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.”

Acts 15:1-2 and 6-11

1Certain 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. 6 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.”

Today’s title is “Law Versus God”

Can you imagine a society without law? Absolutely not. Although the law has many different forms such as written law or unwritten law, every society or community has a law. But no law is perfect in itself. It can be abused and overused by ill-willed people. Jesus confronted and criticized such misuse of the law. In return, the people crucified the Son of God on the pretext of the law. They now criticized the new Christians who were saved by the grace of God for not abiding by the law. They even said that their salvation is void if the new converts do not comply with the law of Moses such as circumcision. Such teachings were in fact total denial of what Apostle Paul and Barnabas preached. They preached salvation by grace not by work or by keeping the law of Moses. Such false emphasis on the law of Moses enraged Paul and Barnabas. They had a sharp dispute with the false teachers. They would not give in. Then they brought the matter to the apostles in Jerusalem. Churches always have respected the apostles who had direct teachings from the Lord. These actions set a good precedence for all the churches to come. When a church has a controversial issue that they cannot resolve among themselves, a local church can bring it to the counsel of the more mature spiritual leaders. Such practices were developed into a system of church polities such as presbyteries and general assemblies later on. Out of such prudent consultation with the apostolic leaders came the great decision. Although there were some even in Jerusalem who argued that the new converts should be circumcised to be saved, the apostles said in conclusion, “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. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 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? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” This is the first ever-made landmark official decision of the apostles for the gentile churches. It not only solves the issues at Antioch but also cleared the hurdles of the law for all the global churches and believers on and on. We respect the law in whatever form it may be. But we reject it if it stands in the ways of salvation that God had prepared for us. When a law denies or rejects the true God and His will, we are free from it. We are not saved by the law but by the grace of God. Amen!