A Study in the Book of Acts

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A Study in the Book of Acts
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Church
The Great Transformation
Gentile
Jewish
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The Dissension

• Acts 151,2 - Some men came down from Judea to
  Antioch and were teaching the brothers "Unless
  you are circumcised, according to the custom
  taught by Moses, you cannot be saved."
• 2 This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp
  dispute and debate with them.

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• The Gospel is
• grace alone
• through faith alone
• in Christ alone.

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• Romans 321-25 - But now
• righteousness from God, apart from
  law, has been made known, to which the Law and
  the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from
  God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all
  who believe.

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• There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned
  and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are
  justified freely by his grace through the
  redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God
  presented him as a sacrifice of atonement,
  through faith in his blood.

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• Romans 51 - Therefore, since we have been
  justified through faith, we have peace with God
  through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we
  have gained access by faith into this grace in
  which we now stand.

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• Romans 115,6 So too, at the present time there
  is a remnant chosen by grace. 6 And if by grace,
  then it is no longer by works if it were, grace
  would no longer be grace.

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What The Others Were Teaching

• Grace Circumcision

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• 2 This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp
  dispute and debate with them.

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• 2 So Paul and Barnabas were ap-pointed, along
  with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem
  to see the apostles and elders about this
  question.

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• 3 The church sent them on their way, and as they
  traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told
  how the Gentiles had been con-verted. This news
  made all the brothers very glad.

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• 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed
  by the church and the apostles and elders, to
  whom they reported everything God had done
  through them.

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The Discussion

•  5 Then some of the believers who belonged to the
  party of the Pharisees stood up and said, "The
  Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey
  the law of Moses.
• 6 The apostles and elders met to consider this
  question.

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How Do We Know Who Is Right?

• Revelation
• 7 After much discussion, Peter got up and
  addressed them
• "Brothers, you know that some time ago God
  made a choice among you that the Gentiles might
  hear from my lips the message of the gospel and
  believe.

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• 8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he
  accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them,
  just as he did to us. 9 He made no distinction
  between us and them, for he purified their hearts
  by faith.

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How Do We Know Who Is Right?

• 2. Reason
• 10 Now then, why do you try to test God by
  putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that
  neither we nor our fathers have been able to
  bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace
  of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they
  are."

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• Galatians 320-22 - For if a law had been given
  that could impart life, then righteousness would
  certainly have come by the law. 22 But the
  Scripture declares that the whole world is a
  prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being
  given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be
  given to those who believe.

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• Galatians 51-3 -  It is for freedom that Christ
  has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let
  yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of
  slavery. 2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that
  if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will
  be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I declare
  to every man who lets himself be circumcised that
  he is obligated to obey the whole law.

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How Do We Know Who Is Right?

• 3. Ratification by God
• 12 The whole assembly became silent as they
  listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the
  miraculous signs and wonders God had done among
  the Gentiles through them.

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How Do We Know Who Is Right?

• Scripture
• 13 When they finished, James spoke up
  "Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simon has described
  to us how God at first showed his concern by
  taking from the Gentiles a people for himself. 15
  The words of the prophets are in agreement with
  this, as it is written

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•  16" 'After this I will return        and
  rebuild David's fallen tent.      Its ruins I
  will rebuild,        and I will restore it,
   17 that the remnant of men may
• seek the Lord, and all the
• Gentiles who bear my name,   says
  the Lord, who does these
• things 18 that have been
• known for ages.

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• John 1514-16 - "I am the good shepherd and I
  know My own, and My own know Me, even as the
  Father knows Me and I know the Father and I lay
  down My life for the sheep. And I have other
  sheep, which are not of this fold I must bring
  them also, and they shall hear My voice and they
  shall become one flock and one shepherd....".

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• Ephesians 219-20 when he said to the converted
  Gentilesyou and me"You are no longer strangers
  and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with
  the saints and members of the household of God,
  built upon the foundation of the apostles and
  prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the
  cornerstone."

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• Ephesians 219-20 - Consequently, you are no
  longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens
  with God's people and members of God's household,
  20 built on the founda-tion of the apostles and
  prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief
  cornerstone.

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The Decision

• 19" It is my judgment, therefore, that we should
  not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are
  turning to God. 20 Instead we should write to
  them, telling them to abstain from food polluted
  by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat
  of strangled animals and from blood.

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• 21 For Moses has been preached in every city from
  the earliest times and is read in the synagogues
  on every Sabbath."

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How Do Freedom and Love Work Together?

• You are free to love God.
• You are not free to offend others.