使徒言行録15:1-21  Acts 15:1-21,

Christianity teaches that we are saved by believing in the grace of Jesus Christ. It is not necessary to keep God’s law to be saved. Today’s Scripture passage describes how this was made clear at a church council.

Some believers came to the church in Antioch, where Paul and Barnabas were, and claimed that one must undergo the circumcision ritual, which Jews received, to be saved. This was because the Old Testament law stipulated that this ritual must be performed. Therefore, a council was convened in Jerusalem to discuss this issue.

Paul and Barnabas attended the council and reported that the Gentiles in various regions had believed in Jesus and been saved. The Gentiles refer to people other than Jews. However, some people at the council insisted that the Gentiles must also undergo circumcision and obey the law of Moses, leading to a direct clash of opinions with Paul and Barnabas. If one could not be saved without undergoing the circumcision ritual, then all the law of the Old Testament would also have to be obeyed to be saved. This was an idea that Paul could never accept.

Then, Peter, one of the leaders of the Jerusalem Church, told the story of how he had shared the gospel of Jesus with Cornelius, a Roman centurion who was a Gentile. He asserted that God had given the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles and saved them by enabling them to believe in Jesus. What this meant was that when Peter preached Jesus’ salvation, the Holy Spirit was poured out upon Cornelius and his household, so that they praised God being filled with the Holy Spirit. These people had not undergone circumcision, yet they were saved by believing in Jesus.

However, this did not conclude the council. It was necessary to hear the opinions of those who were preaching Jesus’ salvation to the Jews while keeping the law. The one who presented the concluding opinion was James, who was called one of the pillars of the Jerusalem Church along with Peter. What did James say? James agreed with Peter’s account of preaching Jesus to the Gentiles. But that was not all. Based on the words of the prophets in the Old Testament, James stated that God would create the community of believers not only for the Jewish people but also for the Gentiles. In other words, the church, as the community of believers, exists not only for the Jewish people but also for the Gentiles. Therefore, James argued that Gentiles could be saved by believing in Jesus, become members of the church, and did not need to undergo the ritual of circumcision, just like the Jewish people. In this way, it was concluded that all people are saved by faith in Jesus and do not need to undergo the ritual of circumcision.

Today also, when important decisions are made in the church, a meeting is always held. During the meeting, we discuss the matter while seeking God’s guidance and make a decision. For example, suppose that our church building is getting old and needs repairs. Repairs will cost money. How much should we spend? In such a case, first, I and the elders hold a small meeting called session and decide on a plan, such as how much money to spend on repairs. Then, the church members gather for a general meeting to discuss the proposal. If the conclusion is deemed appropriate, we then proceed to hire a construction company to carry out the repairs. In this way, whenever an issue arises in the church, we humbly gather before God in a meeting, engage in discussion, and make decisions.