Thoughts From Acts 16 - Part 1

  Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. 2 The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3 Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.   Acts 16:1-5

        The issue at the Council of Jerusalem was what was necessary for salvation and the answer was faith in Jesus. The law was not necessary for salvation however it was necessary to get along with Jews who held to the law from birth and were transitioning to the New Covenant. Circumcision was left out of the list of concessions come up with by the council, but in this case, Paul thought it was still important enough to his mission that he had Timothy circumcised. All his trips started in the Jewish synagogues to unbelieving Jews and he didn't want them not listening to what he had to say because he was travelling with an uncircumcised Greek. So, the irony is that Paul is travelling to churches to tell them that they didn't need to be circumcised, yet he has Timothy circumcised before they go. Why? Because circumcision didn't mean anything but if it got in the way of people listening to the gospel, then do it. Paul has said elsewhere that he became all things to all men so the gospel could be preached. This is what he meant.

      I often wonder how would people know if Timothy was circumcised or not? Did they follow him into the bathroom? Did they take public baths? Maybe they would ask Paul, "Is he circumcised?" Paul would have wanted to be able to tell the truth, so he anticipated that question and had Timothy go through the painful procedure. Timothy's willingness to endure pain was encouraging to Paul who was abandoned by John Mark in his first trip maybe because the trip got too difficult.

      Is there any application today? If it was to get the message from the council to believers listened to - maybe. Maybe a pastor needs to wear a suit and tie to preach that you don't need to wear a suit and tie. Maybe we need to preach from the King James, have a pipe organ and hymnbooks to preach that we shouldn't be tied to traditions that make us culturally irrelevant.

    Are there things we need to cut off to reach unbelievers? Maybe politics would be one. Maybe getting vaccinated would be another? How would they know - they might ask. Maybe public schooling would be one? Maybe familiarizing ourselves with the culture rather than isolating ourselves from it? Here's a tough one for me - not attacking evolutionary mindset or wokeness or homosexuality. Maybe just preach Christ crucified and risen and saving faith and let God do the rest in their lives.

     Let's not give Paul all the credit here, Timothy went through the pain. Are you willing to go through pain so the gospel can be preached? Most church members won't even leave home to go on a mission much less endure suffering. And another question - are you raising Timothies? It's your job not the church's. His mother and father had him ready to go. That's our example as parents and grandparents.

Thoughts From Acts 15 - Part 4

  Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were leaders among the believers. 23 With them they sent the following letter:

The apostles and elders, your brothers,

To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia:

Greetings.

24 We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. 25 So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul— 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. 28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.

Farewell.

30 So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. 31 The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. 32 Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers. 33 After spending some time there, they were sent off by the believers with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them. 35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.36 Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38 but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. 41 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. Acts 15:22-41

     Church councils throughout history have convened to decide on important doctrinal debates that threaten to distort the gospel into something that isn't the gospel and doesn't save us. Satan would want the gospel changed into something defective and thus we must always be wary of changes no matter how minor. In the first council, the debate was on is it faith plus works? In other words, was obeying the law necessary for salvation? The decision was that no, works are not necessary to get saved. The crux of later councils, at least the first 7 were over the nature of who Jesus was as people were debating his nature, deity, trinity, etc. and strong, right decisions were made.

      Today, we as Southern Baptists (I belonged to a PCA church prior, and they did the same thing) have yearly conventions. A new president is elected and there is usually a major item on the docket for discussion to clarify the church's doctrinal stance. Lately it seems to be over women's role in the church. Southern Baptists are Complementarian which means they believe in the essential equality of men and women as persons but there are gender distinctions in roles in society, family and the church.

      My wife and I usually go at it when this comes up, her point not being that she disagrees with complementarianism, but that the world sees us arguing about such a minor topic when we should be discussing things like sex scandals in the church. Also, she feels that the world shouldn't see us arguing but rather loving and united. I on the other hand feel that what is at the core of the discussion is do we compromise what the Bible is saying because it goes against what is culturally celebrated. My thought is if you compromise here, the next domino is homosexuality which you already see churches weakening on. Satan would love for the Word of God to be seen as culturally irrelevant and full of suggestions rather than absolute truth that transcends time and I see these issues of utmost importance, not that they are central to salvation or doctrinal essentials of the faith, but rather termites eating away at the foundations of the Bible.

       So, like Paul and Barnabas we argue because we have different gifts. Barnabas was an encourager and believed in the importance of longsuffering with people. Paul was zealous for evangelism and felt nothing should sidetrack it. He had his chance so next man up. Likewise my wife is sensitive to how the world views us as Christians and how can we reach them when we aren't loving one another. She would quote, "They will know that we are Christians by our love." I would argue that the world will always hate us and come up with reasons not to believe. Therefore, don't compromise on our beliefs for the sake of the world that would come up with another reason to hate us. Win them with the truth of the gospel. I'm reminded of CCM artists who raised millions for orphaned children through Compassion International or similar ministries yet were criticized by secular media for doing nothing for AIDS victims. They couldn't win. Jesus recognized this also when He said in Luke 7;

 “To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other:

“‘We played the pipe for you,
    and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge,
    and you did not cry.’

33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ 

       I say, don't worry about what the world thinks, you'll never be able to please them. Just do what's right. I guess I'm more Paul than Barnabas. The trick is avoiding the "vehement arguments."

Thoughts From Acts 15 - Part 3

 When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me. 14 Simon has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles. 15 The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:

1 “‘After this I will return
    and rebuild David’s fallen tent.
Its ruins I will rebuild,
    and I will restore it,
17 that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,
    even all the Gentiles who bear my name,
says the Lord, who does these things’—
18     things known from long ago.

19 “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. 21 For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.” Acts 15:13-21

          This is one of those passages that torments me in Acts. Another is rolling dice for a new apostle. I see Acts as a history of the early church that isn't to be taken in every instance as God's prescription to us as to how to make decisions for example. Isn't it possible that these guys sometimes got it wrong? Should our elders and deacons be picked by coin toss? And in this passage, should we tell people to partially follow the Levitical laws that Christ fulfilled?

      Seventh Day Adventists elevate teachings by Ellen White that command certain Old Testament laws to still be followed today like Sabbath and unclean foods. Common dilemmas are, "Can we eat duck?" Jehovah Witnesses would die rather than be transfused quoting this passage and Leviticus 17:17 saying, "The life is in the blood." Eastern Orthodoxy follows the laws of not trimming beards in Leviticus 19:27 and 21:5. Mormons wear holy underwear based on Leviticus 16:4. Certain Church of God traditions celebrate the annual feasts while Messianic Jews observe circumcision customs, Sabbaths, festivals, and Kosher laws.

       For James to negotiate a trade of circumcision for strangled animals with blood in them, sexual immorality, and food offered to idols looks like a midseason baseball trade where you trade a big-name player for three lesser players in order to dump salary. Circumcision came at a high cost - ouch! The others are avoided without pain. Let's take the win, right? Wrong. Peter said let's not lay a yoke on people that we ourselves couldn't bear and yet James is compromising here - I feel. Is this introducing the addition of the Law to certain factions of Christianity? I believe yes. No wonder Paul had to rebuke Peter later on. Paul penned these words to the Galatians who were mixing Leviticus with the New Covenant;

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace." Gal. 5:1,4

     I think James dropped the ball here. Sounds like one of our elder or deacon meetings.

Thoughts From Acts 15 - Part 2

  The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”12 The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.  Acts 15:6-12

        Have you ever seen that little gem that I highlighted tucked away in this passage? Sure, we know Eph. 2:8,9, Titus 3:5,6, and are familiar with Romans 3 & 4, but here is the gospel tucked away in the first church council as stated by Peter.

      What is "grace". Unmerited favor is one definition. Another I like is getting what we don't deserve. The Jews were thinking, "The Gentiles don't deserve salvation because they aren't obeying the law, specifically circumcision". Peter would say, "Yes, you are right, they don't deserve salvation and neither do you because the law is a yoke that none of us can bear. All of us fall under the weight of the law."

      Every religion in the world except true Christianity believes you earn your salvation. C.S. Lewis was asked, "What's the one thing that distinguishes Christianity from all other religions?" He thought for a second and replied, "Grace."

     Islaam teaches heaven can be reached through practicing worship and doing good deeds and you'll find out in the end if you got there.

      Judaism teaches obey the law and live a faithful life

    Hindu teaches meditation, discipline, ethical conduct and Karma

    Buddhism teaches follow the 8-fold path

    I say "true Christianity" because Catholics believe we are saved by grace plus works. Mormons believe that to reach the highest heaven you must follow the temple ordinances. Jehovah Witnesses believe that to get to be one of the 144,000 you have to be obedient and faithful. Church of Christ believes you have to be baptized, and certain groups of Christians believe that you can lose your salvation which implies you are doing works to maintain it. Reformers go as far as saying that if you believe that your faith saved you then it's your effort that saved you - faith must be given by God, therefore only reformed Christians are saved. This goes against Paul's teaching in Romans 3:27&28 and Chapter 4 which distinguish faith from a work, but I'm getting off track.

       So what is the gospel that Peter is preaching? Everyone likes to go back to what the earliest churches believed to prove their beliefs are right, so it doesn't get any earlier than this. Peter teaches in verse 9 that God purified their hearts by faith. What's that mean? Admit that your heart is dirty and trust in Christ's gift of forgiveness or cleansing done by his death on the cross as the only remedy for your sins. Then walk in that grace.

     Someone on Twitter asked today, what song would you play if there was 5 minutes left till the Earth was destroyed by a meteor? For me it would have to be "The Grace by Which I Stand" by Keith Green. That is my only hope for the future. That and the fact that my parents circumcised me as a baby. Ha