Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-12-08
APOSTOLIC COUNSEL.
LESSON Xl, FOURTH QUARTER, IN
TERNATlONAL SERIES, DEC. II.

stearns.
u. This verse introduces us to a gather
ing of the church at Jerusalem with the
apostles and elders. Paul and Barnabas
olso being present and declaring before
Them all the wonders which God had
wrought among the Genties by them.
The first part of the chapter tells why the
apostles had leSt Antioch and the cause Of
this council at Jerusalem. The principal
point of dispute was Can Gentiles be saved
by faith in Christ, or must they also be
rircumcised before they can be saved?
Peter told what he had seen of the gift of
God upon the uncircu mcised and now
Paul and Barnabas tell what they have
seen of the same grace.
ID. james now sums up the evidence
and gives his decision. James, the brother
of John, had been slain xii, p, SO this
must he James the son Of Alpheus (Math.
y, 81, the author Of the epistle of James.
IA. In verses II to Is we have a complete
and concise summary Of the purpose of
God with the church, the Jews and the
Gentiles. The purpose of the present dis
pensation is not the conversion of the
world, but, rs it is written here, to take
out of the nations people for His name.
10, And to this agree the words of the
prophets WINE the gathering OF one
body out of Jews and Gentiles on equal
terms Is not clearly revealed in the Old
Testament, ~ Paul testihes in Rom. xvi
%, 26; Eph. iii, 3, e, the purpose Of God to
bless all nations through the nation of is
rael Is very clearly revealed; and 1T is also
written IN TINS connection, surely the
Iord Iod Will 90 nothing but lie reveal
eth HIS secret unto HIS servants, the
prophets" (Amos ILL., y,
10 Alter thls VIII return and Will
D,'liu again lhe tabernacle OF DAVID" "
The restoration here spoken of has never
yet taken place, Tor the prophet says that
when 1t does take place Israel shall be
planted in their land and never be pulled
up any more (Amos lX, ll-l0). Before this
regaLhcring Of Israel as nation the elect
church must DE competed.
u. After the conversion of Israel as a
nation then shall all nations be converted,
Tor the time Will come when all kings shall
IAN down before Him, all nations shall
serve HIM RS. Xxi, ID. AS one has said,
1t IS now some Jews and some Gentiles
(the elect church, then 1t will be all the
Jews (lsa. TX, H.; Jer XNXi, 33, 3i), and
aitef that all the Gentlles uSa. TX, l-3, H.
NY
10 Ihere IS no surprise TO God In any
thlng mat comes to pass, ana lie does
hotnlhS that from all eternity lie did not
see that lie would DO.
w. Understanding the purpose Of God
James saw that The present election Wa
not to be by any special connection wiz
jewish rites, but by simple faith in Jesus
and by his grace whosoevcr will, without
respect TO persons, may be saved Oversees
cd
20. He advised writing to the Gentle
converts That having received Jesus, and
therefore beng saved, they should abstain
from all dehlements Of idolatry and un
Cleanliness ana observe IN their eating such
portions OF the ceremonial law as would be
lor their heaIth ana prove them to be sep
arate IRON the heathen about them Oil Cor
vi, 10, VII, y.
II. IL was customary to read from Moses
ana the prophets III the synagogue every
Sabbath day xii, 49, 90, and Jesus Him
self had testified that Moses wrote of Him
that all Scripture referred to Him, and
that lie had come not to destroy, but to
1uIllIl John Y, As; Luke NXlv, ~ A. Math.
V, ~.
-. Having come to this decision it
pleased the apostles and elders of the
church at Jerusalem to send to Antioch
with Paul and Barnabas such chief men
as i3arSabas and Sllas that not only might
the Christians at Antioch learn the de-
cison OF the council by letter, but also by
the testimony OF these brethren
% Listen now to the letter and hear
leading Jews at Jerusalem addressing
Gentle believers as brethren. Behold the
grace Of God and the love of the Holy
Spirit, What a contrast to the old saying
that ths Jews have no dealings with the
Samartansl myself have heard minis
ter of the Gospel object to the term "breth-
rem" saying that he felt like knocking a
man down who called him brother. Such
was not the spirit OF the apostles.
"a Such troublers and subyerters still
live, and pervert the word OF God and mys-
tty the grace OF GoH, going so far as to
say That unless we believe as they do or
JON their communion we cannot be saved;
Others saying that even though we believe
we have something TO do before we can be
saved, and yet others insist that we cannot
know whether we are saved till we die.
%. The letter testlties to the love of the
church toward BaTIlbaS and Paul to the