The Word This Week
Acts 15:22…
Let’s put this in writing.
Better than the word of mouth, the written word carries lasting authority.
The Holy Spirit knows this, and so He inspired them to write a letter to the Church at Antioch explaining exactly ALL the Church at Jerusalem desired for the Gentile believers throughout the region of Galatia.
It wasn’t much. Minimalist. You can readily see they were led by the Holy Spirit to trust the Holy Spirit with the rest. Even with the Gentiles. Especially with the Gentiles.
Could the Gentiles be trusted to continue to be submitted to Jesus Christ even though they have zero background in the Law of Moses, and have no mark on the flesh to prove their allegiance?
And just because they did not compel them to keep the Law of Moses as a prerequisite for being baptized into the Christian faith does not mean it is of no benefit to the Gentile believers to learn of and to know the Law of Moses.
The inherent value of the Jewish Law is implied in the sensitivity the letter from the Church at Jerusalem to the Gentiles in the Church at Antioch are to have toward Jewish believers in the arena of food preparation, since sharing a meal is such an important basis of Christian fellowship. The command to sexual purity is presented because it is universal for all who would follow Christ.
But other than that – they trusted the Holy Spirit with the rest.
When we think of how joyful the Church at Antioch was to receive this grace-filled letter from the Church at Jerusalem we have the answer of whether this determination was truly directed by the Holy Spirit – since the Holy Spirit is a Spirit of unity.
And for a newly formed Church of Jesus Christ, now so spread across the map – and spreading rapidly further – unity was incredibly important.
This letter from the Church at Jerusalem, (in reality the Holy Spirit,) provided a foundation of unity and peace among believers from which the teaching of God’s Word – including the Law of Moses – could proceed.
Pastor Bill
Let’s put this in writing.
Better than the word of mouth, the written word carries lasting authority.
The Holy Spirit knows this, and so He inspired them to write a letter to the Church at Antioch explaining exactly ALL the Church at Jerusalem desired for the Gentile believers throughout the region of Galatia.
It wasn’t much. Minimalist. You can readily see they were led by the Holy Spirit to trust the Holy Spirit with the rest. Even with the Gentiles. Especially with the Gentiles.
Could the Gentiles be trusted to continue to be submitted to Jesus Christ even though they have zero background in the Law of Moses, and have no mark on the flesh to prove their allegiance?
And just because they did not compel them to keep the Law of Moses as a prerequisite for being baptized into the Christian faith does not mean it is of no benefit to the Gentile believers to learn of and to know the Law of Moses.
The inherent value of the Jewish Law is implied in the sensitivity the letter from the Church at Jerusalem to the Gentiles in the Church at Antioch are to have toward Jewish believers in the arena of food preparation, since sharing a meal is such an important basis of Christian fellowship. The command to sexual purity is presented because it is universal for all who would follow Christ.
But other than that – they trusted the Holy Spirit with the rest.
When we think of how joyful the Church at Antioch was to receive this grace-filled letter from the Church at Jerusalem we have the answer of whether this determination was truly directed by the Holy Spirit – since the Holy Spirit is a Spirit of unity.
And for a newly formed Church of Jesus Christ, now so spread across the map – and spreading rapidly further – unity was incredibly important.
This letter from the Church at Jerusalem, (in reality the Holy Spirit,) provided a foundation of unity and peace among believers from which the teaching of God’s Word – including the Law of Moses – could proceed.
Pastor Bill