INTRODUCTION

The decision of the Jerusalem Council illustrates a principle that Christians have always struggled with: grace has a backbone. True grace really is radically free, and because it is so free, it is potent and transformative. Grace welcomes and instructs. Grace rests and works. 

The Text: “And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles…” (Acts 15:13-35)

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

After Peter, Barnabas, and Paul had given their testimonies, James speaks as the leader of the council and affirms Peter’s account (Acts 15:13-14). James says that this agrees with the prophecy of Amos that the tabernacle of David will be rebuilt so that the Gentiles may worship the Lord with the Jews – which was God’s plan from the beginning (Acts 15:15-18). 

So James proposes that a letter be written to the Gentiles in Antioch not to be troubled with obligation to the whole Mosaic law but only be asked to abstain from idols, fornication, and from strangled meat and blood (Acts 15:19-21). This decision was pleasing to the whole council, two men were chosen to accompany Paul and Barnabas and the letter back to Antioch, and the letter clarified that the Jerusalem church had not sent the men who had stirred up the trouble (Acts 15:22-29). They returned to Antioch, read the letter, and everything was explained, and it was all very encouraging to everyone (Acts 15:30-35).  

THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID

James appeals to the “prophets” (plural) but cites Amos who foretold the restoration of David’s tabernacle (Amos 9:11-12). Remember, this was the temporary tent that David erected where the ark was kept on Mount Zion (1 Chron. 15:1, cf. 11:5). Later, Solomon moved the ark from that tent to the temple (2 Chron. 5:2). So why does David’s tabernacle become the symbol of the salvation of the Gentiles? 

First, David’s tent was particularly marked by an explosion of musical instruments and choirs, and they were described like sacrifices and priestly service (1 Chron. 16:5-6, 23:5ff, 25:1ff). In the New Covenant, bloody sacrifice that in part pointed to the division of Jews and Gentiles, was replaced by sacrifices of praise for all the nations. 

Second, David’s tent had an unusual number of Gentiles associated with it: the ark had resided for about a hundred years in Abinadab’s house (who was most likely a Gentile) and then in Obed-Edom’s house (another Gentile) who was likely adopted into the Levites to minister before the Lord in David’s tent (cf. 1 Chron. 13:7-14, 15:15-24, 16:5). 

Finally, there may be some allusion to the Feast of Tabernacles, an annual Israelite feast in tents commemorating how God brought them out of Egypt through the wilderness in tents (Lev. 23:34-43). And that fear specifically included widows, orphans, and strangers, so that they would remember God’s grace (Dt. 16:12-15). Tents reminded Israel of hospitality. 

THE DECREE ITSELF

It might seem strange for Peter and James to emphasize the fact that Gentiles need not keep the Jewish laws to be saved but then to issue some instructions. This is admittedly a heavily debated passage, but it seems best to see these instructions as helpful training wheels for learning to walk in the liberty of Christ. The eternal law of God is not burdensome at all; it is the perfect expression of His love (1 Jn. 5:3). For those who are led by the Spirit, it is as though there is no law – not because they are lawless, but because the Spirit makes righteousness a perfectly natural joy (Gal. 5:22-23). Remember the preamble of the Ten Commandments is all grace: “I am the Lord your God who bought you out of Egypt…” (Ex. 20:2). 

The basic injunctions are to keep away from all idolatry, sexual immorality, and food offered to idols, and remember, in the ancient world these things tended to be all tangled together (cf. 1 Cor. 6, 8). As Paul says elsewhere, idols are not real and the food offered to them is not inherently unclean, but people who fear them are weak and should be protected (1 Cor. 8) and those still enslaved to them should not be encouraged in idolatry (1 Cor. 10:27-28). In that fear, it’s possible to have fellowship with demons (1 Cor. 10:20). Putting all of this together, the idolatry and sexual immorality are permanent instructions aimed at the particular temptations of Gentiles, while the food instructions are particular applications aimed at the practical challenges of practicing hospitality in mixed (Jew/Gentile) churches. 

APPLICATIONS

The gospel is an open invitation to all men to come and worship the Lord Jesus. He is the Son of David, and He was crucified for our sins and rose from the dead and ascended the heavenly Mt. Zion, where His grace is available to all who believe. As the nations come, we want to hold both of these things together: all is grace and grace loves holiness. But it loves holiness with grace and not with a snarl.

One way we can illustrate this is the distinction we sometimes make between refugees from the world and evangelists for the world. The former are most welcome, the latter are not. Unbelievers are most welcome to come hungry for grace, complete with pink hair and tattoos and Biden bumper stickers. But we don’t want them coming as evangelists for their paganism. And the same thing goes for the folks who think Trump is Jesus.  

Grace wants to walk in the light. Grace is not apathetic. Grace wants to obey. Grace wants to help others grow in grace. And grace is wise. Grace starts in the heart but doesn’t stop there. This is what grace looks like.

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INTRODUCTION

Christian warfare always consists of multiple fronts: external, domestic, and internal. The fact that we see this in the first century should give us hope and reassurance that we are not facing something profoundly new or different. This dynamic is also part of the ‘continuing adventures of Jesus.’ Our task is to walk by faith before God, the ‘Knower of Hearts, in obedience, trusting His grace. 

The Text: “And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren and said, except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved…” (Acts 15:1-12)

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

Certain men came to Antioch from Judea teaching the necessity of circumcision for salvation (Acts 15:1). It is likely that some of their clout was related to being from the region near Jerusalem. And this led to a significant dispute, the opposition being led by Paul and Barnabas, and so the church sent them to Jerusalem to have the matter settled by the apostles and elders (Acts 15:2-4). 

It was Christian Pharisees who were arguing that Gentiles needed to be circumcised and aim to keep the whole Jewish law, and a council was called to hear the matter (Acts 15:5-6). In the midst of the dispute, Peter testified about his experience with Cornelius and how God the “heart-knower” gave them the Holy Spirit, making no difference between Jews and Gentiles, making all clean by faith (Acts 15:7-9). Peter says that Jews of all people know the heavy yoke of the law, but they are saved by grace, just like the Gentiles (Acts 15:10-11). While this quieted down the assembly, Barnabas and Paul continued giving testimony of God’s work among the Gentiles (Acts 15:12). 

CHURCH COUNCILS & CONTROVERSY

This controversy occasioned what has come to be called the Jerusalem Council which likely occurred around A.D. 48-50. Galatians 2 addresses very similar themes and is often assumed to be describing the same event, although I lean towards thinking Galatians 2 happened before the Jerusalem Council, since Peter seems to understand everything clearly by this point. This moment is helpful for illustrating that while Christians and Christian leaders in particular must not be belligerent, there are some matters worth fighting for (cf. 2 Tim. 2:24-26, 2 Corinthians). Christian unity is in the truth, not lowest common denominator compromise (Eph. 4:3-15). At the same time, wisdom understands that there are weightier matters of the law (Mt. 23:23, Rom. 14).

This is also an example of early church government at work, where we see elders and pastors seeking wisdom and accountability beyond the local church. Because “in the multitude of counselors is safety” (Prov. 11:14, 15:22, 24:6). At the same time, the Word of God remains supreme. We do not decide truth by democratic vote. Church councils can and have erred, but that doesn’t negate the usefulness of striving for truth and unity. 

JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH ALONE

At the center of this controversy is the doctrine of justification by faith alone. The question was whether Gentiles needed to do anything more than believe in Jesus to make themselves acceptable to God. Peter flatly denied this: God saves by giving His Holy Spirit and the gift of faith that purifies our hearts (Acts 15:8-9). Salvation is by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 15:10). God does it all (cf. Acts 15:4, 7, 8, 12). Justification is the judicial act by which God freely pardons all our sins and accepts us as righteous solely because of the righteousness of Christ reckoned to us, and all received by faith alone. 

The reason this is so crucial is because any works smuggled into the equation only smuggle in with them fear and anxiety because if even 1% of your salvation (God accepting you) depends on you, how can you know if it’s enough? The answer is that you can’t know and it never is. So this is the only way to have complete peace with God: resting in the grace of God from beginning to end. He chose you in His grace before the foundation of the world, sent His Son in His grace to die and rise again, sent His Spirit into your heart to hear and believe, and He is the One who will finish that work that He has begun (Eph. 1, Rom. 5).

APPLICATIONS

We are not only justified by faith, we are also purified by faith (Acts 15:9). Cleansing is more visceral. The feelings of shame and uncleanness often haunt people. But this is often because some part of you still thinks that God accepts you on the basis of what you’ve done or not done. But this is precisely what you must repent of: “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb. 9:14). 

God knows your heart. And there are only two possible things He sees there. He either sees sin or righteousness. It’s pure and clean or else it isn’t. But the only purity that God accepts is perfect purity, His own purity, the Holiness of the Holy God. And that is why it must be the Holy Spirit that offers Christ for you without spot to the Father. And the first thing God pardons and purges are all the things you thought would help. And He purges those things first so that you can actually begin to serve the living God. 

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