The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1909-05-19
May 90. The Council at Jerusa.

Gill; AUS
Those who have been keeping track
of the lessons from week to week
will know that these have Of late told
Of the first great missionary trip
which Paul and Barnabas made in
territory bordering on the east end
of the Mediterranean Sea. They re-
turned to Antioch. their starting
place and related how great had been
their successes in the conversion Of
those not Jews to faith in Jesus
Christ. In fact the manner in which
the Gentiles had renowned their
idols, come out from the wicked prac-
tices Of the day. and stood fast to
the new faith. was wonderful. 1t
showed plainly that their conversion
was indeed real, witnessing change
of heart and purpose. the reality of
which could not be denied. These
Gentiles had come right into the
church without being first Jews by
profession and submitting to the rites
and ceremonies of the law as laid
down by Moses and those in authority
following him.
A great situation now presented
itself to the leaders of the early
church. The church had membership
made up of Jews and Gentiles. The
Jews had been taught through hum
dreds of years that favor with God
came through giving the male chill
dren the rite of circumcision and OBJ
serving with exactness certain laws
as to the eating of meat, the killing
Of the animals used for food. 1t was
simply unthinkable to the Jewish
christians that God could love man
who broke the commandments of
Moses as to the food he ate. On
the other hand the Gentle christians
had the witness of the Holy Spirit
that they were accepted with God
and they saw no use in being circum-
cised and living like Jew. It will
thus be seen that the leaders of the
church had a great problem to unite
in one active force. people with such
divergent views. A council was held
at Jerusalem to consider the situa,
zion and Paul and Barnabas were
present.
The decision of that council was
simply magnificent. 1t makes one
proud of being christian to see the
wisdom, the moderation. the justice of
what was decided upon. The letter
to the churches said that no great
burdens should be put on the mem
bership. The Gentiles need not be
circumcised On the other hand the
GENTLE christians were asked rot to
eat meat offered to idols. not to drink
blood. and not to eat animals killed
by strangling. They were further
to abstain from the sin nf fornication.
The rules as to eating were to be
kept for the sake of the Jewish
Christians That was all. What wis
dom, what clearnsss of vision, The
council was certainly guided by the
Spirit of God Let it be noted thai
practically all minor things were.
wiped away. The council held that
no act of man. determined ones stand
ling before God; that no form or
ceremony was necessary to make one
a Christian and entitled to salvation
through belief in Jesus Christ Our
grown up reader Will readily see the
Wilderness. fairness. business of the
decision. 1t means today, that no
special form OF baptism, church
creed. ceremony, is needed for accept
ance with God. As the same time
churches are needed to advance the
cause of Carist in the world. and
every believer in Christ should be
connected with some church. 1t
would be we'll to keep in mind the
broad spirit of the early christians
and to he charitable in setting .p
standards as to who are true chris