Thoughts From Acts 15 - Part 1

 Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. 3 The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the believers very glad. 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.  Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.” Acts 15:1-5

       I had talked earlier in the "Left Behind" book series, people saved in the tribulation would receive a smudge mark on their foreheads. This is taken from Revelation 7:3-8, 9:4, 14:1, 22:3,4. The first-generation believers, as the gospel went to Romans, Gentiles, Samaritans to confirm salvation spoke in tongues. This was their "smudge mark". There was confirmation of the Holy Spirit coming into them by speaking in tongues, the way it was confirmed at Pentecost to those OG's praying in the upper room. This confirmation was essential as seen in chapter 15.

 A group of "Twitter Bible Scholars" were arguing theology, specifically that gentiles couldn't be saved without circumcision. They weren't arguing that once you are saved, circumcision like baptism is an act of obedience but rather circumcision was required for salvation. I guess women couldn't be saved or were granted an exception? Maybe they had to wear hats, I don't know. But anyway, just like Cornelius and friends received the Holy Spirit before baptism, they also received the Holy Spirit before circumcision. This confirmation should have been the end to that argument but to make it official, they are going to have the first church counsel to make it official.

     I just saw that Deion Sanders spoke in tongues at a press conference. I'm not saying he isn't saved but speaking in tongues is not proof of salvation today. Paul says that tongues aren't a sign for believers but unbelievers. Therefore, if you are requiring someone to speak in tongues before you grant them positions of leadership in the church like in the Assemblies of God. I've had Assemblies of God people pray over me to receive tongues and when I didn't, they were concerned for my salvation. They wanted tongues to be a sign to the believers which Paul says it isn't. They were wanting me to have that "smudge mark" but today we just don't know for sure if someone like Deion is saved. Only God knows the heart.

     Fortunately, he has given me the Spirit and I know because the Spirit testifies to me that I'm saved. It would be nice if we could tell for sure on others but that's just not the way that God has chosen to work in this period of time. Instead of just looking for unbelievers to witness to, we share to everyone not knowing who is saved. Instead of hiring Pastors with "smudge marks" we occasionally hire imposters and let imposters lead worship and teach our kids in Sunday School. It happens all the time and can't be avoided. What question would you ask that would weed out 99% of phonies? Let me think on that one.