The Green Forest tribune., 1916-05-26
LESSON FOR MAY 28
THE COUNCIL AT JERUSALEM.
LESSON TExT-Acts 15:1-S5

The events of this lesson are out standing in Christian history. Paul s appeal to the Gentiles and the large number of them who accepted the Cos pei made most acute the question, Must Gentle believers become Jew ish proselytes upon accepting the Christian faith and be governed by Jewish law and customs?" It would be exceedingly interesting to divide a class and let them debate this con- troversy stated as follows: Resolved, That the Mosaic law should not have been imposed upon Gentle Chris tians." The date of this council was A. D. 50 or 51, and the scene is laid first in Antioch Of Syria and then ill Jerusalem.
 |. A Division Of Opinion (vv. 1-6). Luke does not name those who agi- tated and precipitated this contro- versy, but clearly indicates how the Holy Spirit dealt with the situation.
 IS man justified by fath, or by the works of the law" is a similar ques- tion with modern application. The Holy Spirit, to avoid a rupture in the yet weak church, directs that Paul, Barnabas, Titus Gal. 2:1 and CT tain others" who are not named, should carry the question to the apos- ties anu elders in Jerusalem. Those to whom they went were "of reputa- ton" Gal. 2:2), the pillars" Gal. 2:9) and they received the delegation from Antioch in public (15:4), also heard Paul in private Gal. 2:2). II. The Argument. (vv. 6-1S). It will not do to be harsh in condemn
 ing PauTs accusers. The Pharisees felt deeply their position. AS God S chosen people they were marked by circumcision. Jesus, the promised Mes
 siah, was a Jew. Social, religious,
 and racial differences are hard to rec
 oncile in one church today But little
 was asked of the Gentiies in contrast
 with all they received Entrance tC
 church membership would not be toe f. easy if circumcision were imposed as
 test of their sincerity. Peter brought ]. tpl' ard the plea before the counci
 
 way. H'>fcumcized Christians, and pu ' yes yss 2,- 2e between us and them A HSr hearts by faith" (vy ust tWeaf.ss...-.ss.---..ss..ss..,-s,s;sasss anAious q to supp tss vice, whisky
 today to those who refuse to be bound
 by Mosaic traditions as regards the seventh day and other such details tPaul s argument was that God had
 wrought signs and wonders among the Gentiles and thus set his seal upon his preaching of salvation as apart from legaIistic works fv. 12) Read in this connection Gal. 2:16 Tt- tus 3:20, S:3, 1924, and Phil. 3:9. The apostle James presented the third argument in connection with the yer dict he pronounced. It was that it IS according to Old Testament Serip- ture that God will take a people for his name from among the uncircum. sized Gentiles as well as from among the law-keeping Jews (vs. 13-17. With Paul this was vital question. and we can at least imagine his feel lngs as he puts forth a Iife-and-death struggle for the truth As Peter re. ! the people of the occasion when the Holy Spirit came upon Cor | oellus and his household" he caused them to keep silence.
 III. Wise Decision (vv. 19-29l. If was James the Just, brother of our Lord, the writer of the epistIe and he bishop overseer of the church at jerusalem, who rendered the decision n dss argument (vs. 13-1S) he saw Il these Gentle converts reported by 3arnabas and Saul a fulfillment of he prophecy of Amos, and to use the of today he made a mo- ion, viz, that these Gentiles be not llsturbed except in such matters as would tend to more fully separate hem from the heathen idolatry they ad just left, (a) Pollution of idols E" : e. flesh offered in the sacrifices (b) from fornication," the immoraIitv onnected with the pagan worship of -phrodlte and Cybele which actually onsecrated vice, and (c) from things Irangled, for the heathen did not the Jews did, look upon the blood ] life, the seat of the soul The lurch readily agreed to this motion nd took such precautions as were eeded that no misrepresentations of lelr decision be carried back to Anti 1 'h. This consisted of a spirit.led lo1ce of messengers and in a written atement of their decision (vs. 22. 23) heir letter is interesting. CD They , Iuted the Gentiles as brothers for Christ we are all kin. It is sad ( contemplate the unchristian separa- ] 'n of present-day professed followers E Christ. Certain have iron = ed you with words;' such are not C ad yet-men who wrangIe over t 'rds or else whisper false words to f ung converts, and who must be met V tn truth (Coi. 4:6-2; Tim. 3:13;15) lere was absolute unanimity among r ose at Jerusalem, they were of one c ccord" (v. 24). There is surely no | ed or differences and discord on 'ent1al points among those who ac. r pt the authority of the Bible who t God for wisdom Games 1:5-7) and f, ,ept Jesus Christ as Savior and