Lesson #20

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RETURN TO THE SYLLABUS

ACTS 15
LESSON #20
LAW VERSUS GRACE

• MEMORY VERSE: ROM 12:3

• ACTS 15 IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CHAPTERS IN THE BOOK OF ACTS BECAUSE IT HAS FAR-REACHING CONSEQUENCE. IT SET THE STANDARD FOR TRUE CHRISTIANITY AS WE KNOW IT TODAY.
• IN ACTS 15 THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH HOLDS ITS FIRST CHURCH COUNCIL.
• WHENEVER THERE HAVE BEEN GREAT DIVIDING PROBLEMS IN CHRISTIANITY, THERE HAS BEEN A GREAT CHURCH COUNCIL TO DECIDE THE MATTER FOR EVERYONE. THIS IS THE FIRST OF SUCH COUNCILS
• OTHER CHURCH COUNCILS HAVE OCCURRED THROUGH HISTORY TO DECIDE ON SUCH IMPORTANT MATTERS AS THE CANON OF SCRIPTURE, BASIC CHRISTIAN BELIEFS, THE DEITY AND HUMANITY OF CHRIST, AND THE INERRANCY OF SCRIPTURE.

• READ ACT 15:1-5 A MAJOR CHURCH PROBLEM
• WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM THAT AROSE?
• THE SURFACE PROBLEM:
• THE CHURCHES IN JUDEA CONSISTED OF JEWISH CONGREGATIONS OF WHICH MANY WERE FORMER JEWISH PRIESTS AND PHARISEES. (ACT 6:7) THESE PEOPLE STILL LIVED FOLLOWING THE OLD MOSAIC LAW.
• THEY WERE CALLED, “THE CIRCUMCISION PARTY”.
• OLD BELIEFS AND TRADITIONS DIE HARD!
• THESE JEWISH BELIEVERS THOUGHT THAT UNLESS A PERSON WAS CIRCUMCISED, HE COULD NOT BE SAVED. (1)
• NOW THERE WERE MANY NEW CHURCHES WHOSE CONGREGATIONS WERE ALL GENTILE. THE GENTILES DID NOT FOLLOW THE LAW OF MOSES AT ALL.
• THIS LOOMING CHURCH PROBLEM THREATENED TO SPLIT THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH DOWN THE MIDDLE ALONG JEWISH AND GENTILE LINES.
• THE ROOT PROBLEM:
• WHILE THE PROBLEM SURFACES REGARDING CIRCUMCISION, THE ROOT PROBLEM IS BROADER AND DEEPER
• IF CIRCUMCISION IS REQUIRED TO BE SAVED, WHAT ABOUT THE KEEPING OF THE SABBATH, THE EATING OF NON-KOSHER FOOD, ETC. ETC. ETC.
• WHERE SHOULD ONE DRAW THE LINE REGARDING THE LAW AND CHRISTIAN FAITH?
• THE MOSAIC LAW CONSISTED OF MORE THAN JUST THE 10 COMMANDMENTS IN EXO 20. IT CONSISTED OF 639 RULES AND ORDINANCES IN THE BOOKS OF EXODUS, LEVITICUS, NUMBERS, AND DEUTERONOMY.
• SHOULD THE NEW TESTAMENT BELIEVER IN JESUS CHRIST BE MADE TO KEEP ALL THE MOSAIC LAW OR NOT?
• THE VERY HEATED DEBATE: (2)
• EVIDENTLY SOME OF THESE JEWISH LEADERS OF THE CIRCUMCISION PARTY WENT TO THE GENTILE CHURCH IN ANTIOCH TO ARGUE THE PROBLEM WITH PAUL AND BARNABAS WHO WERE PREACHING TO GENTILES.
• PETER WAS THERE IN ANTIOCH AT THE TIME. HE WAS EATING WITH GENTILES WHEN THE CIRCUMCISION PARTY ARRIVED.
• READ GAL 2:11-16
• AMUSINGLY LUKE SAYS, “NO SMALL DISSENSION AND DISPUTATION” WHICH MEANS THEY ARGUED HEATEDLY OVER THIS PROBLEM.
• PAUL UNDERSTOOD THE BROADER ASPECTS OF THE PROBLEM, WHILE MANY JUST SAW THE SURFACE PROBLEM AND THOUGHT IT WAS NO BIG DEAL TO GIVE IN AND CIRCUMCISE ALL THE GENTILE BELIEVERS.
• HOW DID THE ANTIOCH CHURCH DISPOSE OF THE PROBLEM?
• THEY SENT PAUL AND BARNABAS TO JERUSALEM TO MEET WITH THE CHURCH LEADERS TO FINALLY DECIDE THE ISSUE.

• READ ACT 15:6-11 PETER’S ARGUMENT BEFORE THE COUNCIL — 50 AD
• REMEMBER THAT PETER WAS THE HEAD ELDER OF THE WHOLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH HAVING BEEN GIVEN THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM BY JESUS.
• REMEMBER THAT PETER WAS THE ONE WHO FIRST OPENED THE DOOR OF SALVATION TO THE GENTILES.
• WHAT ARE THE VARIOUS POINTS IN PETER’S ARGUMENT?
• GOD INITIATED THE OUTREACH TO THE GENTILES THROUGH PETER. (7)
• THE SALVATION EXPERIENCE OF THE GENTILES WAS THE SAME AS FOR THE JEWS. (8)
• HEARTS WERE MADE PURE BY FAITH. (9)
• THE KEEPING OF THE MOSAIC LAW IS A HEAVY BURDEN THAT EVEN THE OLD TESTAMENT JEWS WERE NOT ABLE TO FULFILL. (10)
• INSTEAD OF MAKING THE GENTILES MORE LIKE THE JEWS THROUGH CIRCUMCISION, THE JEWS SHOULD BE MORE LIKE THE GENTILES THROUGH GOD’S GRACE.(11)
• IF THE GENTILES COULD BE SAVED NOT KNOWING THE LAW, THEN SALVATION MUST BE BY GOD’S GRACE AND NOT BY THE MOSAIC LAW.
• WHAT DOES THE PASSAGE TEACH ABOUT THE WAY OF SALVATION?
• SALVATION IS BY FAITH IN THE GRACE OF GOD.
• SOME OF THE ASPECTS OF PETER’S ARGUMENT ARE EXPLAINED MORE FULLY IN PAUL’S WRITINGS:
• HEARTS WERE MADE PURE BY FAITH. (9,11)
• THE KEY ELEMENT OF SALVATION IS BY FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST.
• READ ROM 3:22-31
• THE BASIC ELEMENTS OF THE GOSPEL OF SALVATION ARE:
• THE DEATH, BURIAL, AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST WHO PURCHASED SALVATION THROUGH HIS BLOOD ON THE CROSS.
• THE BASIC CONFLICT WAS NOT OVER THESE BASIC ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF THE GOSPEL BUT THE INTERPRETATION OF THEM.
• IS WHAT CHRIST DID ON THE CROSS SUFFICIENT TO PURCHASE OUR SALVATION, OR MUST WE ADD TO IT BY KEEPING THE LAW?
• READ 2COR 12:9 (HEB 9:26 AND 10:10)
• THE KEEPING OF THE MOSAIC LAW IS A HEAVY BURDEN (10)
• READ GAL 2:16, 21
• THE KEEPING OF THE LAW IS A CURSE:
• READ GAL 3:10, 21-28

• READ ACT 15:12-21
• PAUL AND BARNABAS TOLD OF THEIR EXPERIENCES ON THEIR FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY WHERE MANY NEW GENTILE CHURCHES WERE ADDED TO THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH OF CHRIST. (12)
• JAMES, THE HALF-BROTHER OF JESUS CHRIST SPEAKS AS THE HEAD OF THE JERUSALEM CHURCH.
• JAMES AGREES WITH PETER (SIMEON). (14)
• JAMES REPRESENTED THOSE WHO BELIEVED IN KEEPING THE MOSAIC LAW.
• JAMES PRESENTS GOD’S CURRENT PLAN IN THIS AGE OF GRACE:
• GOD’S PLAN IS TO TAKE OUT A PEOPLE OF FAITH FROM AMONG THE GENTILES.
• GOD IS SAVING GENTILES SO AS TO PROVOKE THE JEWS TO JEALOUSY SO THEY WILL ONE DAY BE SAVED AS WELL. (ROM 11:11)
• JAMES QUOTES AMO 9:11-12 IN THE OLD TESTAMENT TO PROVE THAT THIS AGE OF GENTILE GRACE IS NOT TO EXCLUDE THE JEWS, (15-16) BUT IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM OF CHRIST THE BELIEVERS WILL INCLUDE A MULTITUDE OF GENTILES AND JEWS.
• GOD WILL AGAIN WORK WITH THE JEWS TO REBUILD THE JEWISH REMNANT OF BELIEVERS AS WELL AS THE DAVIDIC INHERITANCE IN JESUS CHRIST AT HIS SECOND COMING.
• CHRIST’S MILLENNIAL KINGDOM WILL CONSIST OF JEWISH AND GENTILE BELIEVERS.
• GOD’S FUTURE PLAN IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD:
• GOD WILL WORK TO BRING “A RESIDUE OF MEN” (JEWS), AND A MULTITUDE “UPON WHOM GOD’S NAME IS CALLED” (GENTILES), TO CHRIST IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD THAT THEY MIGHT ENTER INTO THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM AT CHRIST’S COMING. (17)
• JAMES’ CONCLUSION: (19-20)
• DO NOT CIRCUMCISE THE GENTILES AND MAKE THEM LIVE ACCORDING TO THE LAWS OF MOSES. (19)
• HOWEVER, OUT OF LOVE FOR THEIR JEWISH BROTHERS, THE GENTILES ARE REQUESTED TO:
• ABSTAIN FROM POLLUTIONS TO IDOLS. (20)
• WHAT DOES THAT MEAN AND WHY WAS THIS IMPORTANT?
• IN GENTILE CITIES WHERE PAGAN TEMPLES EXISTED, PEOPLE TOOK THEIR BEST ANIMALS AND OFFERED THEM TO THE PAGAN GODS. AFTER OFFERING IT TO THE PAGAN IDOLS, THE MEAT WAS THEN SOLD IN LOCAL MEAT MARKETS AT THE TEMPLE.
• THE JEWS GREW UP LEARNING THAT IT WAS AN OFFENSE TO GOD TO EAT MEAT THAT HAD BEEN OFFERED TO IDOLS.
• OUT OF COURTESY TO JEWISH CHRISTIANS, AND SO AS NOT OFFEND THEM, GENTILE CHRISTIANS ARE ASKED TO BUY THEIR MEAT AT OTHER MARKET PLACES NOT ASSOCIATED WITH PAGAN TEMPLES.
• ABSTAIN FROM FORNICATION. (20)
• SEX OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE, AS WELL AS ADULTERY, WAS COMMON AMONG THE PAGAN GENTILES BECAUSE PAGANISM PROMOTED SEXUAL PROMISCUITY. PAGANISM INCLUDED ACTS OF A SEXUAL NATURE WITH TEMPLE PROSTITUTES AS A PART OF THEIR WORSHIP SERVICE.
• THIS PRACTICE WAS OFFENSIVE TO THE JEWS.
• HOWEVER, FORNICATION WAS ALSO AGAINST THE BASIC STANDARDS OF GOD WHICH ARE INCLUDED IN NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIAN LIVING.
• ABSTAIN FROM THINGS STRANGLED AND ABSTAIN FROM EATING BLOOD. (20)
• THESE WERE JEWISH FOOD LAW REQUIREMENTS THAT HAD TO DO WITH THE WAY ANIMALS WERE KILLED AND THE BLOOD DRAINED FROM THE BODY TO MAKE THEM KOSHER.
• THE SUGGESTION IS THAT GENTILES, OUT OF LOVE, SERVE KOSHER MEAT WHENEVER JEWS WERE INVITED TO A MEAL.
• HOWEVER, THESE THINGS ARE NOT EXCLUSIVELY RELATED TO THE MOSAIC LAW. GOD FORBADE THE EATING OF BLOOD 900 YEARS BEFORE THE MOSAIC LAW (GEN 9:4)
• PAGAN RELIGION MIXED ANIMAL BLOOD WITH WINE FOR DRINKING IN PAGAN CEREMONIES.

• READ ACT 15:22-29 THE CHURCH COUNCIL DECISION
• WHAT WAS THE FINAL SOLUTION AND RECOMMENDATION? (28-29)
• THE CHURCH COUNCIL DECIDED TO COMMUNICATE THEIR DECISION BY HAND-DELIVERED LETTER TO ALL THE GENTILE CHURCHES.
• THOSE DELIVERING THE DECISION WERE PAUL, BARNABAS, JUDAS, AND SILAS.
• THE FINAL SOLUTION:
• GENTILES ARE NOT REQUIRED TO CONFORM TO ANY MOSAIC STANDARD OF LAW TO BE SAVED.
• THE RECOMMENDATION CONCERNING GIVING UP PAGAN RELIGIOUS PRACTICES:
• GENTILES SHOULD AVOID MEAT OFFERED TO IDOLS.
• GENTILES SHOULD AVOID MEAT KILLED BY STRANGLING.
• GENTILES SHOULD AVOID EATING BLOOD.
• THE RECOMMENDATION CONCERNING A PAGAN LIFESTYLE:
• GENTILES SHOULD AVOID FORNICATION (SEX OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE).

• READ ACT 15:30-35 REJOICING IN ANTIOCH
• THE CHURCH COUNCIL RESOLUTION WAS DELIVERED TO THE CHURCH AT ANTIOCH.
• THE CHURCH IN ANTIOCH HAD BECOME THE HEADQUARTERS FOR THE GENTILE BRANCH OF THE CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT.
• THE PEOPLE REJOICE BECAUSE THEY ARE FREE TO LIVE BY FAITH IN THE GRACE OF GOD FREE FROM THE MOSAIC LAW.
• GRACE BRINGS CONSOLATION (31) WHILE LAW BRINGS CONDEMNATION.
• JUDAS AND SILAS CONFIRM THE COUNCIL DECISION.
• PAUL, BARNABAS, AND SILAS CONTINUE TO MINISTER IN ANTIOCH.

• READ ACT 15:36-41 A NEW PROBLEM AMONG THE LEADERS
• THE PLAN FOR A SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY
• PAUL DECIDES THAT IT IS TIME TO REVISIT THE CHURCHES THEY PLANTED PREVIOUSLY IN CYPRUS AND IN TURKEY.
• BARNABAS WANTS TO TAKE JOHN MARK WITH THEM AGAIN AS THEY HAD DONE FOR THEIR FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY.
• PAUL DOES NOT WANT TO TAKE JOHN MARK WITH THEM BECAUSE HE DID NOT STAY WITH THEM ON THEIR FIRST JOURNEY BUT RETURNED HOME.
• BARNABAS WAS WILLING TO GIVE JOHN MARK ANOTHER CHANCE. PAUL WAS NOT WILLING. THE CONTENTION WAS STRONG BETWEEN THEM. NEITHER ONE WOULD GIVE IN.
• THIS CONTENTION CAUSED A BREAK BETWEEN PAUL AND BARNABAS, BUT IT DID NOT CAUSE A SPLIT IN THE ANTIOCH CHURCH.
• THE RESULT:
• BARNABAS TOOK JOHN MARK ON A SEPARATE JOURNEY TO CYPRUS, WHICH WAS BARNABAS’ HOMELAND.
• BARNABAS CONTINUED TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL MINISTRY IN CYPRUS AND IN EGYPT. HE DIED AS A MARTYR FOR CHRIST.
• PAUL TOOK SILAS WITH HIM ON HIS SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY.
• SILAS (SILVANUS) WAS A JEW FROM JERUSALEM. HE WAS ALSO A ROMAN CITIZEN AND SPOKE GREEK FLUENTLY.
• INSTEAD OF ONE MISSIONARY OUTREACH, THE ANTIOCH CHURCH NOW HAS TWO MISSIONARY OUTREACHES.
• LATER PAUL REALIZED HE WAS WRONG IN HIS ASSESSMENT OF JOHN MARK AND EVIDENTLY ADMITTED HIS MISTAKE. HE AND JOHN MARK BECAME CLOSE. (2TIM 4:11)

• APPLICATION:
• WHAT DO YOU LEARN ABOUT DEALING WITH DIFFERENCES OF OPINION AND DIVISION IN THE LOCAL CHURCH?
• IN THIS CHAPTER WE CAN LEARN MUCH ABOUT DEALING WITH CHURCH DISAGREEMENTS AND DIVISIONS.
• NOTICE THAT THE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION BETWEEN JEWS AND GENTILES CAUSED A LOT OF HEATED ARGUMENTS.
• NOTICE THAT THE DIFFERENCE OF OPINION BETWEEN PAUL AND BARNABAS CAUSED A LOT OF HEATED ARGUMENTS.
• IT IS OK TO DISAGREE AND ARGUE AS LONG AS THE CHURCH IS NOT SPLIT OVER IT. CHRISTIANS CAN AGREE TO DISAGREE AND STILL REMAIN BROTHERS IN THE LORD.
• DISAGREEMENT IS ON DANGEROUS GROUND WHEN IT BEGINS TO HINDER THE WORK OF GOD AND DAMPEN THE MOVE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
• THE SOLVING OF A CHURCH PROBLEM:
• DEBATE IS IMPORTANT SO THAT ALL POINTS OF VIEW ARE AIRED.
• EXPERIENCE IS IMPORTANT SO AS TO CONSIDER WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOES NOT WORK.
• SCRIPTURE IS IMPORTANT TO DETERMINE GOD’S VIEW AND TO MAINTAIN CONFORMITY WITH THE WORD OF GOD.
• COMPROMISE IS IMPORTANT TO ENABLE CHURCH UNITY.
• THE JEWISH FACTION DID GAIN SOME RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE IMPRESSED UPON THE GENTILES.
• COMMUNICATION IS IMPORTANT SO THAT ALL KNOW WHAT WERE THE FINAL DECISIONS.
• ACCEPTANCE AND DEFERENCE ARE IMPORTANT SO THAT THE CHURCH REMAINS UNIFIED.
• THIS CHURCH COUNCIL SETTLED THE MATTER FOR ALL TIME. THE CIRCUMCISION PARTY OF JEWISH BELIEVERS DID NOT CONTINUE TO PRESS THEIR POSITION WITH THE CHURCH LEADERSHIP AFTER ACT 15.
• THE BIG PROBLEM IN ACTS 15 IS LAW VERSUS GRACE. DESPITE THIS CHURCH COUNCIL IN 50 AD, AND THE OFFICIAL DECISION THAT WE ARE UNDER GRACE AND NOT LAW, DESPITE PAUL’S WRITINGS IN THE BOOKS OF ROMANS AND GALATIANS, CHRISTIANS STILL ARGUE OVER THE KEEPING OF THE 10 COMMANDMENTS AND OTHER POINTS OF THE MOSAIC LAW.
• FOR THOSE WHO ARE STILL CONFUSED OVER THIS ISSUE OR THOSE WHO STILL MAINTAIN THAT CHRISTIANS SHOULD KEEP THE LAW, A THOROUGH STUDY OF THE BOOKS OF GALATIANS AND ROMANS IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

HOMEWORK
ACTS 16
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF ACT 15
• WHAT NEW THINGS HAVE YOU LEARNED IN ACTS 15 ABOUT THE NEW TESTAMENT BELIEVER’S RELATIONSHIP TO THE MOSAIC LAW (THE TEN COMMANDMENTS) IN THIS AGE OF GRACE?

• WHAT CHANGES IN YOUR ATTITUDES AND ACTIONS SHOULD YOU MAKE IN YOUR LIFE TO LIVE ACCORDING TO FREEDOM IN THIS AGE OF GRACE?

• PREPARATION FOR ACT 16
• READ ACT 16:1-40
• WHAT DO YOU LEARN ABOUT TIMOTHY FROM THIS CHAPTER?

• WHY DID PAUL CIRCUMCISE TIMOTHY WHEN THE CHURCH COUNCIL JUST ESTABLISHED THAT NEW TESTAMENT BELIEVERS ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW OF MOSES?

• OF WHAT SIGNIFICANCE IS PAUL’S VISION? (9)

• WHAT DO YOU LEARN ABOUT LYDIA IN THIS CHAPTER?

• HOW DO YOU ACCOUNT FOR THE FACT THAT THE PRISON DOORS WERE OPENED SO AS TO AWAKEN THE GUARDS WHEN PREVIOUSLY, PETER WAS FREED WITHOUT OPENING THE PRISON DOORS?

• WHAT WAS PAUL AND SILAS’ ATTITUDE GOING THROUGH EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TIMES?

• HOW DO YOU ACCOUNT FOR SUCH AN ATTITUDE?

• MEMORY VERSE: JOHN 10:27