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Acts 15:12-29
And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.13 After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me.14 Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name.15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,
16 “‘After this I will return,
and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen;
I will rebuild its ruins,
and I will restore it,
17 that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord,
and all the Gentiles who are called by my name,
says the Lord, who makes these things18 known from of old.’19 Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God,20 but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood.21 For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”
22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers,23 with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings.24 Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions,25 it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.27 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth.28 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: 29 that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”
When I go to the gym, I regularly modify the exercises we do. Each day there is a series of exercises – each with differing degrees of difficulty. Some are more challenging to me than others. And some I simply must not try to do. With issues of age, arthritis, and abilities, I don’t try to jump and am careful about transverse movements. There is – thankfully – always a modification available to me. And if someone is just starting out the trainers are very helpful to suggest needed accommodations based on people’s physical abilities. On the other hand there are some young and very well fit folks in the group. Their modifications are in the other direction: they are challenged to make the exercises more challenging.
When Barnabas and Paul go to Jerusalem, they carry a far higher accountability and greater responsibility than the new gentile believers. They are delivering a report to the people there so that the new believers can enjoy unquestioned fellowship with other followers of Jesus. Their rightful place among the fellowship of the redeemed was at stake. The authenticity of their report was tied to their outward and actual faithfulness to the message of Jesus and their proper behavior as they lived out their faith.
But their report is not only about the conversion of the gentiles, it certainly would have had to include the accounts of the sufferings and resistance they experienced for the sake of the gospel of Jesus. Their modifications in their walk of faith were of the more challenging kind. They were farther along in their faith walk than the new gentile converts. There will be some of those new converts who will walk into ever more challenging situations. Some will even die as martyrs for the faith.
Justin the Philosopher was born years after Barnabas and Paul’s ministry, and became a Christian later in life. He eventually lost his life. At his trial he said, “[It] is our desire, to be tortured for Our Lord, Jesus Christ, and so to be saved, for that will give us salvation and firm confidence at the more terrible universal tribunal of Our Lord and Saviour.”
The new converts will have a simpler and less challenging way into the faith. They will be welcomed into the fellowship of the redeemed and told that they must, “abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”
Whether we are long term followers of Jesus or the newest convert, we’ve all been given the gift of salvation. There is nothing we must do to be saved beyond faith in Jesus. Once we are saved we may need modifications to the expectations we have toward ourselves and those on the path with us.
David Bahn - Reflections 
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