IS THERE A WIDER MESSAGE?
10. Circumcision, meats offered to idols and the like seem so removed from our world today. Is this section irrelevant now? Not at all! Everytime somebody's culture or custom becomes more central than Christ, this section speaks with great force ! It isn't easy for us to dismiss our heritage, traditions (written or unwritten). The Pharisee is alive in all of us. (And maybe he's never more alive than when we think we have no traditions or when we think our traditions are really commands of God!)
11. Everybody draws a line somewhere. Both sides in the dispute in Acts 15 insisted there was no salvation or life without Jesus Christ. Lines must be drawn somewhere! If we don t stand for something, we fall for everything; isn't that what they say? It's true! But everytime somebody draws a line at a place where God hasn't drawn it, saying that those on the other side of it aren't saved, this section insists on getting a hearing ! The Pharisee flourishes again. And Paul, James and the others oppose it again.
12. He who said He was the Truth has no love for error. It is part of our submission to him as Lord to seek biblical truth and gladly embrace it. Unity at any price breeds maggots but not every error is soul-destroying. And we don't have to understand every truth in order to have life in Christ. Everytime somebody draws up a list of essentials which cannot be clearly drawn from the Word of the Lord God, Acts 15 demands a new hearing !
13. We learn, in connection with all this, that love surrenders rights and considers the feelings of others. James, Paul and others opposed the Judaistic heresy without flinching but when it came to removing stumblingblocks, they all adhered to the Jewish law so as not to offend Jews (see Acts 21:17-26). In 16:1-3 Paul urged young Timothy to be circumcised to make their work among Jews easier.
14. We learn something else: It's easier to hold to theories of unity than it is to consistently practice unity . Unity isn't just a matter of doctrinal agreement, it's a spirit, a pursuit. In 15:39 Paul and Barnabas had a heated argument and "parted asunder". It doesn't matter who was to blame. It doesn't matter that both of them may have made good points. It doesn t even matter that God used the split for good (15:39,41 ). Could these two great men, who fought for "grace" up at Jerusalem not have worked this out? Paul's later words were needed (Eph 4:1 ): "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace!"
WHAT WE'VE LEARNED IN LESSON SEVEN
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A right relationship with God is not based on our moral performance or ethnic roots but on grace which comes through faith in Jesus Christ.
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When culture or tradition becomes more central than Christ, when lists are drawn up as essential to fellowship with Christ that can t be clearly drawn from God's word, heresy is being born and shaped.
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Sometimes love will not allow us to exercise our rights. Love will sometimes lead us to forfeit our freedom for the sake of others.
4. Unity is more than doctrinal agreement.