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Introduction
Introduction
When we look at the animal kingdom there is an understanding that there are predators (S) and there are prey (S).
A predator knows that if he can get into the middle of his pray undetected, he has a better chance of getting a meal.
The predator will use any and every tactic to make the prey more vulnerable to his attack.
Scripture reveals that we have a predator.
(S).
Satan, the enemy of our souls, wants to devour us.
He will use anything he can to destroy us.
As the father of lies one of his primary tactics is to distort the truth.
That is what we will see today.
We have been studying the book of Acts since January of 2017.
This message is #55 in our series through this book.
Acts is historical narrative account of the expansion of the early church.
It records the spread of the gospel in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth.
Back in July we started the final section of the book.
The Spread Of The Gospel To The End Of The Earth Chs.
11:19-28:31
Last week we finished ch.
14.
In the early church faces it’s first internal attack on the gospel itself.
Up to this point the attacks have primarily been external.
We did see the case of Ananias and Sapphire in ch. 5, however, their actions were not an attack on the gospel but on the personal holiness God demands of the believer.
As this attack is carried out, it becomes clear that the gospel needs to be clearly and definitively defined.
Here’s what takes place in the chapter.
The Jerusalem Council Defines The Gospel Chs.
15:1-35
We will be examining this chapter in 4 parts.
So this is part one of a planned four part series on defining the gospel.
Today we will deal with…
The Demand To Define The Gospel vv.
1-5
Later on we will deal with…
The Decision To Define The Gospel vv.
6-21
The Decree To Define The Gospel vv.
22-29
The Delivery To Define The Gospel vv.
30-35
Here’s the question we need to ask.
Why is it necessary to define the gospel?
Actually get some answers.
If we were to boil all these reasons down and distill them into one sentence I think we could put it this way:
The gospel must be defined because of the activity of Satan and those he empowers.
In this passage…
There are two methods used by Satan to twist the gospel.
To defend against these methods we must first identify them.
When we know Satan’s methods and are able to defend against them, two things happen.
1 - The faith of the church is strengthened.
2 - The mission of the church is affirmed.
As we look at we learn that the definition of the gospel is…
1. Demanded By Teaching vv.
1-2
I recently read an article online where different people presented things they had been taught as children that were totally false.
One of my favorites, because I was taught it as well, was that swallowed gum stays in your system for 7 years.
This is scientifically false.
Yet that didn’t stop lots if kids hearing and repeating it through the years!
To be successful, false teaching needs only to be heard and repeated.
Paul and Barnabas return from their first missionary journey and serve in the church for a long time.
Now they are going to face a new form of opposition.
False teaching.
This false teaching takes two forms.
First…
vv.
1-2 – Men come from Judea to Antioch and command circumcision for salvation.
a. Distorted teaching v. 1
READ v. 1
Men come from Judea to Antioch and command circumcision for salvation (S).
Men come from Judea to Antioch and command circumcision for salvation.
There are two primary problems with that they are teaching.
1 - This adds to the gospel.
This is conditional salvation.
Notice the wording.
“Unless you… You cannot be saved.”
This is where (S) is vital.
By grace, through faith, plus nothing.
It is a gift!
It doesn’t come from ourselves nor by our works.
adds further clarity here.
Turn there please.
If you work for salvation, God owes it to you.
This destroys grace and leaves us without strength to live on a day to day basis.
Because if salvation is by works, sanctification must be as well.
We do not work, we believe.
What these men from Judea are teaching is that you must do something in order to be savable.
This belief system is still alive and well.
There are several groups claiming to be Christian who teach that you are “Saved by grace after all you can do.”
Catholicism teaches a very subtle works salvation, as do many 7th day groups, and some Nazarenes.
Have to be careful here.
I don’t want to pain with too broad a brush and say everyone in those groups believes this, but in general, those groups will hold to works salvation.
Salvation is unconditional.
The moment you add a conjunction, you no longer have the gospel!
There is another teaching connected to this that I believe is equally dangerous.
This belief system says that while you are saved by grace, there must be visible works to prove your salvation.
Absence of works means you were never saved to begin with.
This is often called Lordship salvation.
Let me be really clear.
Good works are the natural outflow of a healthy believer.
However, Absence of observable works does not mean an absence of salvation.
There are several Biblical examples of believers who did not have observable works.
That is not healthy, it is not God’s desire, and it will result in God’s correction.
God alone knows who is and is not a believer.
It is not our place to attempt that determination.
If someone is living like an unbeliever, we share the gospel with them.
If they say they are a believer, we do what is necessary to restore them to a right relationship with Christ and fellowship with the Church.
Lordship salvation.
We need to be on guard against distorted teaching.
That is what the church in Antioch faces here.
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