following the OT law to be saved. But the question becomes whether a person is saved by works or by grace

II. Salvation is available to everyone (6-8; 12-18)

A. Explanation

1. Peter is called to share Christ with the Gentiles

a. This was a new concept

b. It was an opening of the gospel to a new group of people

2. The affirmation of the Spirit - They are seeing the great works of the Spirit as an affirmation that these people are saved

3. Paul and Barnabas - Signs and wonders were done among the Gentiles (12) – Again, a sign that the gospel is progressing among them

4. James – The prophets agree – James goes back to Amos 9:11-12 for his defense

a. That the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord (16)

b. And all the Gentiles who are called by my name (16)

B. Application

1. Why so many people do not come to church – they think that we think we have it all together. We must be clear that the gospel is necessary for all of us because we do not have it all together

2. Salvation is not just for Jews, but for the rest of mankind

3. More importantly for the Jews, it was about who was clean and unclean. Chosen and unchosen, righteous, and sinful

4. This is an important part of our theology because sometimes as church people we begin to believe some people deserve salvation and some do not

5. The gospel levels the playing field for all people – We are all sinners in need of His grace. No one has earned or deserves to be saved

6. There is no one beyond His salvation

III. Salvation is a work of the Spirit (8-9)

A. Explanation

1. God, who knows the heart bore witness to them by giving them the Holy Spirit

a. The Holy Spirit is the witness to the people – showing them the truth of Christ

b. The Holy Spirit becomes the validation of their salvation

2. instances of the Spirit

a. Acts 2 – The Spirit comes upon the apostles

b. Acts 8:15-17 - The Spirit comes upon the Samaritans

c. Acts 10:44-45 – The Spirit comes upon the first Gentiles including Cornelius at Caesarea

3. The Holy Spirit becomes the evidence of salvation – Romans 8:9

B. Application

1. How often do we look for the same evidence – not that the person said a prayer or that they asked Jesus into their heart – These are simply signs that the person understands the gospel, but not that their faith is in Christ

2. The evidence is in whether the Spirit has taken up residence in them and is recreating them into the likeness of Christ

IV. Salvation comes by grace through faith (9-11)

A. Explanation

1. He (God) made no distinction between us and them having cleansed their hearts by faith –

a. It was always faith in God that saved

b. Nothing was different now – all are saved by faith in Jesus be because our works are worthless

i. Isaiah 64:6 – OT Example

ii. Romans 3:10-18 – NT – All are sinners

c. The only cure for sin is grace – Romans 3:22-24

2. Peter explains that there is only one way of salvation – It cannot be by grace and works because they are antithetical

3. The OT Jews believed that righteousness came through works, but they never became righteousness through their works

4. Faith in Christ is the only thing that saves and brings about righteousness in the sinner

B. Application

1. We must be clear that being a better person doesn’t save

2. It is not about being a good enough person because we all sin and all are sinners

3. Salvation comes by God’s grace – the fact that He forgives sin that we don’t deserve to be forgiven of

4. And through faith – when we humble ourselves and trust in Jesus to save us

V. Salvation Results in Faithfulness (19-21)

A. Explanation

1. After the council they determine that the Gentiles are not obligated to the OT law – They will not have to be circumcised – The Spirit has already come upon them and saved them without circumcision

2. And yet they request certain things from them

a. Abstain from sexual immorality

b. Abstain from food sacrificed to idols

c. Abstain from animals that were strangled and from blood

3. Faithfulness to their own holiness and to their brothers in Christ

4. V21 – These things have been taught in the synagogues for a long time and there should be patience with those who have a hard time breaking from it

5. Why? – These were associated with idolatry and uncleanness. For those who were Jewish Christians still observing the law, these things would cause a separation between believers

6. The ask is that they are respectful of the observances of others to retain unity amongst believers - 1 Corinthians 8:7-11

B. Application

1. Salvation results in a changed heart

a. That longs for righteousness over idolatry and sin

b. And that longs for unity in the body and showing grace between brothers in Christ

2. We should allow the righteousness of Christ and His grace to lead us

3. A saved person longs for this righteousness

4. This type of action and grace becomes the sign of the Spirit and His work in us

VI. Conclusion

A. I had to pull apart my desk to put it together right. We should do the same with our understanding of the gospel – We should dismantle the idea that we have to be righteous to come to God and understand that we come to God broken seeking restoration

B. So, what are you depending upon for salvation?

C. If I asked you how you know you are saved would you point to your own works or your prayer or would you point to the cross of Jesus Christ?

D. God sent His son to die on the cross because He alone could pay the penalty for sinners like us. The cross of Jesus is the only way of salvation and to put our faith in anything else is to have a misplaced faith that will not save

E. Getting the gospel right is important and this one little point could be the difference between heaven and hell for a lot of people. Place your faith in Jesus Christ alone for your salvation

Acts 8:15–17

15 After they went down there, they prayed for them so that the Samaritans might receive the Holy Spirit because he had not yet come down on any of them. 16 (They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) 17 Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

Acts 10:44–45

44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came down on all those who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.

Romans 8:9

9 You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him.

Isaiah 64:6

All of us have become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like a polluted garment; all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind.

Romans 3:10–18

10 as it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one. 11 There is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away; all alike have become worthless. There is no one who does what is good, not even one. 13 Their throat is an open grave; they deceive with their tongues. Vipers’ venom is under their lips. 14 Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.15 Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 ruin and wretchedness are in their paths, 17 and the path of peace they have not known. 18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

Romans 3:22–24

22 The righteousness of God is through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe, since there is no distinction. 23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 24 they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

1 Corinthians 8:7-11

7 However, not everyone has this knowledge. Some have been so used to idolatry up until now that when they eat food sacrificed to an idol, their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 Food will not bring us close to God. We are not worse off if we don’t eat, and we are not better if we do eat. 9 But be careful that this right of yours in no way becomes a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if someone sees you, the one who has knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, won’t his weak conscience be encouraged to eat food offered to idols? 11 So the weak person, the brother or sister for whom Christ died, is ruined by your knowledge.