Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1916-05-26

The events of this lesson are out
standing in Christian history. Pauls
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 ard be governed by
Jewish law and customs?" 1t 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. so or 81, and the scene is laid /
first in Antioch of Syria and then i'll
Jerusalem
|. A Division of Opinion (vv. l-6l |
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 faith. or by the |
works of the law?' is a similar ques-
ton with modern application. The
Holy Spirit, to avoid rupture in the |
yet weak church, directs that Paul, |
Barnabas, Titus (Gal. 2:D and 'cr
tain others" who are not named,
should carry the question to the apos-
ties and 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
E.A alc
heard Paul in private (Gal. 2:2).
II. The Argument. (vv. 6-1Sl. 1t
will not do to be harsh in condemn
ing PauPs accusers. The Pharisees
felt deeply their position. AS Gods
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 Gentiles in contrast
with all they received Entrance to
church membership would not be too
easy if circumcision were imposed as
a test of their sincerity. Peter brought
! forward the plea before the council
| that God had given the Holy Spirit to
| the uncircumcized Christians, "and put
no difference between US and them,
! purifying their hearts by faith" (vv.
| 8, 81. God bears the same witness
today to those who refuse to be bound
| by Mosaic traditions as regards the
seventh day and other such details.
Pauls 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 legalistic works ". 12).
Read in this connection Gal. 2:16, Tt
tus 3:20, So, 1914, and Phil. 3:9.
The apostle James presented the third
argument in connection with the YER
dict he pronounced. 1t was that it
IS according to Old Testament Scrip
lure that God will take people for
his name from among the uncircum-
sized Gentiles as well as from among
the law-keeping Jews Tvs. 1910.
With Paul this was a vital question,
and we can at least imagine his feel
ings as he puts forth a life-and-death
struggle for the truth AS Peter re-
minded the people of the occasion
when ''the Holy Spirit came upon Cor
nelius and his household" he caused
them to keep silence.
Ill. A Wise Decision (vv. 1929. 1t
was James the Just, brother of our
Lord, the writer of the epistle and
the bishop overseer of the church at
Jerusalem, who rendered the decision.
In his argument Tvs. 1879 he saw
in these Gentle converts reported by
Barnabas and Saul fulffllment of
the prophecy of Amos, and to use the
language of today he made a mo-
tion,'' viz, that these Gentiles be not
disturbed except in such matters as
would tend to more fully separate
them from the heather idolatry they
had just left, (a) Pollution of idols
, i. e., flesh offered in the sacrifices (b)
from fornication," the immortality
connected with the pagan worship OF
Aphrodite and Cybele which actually
consecrated vice, and (c) from things
strangled," for the heather did not
as the Jews did, look upon the blood
as life, the seat of the soul The
church readily agreed to this motion
and took such precautions as were
needed that no Misrepresentation Of
their decision be carried back to Anti
och. This consisted of a spirited
choice of messengers and in writer
statement of their decision Tvs. %, 23)
Their letter is Interesting ID They
saluted the Gentiles as brothers, fol
in Christ we are all kin. It is saC
to contemplate the upchristian separa
Of dox foI
4 CT Christ. Certain have trou
bled you with Words" such are no
4 dead yet-men who wrangle owe
/ words or else whisper false words tt
4 young converts, and who must be me
with truth (Col. 4:6-2; Tim. 3:13:15)
i There was absolute una1imity anon,
1 those at Jerusalem, they were of on
4 accord" (v. 2D. There is surely n
need of differences and discord OF
i essential points among those who az
cept the authority of the Bible, VIII
ask God for wisdom Uames 1:5-O an
accept Jesus Christ as Savior an
Lord If Christians sought more tn
- mind of. the Spirit and looked les
on the wisdom of men they would no
be so often at variance with eacl
II other
g Only four points of the Mosaic lay
If were deemed necessary for the Ger
e tiles and those who would toda
h bind upon US the full authority G
that law do SO contrary to the Hol
Spirit.
There is crying need today in Amer
r lea as well as in Europe for Christia
II unity (Eph. 4:3).
II ~. The Result in Antioch wv. 30-35
n Great Joy greeted the conclusion c
this question.
1t produced pleasant harmony i
place of discord and in place of tn
II irksome bondage of the law it gave tn
e. joyous liberty of the Gospel
Is Jewish legalism gave way to Chris
lc tian liberty. Judas and Silas. Spirit