CSSA 3-5-363 - THE JERUSALEM CONFERENCE

363. THE JERUSALEM CONFERENCE

"Through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved"

Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch, the place of their home ecclesia, following their first missionary journey. They rehearsed to the ecclesia "all that God had done with them, and how He had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles" (Acts 14:27). This created in their midst a contention which, though officially settled at the Jerusalem Con ference, was to follow closely the steps of the Apostle from that day forth.

The aim of this lesson is to understand why Judaism was incompatible with the Gospel of Christ and to understand the reasons for the decrees which were issued by the Jerusalem Conference.

Acts 15:1-35

THE ISSUE.

The nation of Israel was elected by God as His firstborn son among the family of nations (Ex. 4:22). They were a peculiar treasure unto Him and had exclusive privileges (Ex. 19:5-6; Rom. 9:3-5). If any wanted to find acceptance before God, they had to embrace the hope of Israel and come under the Law of Moses. This was the position before Christ came. But the Jews had added the tradition of the elders to the Law of Moses (Matt. 15:3-9). In this way the Law had become cor rupted and a burden. The Scribes and Pharisees who professed to uphold it became self-righteous and scornful of others. The result was that the Gentiles were looked on as inferior and few partook of the hope of Israel. During his ministry Jesus indicated clearly that the Jewish view of privilege could not be justified or maintained. He declared that "God so loved the World, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (Jn. 3:16). Before his ascension, he commanded his disciples to "go into all the World and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved" (Mk. 16:15-16; cp. Matt. 21:43; 22:9-10; 24:14; Lk. 2:32; Isa. 49:6). The commandment was clear. Belief in the gospel followed by baptism was what God required of all men for salvation.

But when Paul reported the conversion of the Gentiles without requir ing their submission to the Law of Moses and the rite of circumcision, contention between Paul and the Judaisers was inevitable. It soon erupted.

PEACE AT ANTIOCH DISTURBED BY JUDAISERS (Acts 15:1-5).

A great company of priests had been obedient to the faith (Acts 6:7), and certain of the sect of the Pharisees were numbered among the believers (Acts 15:5). Some of these had travelled to Antioch and oppos ed Paul (Gal. 2:12-13). They said "except ye be circumcised ... ye cannot be saved", and they contended it was necessary to "keep the law" (Acts 15:1, 5, 24).

Paul's view and their view were diametrically opposed. Paul said that salvation was a matter of the grace of God for all, Jew or Gentile, who believed and were baptised (cp. Eph. 2:8-10). The Judaisers said that, besides this, both circumcision and the Law had to be observed: in other words, justification from sins depended upon man's ability to fulfil the works of the Law.

So serious was the issue that it was resolved that Paul and Barnabas should go up to Jerusalem to the Apostles and elders to settle it. The de mand to observe the Law directly challenged Paul's work among the Gentiles which, however, had been manifestly blessed by God. The out pouring of Holy Spirit power had always been accepted as God's seal upon the work of the apostles (Acts 14:3), and it had been given on the basis of faith not the Law (Gal. 3:2). So as Paul and Barnabas went on their way to Jerusalem, they "declared the conversion of the Gentiles" to the mixed ecclesias of Phoenicia (Phenice) and Samaria and thus brought much joy to them.

When they arrived at Jerusalem Paul revealed the wisdom that had been imparted to him. At a meeting with the ecclesia and the apostles and elders they declared "all things that God had done with them". They em phasised God's part in their work among the Gentiles € they were merely His agents. It was a complete answer to those who desired to add "law" to "faith". Paul's words provoked opposition. The believing Pharisees insisted that the Law and circumcision were "needful". Accordingly a conference was convened to deal with the question.

THE JERUSALEM CONFERENCE (Acts 15:6-21).

The matter was greatly disputed, the Judaisers arguing that the Law was of God and was the foundation of the nation's civil and religious code; that it had been so for 1,500 years and could not be set aside; that circumcision was "forever" € issues answered by Paul's letters to "Gala-tians" and "Romans".

The dispute continued until Peter arose to address the meeting, the first of four principal speakers. Upon his forthright confession that Jesus was "the Christ, the Son of the Living God", the Lord had conferred upon Peter "the Keys of the Kingdom" (Matt. 16:19). It was Peter, at Pentecost, who had stated the formula for salvation (Acts 2:38). Later again, he had been the one chosen by God to preach "words whereby" the house of the first Gentile convert Cornelius "might be saved". This event settled for ever the question of Jewish exclusiveness. It had taken three identical visions to convince Peter that "what God hath cleansed, call not thou common". Only then had Peter's Jewish prejudice been submerged. The Spirit was given from heaven upon all the Gentiles in Cornelius' house who heard and believed the Word. Clearly, "whosoever (Jew and Gentile) believeth in him shall receive remission of sins". Peter had unlocked  the   "door  of  faith  unto  the  Gentiles"   and  they were baptised. God, who knew their hearts, "put no difference" between Jew and Greek.

In the face of this, to require observance of the Law by Gentiles, was to tempt God (v. 10). The Law was a burden to the Jews; it could not be kept and so it "made" them a nation of sinners (Gal. 5:1; Matt. 23:4). Justification was by faith in Christ through the grace of God. If then while seeking to be justified by Christ, they were convicted as sinners, in effect Christ was the "minister of sin" (Gal. 2:16-21). Here was confu sion. The grace of God was "frustrated" or neutralised. How un thinkable to limit the love of God like this! Thus Peter reasoned.

The second and third speakers, Paul and Barnabas rose to confirm what Peter had said. They stated that God had approved the conversion of Gentiles "by miracles and wonders" (cp. Acts 14:27; 15:3, 4; 2:22; Heb. 2:4). Would God's blessing abide with those he did not approve of?

It was left to James, the fourth speaker, to summarise the discussion. His stature appears from the fact that he was the President of the Con ference who gave the ruling (vv. 19-21). That the ruling was accepted is seen from the fact that it was repeated in the letter sent out (v.29).

James combined Peter's evidence (vv.7-11, 14), with the voice of the Prophets (vv. 15-18) € weighty evidence in the ears of the disputants. His opening sentence comprises an epitome of the Book of Exodus: "Simeon (Peter) hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for His name" (v.14). James saw the call of the Gentiles as a repetition of the call of Israel out of Egypt. That call had en tailed visitation, invitation, separation, education and dedication. These are five essential steps to the Kingdom of God that all must take. He also referred to at least three of the Prophets: €

1. Jeremiah 12:15: "After this I will return (the words quoted in Acts 15:16),    and   have   compassion   on   them   (Judah's    "evil neighbours" € Gentiles, v.14). . . and build them in the midst of my people". Here was a prophecy which plainly spoke of grace upon the nations who became obedient to the Truth.
2. Amos 9:11-12: This prophecy speaks of the restitution of the "Taber nacle of David". This term is used because Gentiles were freely ad mitted in the days of David into worship. The prophecy of Amos also speaks of the residue of men seeking the Lord at Christ's return, as well as "the Gentiles upon whom my name hath been called" (Rotherham). This presupposes that when the Kingdom is establish ed, there will be Gentiles already bearing the name of God. There
   must be a period before this then, when God would "take out of the Gentiles a people for His name". Peter and Paul's experiences were consistent with the voice of God in the Prophets.
3. Isaiah 45:22: Isaiah spoke of a day when every knee would bow to Christ and find righteousness in Yahweh (cf. v.23; Rom. 14:11-12). In anticipation of this, he calls to Gentiles, "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth". James spoke of the Gentiles who had answered this call and "turned to God" (Acts 15:19). Moreover the words of Acts 15:18 are also in essence the words of Isaiah 45:21. James concluded that, in the circumstances of the times, there were four things that could be asked of Gentile brethren (vv. 19-20). But cir cumcision and the Law were not numbered among those things essential for salvation.

THE FORMAL DECREE OF THE COUNCIL (Acts 15:22-29).

James' judgment was accepted. The teachings of the Judaisers lacked the endorsement of the Apostles and Elders. There were four "necessary things" enjoined upon the Gentile believers for the time then present. They were encouraged to heal the breach by abstaining from:

1.    Meats offered to idols: Probably this was for the reason given in 1 Cor. 8:10. In freely partaking of meats offered to idols, a stumbling block could be cast before the weak. Though an idol was "nothing in the world" and no meat was unclean of itself, if a "weak brother" had a conscience toward either and followed the example of a "strong
brother", then he would sin. Thus, "through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died" (1 Cor. 8:11). The pro per course was to abstain.

2. and 3.   Things Strangled and Blood: The partaking of such was strictly forbidden in the Law (Lev. 17:10-14). Ingrained conscience made it repugnant to the Jew. As the Ecclesias were mixed communities it was best for the sake of peace to maintain this restraint. Note the close connection with Jewish feeling (vv.20-21). It was therefore only a temporary concession to the Jews in the circumstances of those days, and is no longer an obligation. Regard for the conscience of others is constantly counselled by the Apostles.

It is not now "defiling" to have blood transfusions, as the Jehovah Witnesses teach. Jesus enunciated the principle, "whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him ..." (Mk. 7:18-23).

4. Fornication: This is a permanent injunction which was doubtless made in view of the general acceptance of this vice in the world out side. God's law has not changed though man's convention has. Let those beware who practice such things in the "permissive age" of the 20th century. "Be not deceived, neither fornicators . . . shall inherit the Kingdom of God" (1 Cor. 6:18; cp. Matt. 5:27-30; Heb. 12:16; 13:4; Rev. 21:8).

The conference over, Paul and Barnabas, accompanied by Silas and Judas, returned to Antioch with the letter. When the ecclesia heard its contents they rejoiced, as well they might, for there were many Gentiles at Antioch (Acts 11:20-21). Paul took this message with him on his next missionary journey. It was an added witness to God's approval of His gospel (16:4-5).

THE LAW AND CHRIST.

The Law of Moses served two purposes: €

1. A Negative Purpose: It convinced men they were sinful creatures and thus in need of redemption: it made men "guilty before God" and thus "worked wrath" (Rom. 3:19-20; 4:15; Gal. 3:19).
2. A Positive Purpose: It directed attention to the coming Saviour. It "was a schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ", said Paul (Gal. 3:24). The ritual of the Tabernacle, the Sacrificial Code, etc., all directed at tention to the promised seed (Gal. 3:21-25).

It was thus a wonderful divine institution for "the time then present". It "was holy, and just, and good" (Rom. 7:12). While convincing man of his sinful state, it did not leave him in a state of hopelessness. It was in tended that the Israelite should seek God's salvation in Christ, which was to be revealed at the "time of reformation" (Heb. 9:10). It did all it could to save men. In this way it was "ordained to life" (Rom. 7:10).

There are two reasons why the Law could not give life, namely:

1. The Law was weak through the flesh, i.e. because flesh could not keep it. It thus convicted men of sins and condemned them to death.
2. Even if it was kept perfectly, it could not give life, for there never was a law given that could (Rom. 8:3; Gal. 3:21, 2:16; Ps. 143:2). Salva tion is by grace through faith. Striving to keep the Law resulted in a generation of boastful hypocrites whose religion was centred on human achievement. Such cold formalism was abhorrent to God.

Christ is the "end of the law for righteousness to all who believe" (Rom. 10:4). He was a man who kept the Law but was cursed by it in the manner of his death (Gal. 3:13). When the Law cursed an innocent man, its end was due. In this way the Giver of the Law to Israel rescinded it. This permitted the "blessing of Abraham to come on the Gentiles" (Gal. 3:8, 14; Jn. 3:14-15; 12:32).

Grace and Works are opposites (Rom. 4:14; 11:5, 6; Gal. 3:18; Jn. 1:16-17). If salvation is by works then the grace of God is nullified (see also Lesson 21). How serious the issue was.

LESSONS FOR US:

• Paul was quick to perceive the danger of false doctrine. He forthwith took drastic steps and brought the problem of Law and Grace to Jerusalem.
• There his conviction was confirmed by the united testimony of Apos tle and Prophet. This gave him a document which he could thereafter use to "establish the ecclesias in the faith". It was a defence against the pernicious Judaisers whose evil doctrine might have destroyed theTruth in its infancy.

REFERENCE LIBRARY:

"The Apostle Paul" (W. H. Boulton) € Chapter 8

"Redemption in Christ Jesus" (W. F. Barling) € Appendix 1

"The Story of the Bible" (H. P. Mansfield) € Vol. 13, Pages 121-136

PARAGRAPH QUESTIONS:

1. What evidence swayed the decision of the Jerusalem Conference?
2. How can man be justified before God?
3. Explain how Law and Grace are opposed.
4. What was the purpose of the Law of Moses?

ESSAY QUESTION:

1. Briefly outline the way in which Judaisers were undermining the Faith by their teachings in the first century ecclesias.
2. Briefly outline the issues that faced the Jerusalem Conference.
3. Outline James' address and rulings concerning the issue that faced the Jerusalem Conference.
4. Explain the significance of each of the four "necessary things" which the Jerusalem Conference enjoined upon the Ecclesias at that time.
5. Tell the story of the Jerusalem Conference recorded in Acts 15.