Monday Devo
Scripture:
Acts 15
1 While Paul and Barnabas were at Antioch of Syria, some men from Judea arrived and began to teach the believers: “Unless you are circumcised as required by the law of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 Paul and Barnabas disagreed with them, arguing vehemently. Finally, the church decided to send Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem, accompanied by some local believers, to talk to the apostles and elders about this question. 3 The church sent the delegates to Jerusalem, and they stopped along the way in Phoenicia and Samaria to visit the believers. They told them—much to everyone’s joy—that the Gentiles, too, were being converted.
1 While Paul and Barnabas were at Antioch of Syria, some men from Judea arrived and began to teach the believers: “Unless you are circumcised as required by the law of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 Paul and Barnabas disagreed with them, arguing vehemently. Finally, the church decided to send Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem, accompanied by some local believers, to talk to the apostles and elders about this question. 3 The church sent the delegates to Jerusalem, and they stopped along the way in Phoenicia and Samaria to visit the believers. They told them—much to everyone’s joy—that the Gentiles, too, were being converted.
Commentary:
15:1–5 The Circumcision Party Criticizes the Gentile Mission. The Antioch church had reached out to many Gentiles (11:20–21), and God had given Paul and Barnabas great success among the Gentiles on their mission (14:27). No evidence exists that these Gentiles had been circumcised or required to live by all the Mosaic law. In fact, the Spirit had come on them without such an act, as Peter will argue. Some conservative Jewish Christians argued that Gentiles should undergo these things since they were required of all converts to Judaism. The issue was whether Gentiles needed to become Jews and follow Jewish ceremonial laws in order to be Christians. Though some scholars think that Paul is referring to this meeting in Gal. 2:1–10, it is better to see that passage as referring to private contacts made during his famine relief visit to Jerusalem (see note on Acts 11:27–30).
Questions:
- In Acts 15, we see the early church leadership have a major disagreement. There were some trying to teach Gentile converts that they had to be circumcised in order to follow Jesus. This turned into a huge argument. Some things in life NEED to be discussed and worked through. Some arguments are worth having because they are important. Spiritual people SHOULD be able to disagree with someone, even other spiritual people, in healthy and constructive ways. Are you ever tempted to feel you can't have a healthy disagreement with another believer or that this is somehow un-Christian? How do we disagree with someone but still love and respect them?
- As Jesus followers, one of the things we SHOULD be arguing about on a consistent basis is having right theology. Some Jews were getting the gospel wrong, mixing in some of the Old Covenant Law with New Covenant grace. This was no small matter! We should be willing to fight for right theology even in our world today. Some things are worth getting right. When our lives or beliefs or political platforms don't line up with God's Word, or when we twist and change the contextual meaning of Scripture to fit our own feelings or lifestyles, these things should be respectfully debated. Is right theology important to you? When was the last time you took a stand for the truth of God's Word?
Prayer Topics:
- That you would be willing to fight for right theology.
- That you'd be willing to take a stand for truth.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
3. Why did Jesus have to die on the cross? Since “all have sinned” and the “wages of sin is death,” Jesus had to die on the cross to pay the fine for my sin so I could be right with God.
(Romans 3:23, 5:8, 6:21-23, 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:1-6; Colossians 1:13-14, 21-22)
(Romans 3:23, 5:8, 6:21-23, 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:1-6; Colossians 1:13-14, 21-22)
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