November 19
Acts 15-16
The meeting between Paul and the church in Jerusalem was an
important meeting for the history of the church and the establishment of
Christian doctrine. Paul had been preaching to the Gentiles and many were
getting saved. The Gentiles and Paul wanted to make sure the Gentile converts
did not need to be circumcised in order to be right with God. The council met
and after hearing Paul’s testimony and Peter’s confirmation of God’s work among
the Gentiles the council declared that the Gentiles did not have to follow the
dietary laws nor be circumcised.
This may not seem like a big deal to modern day Christians,
but it is the foundation for our faith by faith through grace. We do not have
to do anything, nor can we do anything to earn or to repay God for our salvation.
It is not Jesus plus the law, Jesus is all we need.
That is not to say that there are not moral laws we follow,
but we follow the law because of our relationship with Jesus, not to in order
to have that relationship. Jesus fulfilled the law in His life, death, and
resurrection. When we receive the gift of salvation He offers us, we do not,
should not, cannot add anything to it. When we insist on legalistic ideas, we
are putting a burden of those who have come to know Jesus by faith. Faith is
the foundation of our salvation.
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