Saved by Grace

November 8, 2015 Background Scripture: Acts 15:1 – 35 Lesson Passage: Acts 15:1 – 12 The early Christian church was challenged by a huge doctrinal question. How should a Christian church composed of Jewish converts evaluate the authenticity of a Gentile convert’s testimony? The initial decision, which seemed reasonable to some of the Jewish Christians, was to require the Gentiles to become Jewish proselytes through circumcision and then accept their testimony of conversion to Christianity. This crisis within the early church was the first to highlight the Apostle Paul’s ministry to the church. Paul was trained in the tradition of the Pharisees and had extensive knowledge of the Holy Scriptures we recognize as the Old Testament today. None of the other apostles appear to have such a stellar background and knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. Paul recognized that God was saving Gentiles without them participating in any of the Jewish rituals. Paul also understood that his salvation through Christ did not come about because of his extensive knowledge of the scriptures or his religious adherence to the Jewish rituals. In essence, it was the Apostle Paul who was first to recognize that Christianity is not an offshoot of Judaism. Christianity is its own stand-alone religious faith based on salvation through Jesus Christ and not based on works or activities specified by a code of law. When Jewish Christians came from Jerusalem to Antioch, where Paul was, and declared to the Antioch Christians that the Gentiles could not be saved without circumcision, Paul and Barnabas contended with them over the issue and insisted the issue needed to be reconciled by the chief Apostles in Jerusalem. This was a major turning point in the development of the church. Christians everywhere recognized the Jerusalem based apostles as the head of the church and the ones who were tasked with resolving doctrinal questions. This attitude held the church together as one body in Christ. Without this attitude, the church would have been challenged in its survival since most of the church’s growth would come from Gentile converts and not Jews. The church at Antioch sent a committee composed of Paul, Barnabas, and others, who were not named, to Jerusalem for a resolution. This decision kept the church connected to the Apostles’ doctrine or teaching. It was of the utmost importance that they who were personally taught and trained by Jesus during his earthly ministry give guidance to the infant church. The church at Antioch acknowledged as much through their decisive action. Although Paul and Barnabas had many testimonies concerning the miracles God wrought through them among the Gentiles, this was not considered until the Apostle Peter first rendered an opinion concerning God’s work among the Gentiles through him. Paul would become known as the apostle of grace but in this setting it was Peter who declared that all are saved by the grace of Jesus Christ without exception. Peter further added that the Mosaic Law was a yoke that even the Jews were unable to bear and to burden the Gentiles with such a yoke was not necessary. After this, the testimony of Paul and Barnabas confirmed what Peter had declared. All Christians are saved by grace. Robert C. Hudson October 28, 2015