Acts 15 Part 1

Background

When we comes to Acts 15, we will begin to come to some doctrines which I hope will open your understanding of what and why we believe what we do. Today we are going to tackle justification by faith.

Points

Acts 15:1 (NKJV) 1  And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved."

Remember in Acts 14, the Scripture tells us saving belief consist of two things:

1.Believe that Jesus is God and that He came died and rose for my sins.

2. And that I in obedience want to submit to His Lordship in my life. And whose responsibility is it o be sure that I stay in obedience. God: the Holy Spirit will convict of sin.

And the Scripture confirms that: Romans 10:9 (NIV) 9  That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Now in 15, certain men from Judea now want to add a third element to salvation: Circumcision.

These certain men are called Judaizers. Remember during Paul’s first missionary trip he would go into a city and first preach at the synagogue but the Jews were not that receptive; it was mostly the Gentiles that welcomed the Good News of the Gospel. In fact, it was the Jews that followed him trying to arouse the people against him.

Well now these men are coming wanting to add a third element to salvation: circumcision. Remember on the cross Jesus says: it is finished. But these men are saying oh but you have to add circumcision. It is a work- something you have to do in order to be saved. But what that does is says that the finished work on the cross by Jesus was not enough. And it throws the salvations of the Gentiles into question.

Acts 15 and Galatians 2 are tied together. So let’s go to Galatians 2. This is called the Jerusalem council; the religious leaders of the time got together to solve an issue in the church.

Galatians 2:1-10 (NKJV) 1  Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me. 2  And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain. 3  Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 4  And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage), 5  to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. 6  But from those who seemed to be something--whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man--for those who seemed to be something added nothing to me. 7  But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter 8  (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), 9  and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do.

And here is the conclusion:

Galatians 2:16 (NKJV) 16  knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

Galatians 3:1-2 (NKJV) 1  O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? 2  This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Paul says, how many people after they were circumcised received the Holy Spirit. Lets go back to Cornelius and Peter.

Acts 10:36-45 (NKJV) 36  The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ--He is Lord of all-- 37  that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: 38  how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 39  And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. 40  Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41  not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42  And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. 43  To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins." 44  While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45  And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.

Cornelius and family received the Holy Spirit when hearing and accepting the Good News; nothing about circumcision.

2 Peter 2:1 (NKJV) 1  But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.

Acts 15:2 (NKJV) 2  Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question.

Galatians 2:5  to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

So we know that Paul and Barnabas did not back down for a minute. They did not say you may be right. They held their position. And we know from Galatians 2 that certain others included Titus.

There thinking was let’s not sweep this issue under the table;let’s confront it head on. And so Paul after a 14 year absence from Jerusalem goes there to get a definite position by the church.

Acts 15:3 (NKJV) 3  So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren.

So, we are told they took the way of the way of the sea to get to Jerusalem. So, it would have been about a weeks journey.

Phoenicia was a Gentile city and it was natural that they would be glad that other Gentiles were saved. But Samaria is a city of half breeds and they have the exact same response. And that is how the church should be.

Look at the contrast between Paul and Barnabas and the Judaizers. When they came they brought nothing but strife and I am sure that people are saying that I wish that they leave. Compare that to Paul and Barnabas that brought good news. And the people probably wished that they could stay longer.

Acts 15:4-5 (NKJV) 4  And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them. 5  But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses."

Look they come to Jerusalem to resolve the issue of circumcision and now look the believing Pharisees are adding another condition: and to keep the law of Moses. And look at how they say it: we need to command them. No longer the grace and liberty that we have in Jesus Christ but rather there are rules to follow.

Salvation is a free gift; you can not earn your way into a right relationship with God.

Justification is a legal term; it is an act by which God declares the sinner innocent of her or her sins. You are pronounced in right standing before God because Jesus paid the price for your sins.

Romans 5:1-2 (NKJV) 1  Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2  through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Romans 5:9 (NKJV) 9  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. Not by circumcision and not by the law of Moses.