Click here for an audio version of this blog post.
Acts 15:1-11
But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. 3 So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers. 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. 5 But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”
6 The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. 7 And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, 9 and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. 10 Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”
I have had only one physical fight of significance. I was 8 years old. It was decisive. It was short. I went home crying. A school bully had come onto our property and I told him to get off. He refused, saying, “Who’s gonna make me?” I said, “I will.” He said, “Wanna fight?” I said, “Sure.” I had a broken gooseneck lamp slung onto my shoulder by a nylon belt. He said, “I’m not gonna fight someone with that thing,” pointing to my makeshift property protection device. I should have said, “Well then, leave.” But instead, I dropped the lamp. His reaction was swift and decisive. His two punched to my nose stung. I was an easy target, and went down quickly.
Paul had endured brutal physical treatment. Having been stoned and left for dead would rank higher than a two-punch to the nose encounter. But he seems not to have fought force with force. He simply refused to be bullied. He would not cease and desist from sharing the gospel. But there would be a time when he would have to deal with the questions and challenges he faced (and perhaps also catalyzed). That time was coming. Soon. Paul and Barnabas – following the latest confrontation by the Judaizers – are sent to Jerusalem. They were seeking a ruling from the apostles about how to handle the gentile converts.
I notice that there was no small dissension and debate between Paul and these men from Judea. Talk about a church fight! Ugh.
Sadly, I have seen and been brought into church fights. I’ve seen church leaders resign in disgust. I’ve heard people say things I can hardly believe I’ve heard from the mouths of those claiming the name of Christ. Perhaps these behaviors were not of that character. But there was no doubt some real energy behind the conversations.
The solution, however, was not arrived at by fisticuffs, or resignations. The solution was to seek the wisdom and help of those who were charged with guiding the church, and centering the mission in faith in Jesus Christ. The Let’s Settle This solution was to be founded on the message of salvation that is for all people. We’ll see that in this chapter. And we’re living it today. We call ourselves Christians and take our place in the kingdom of God by grace through faith. And that settles it.
David Bahn - Reflections 