Lesson 380

(Lesson 380)(08-29-12) Acts 15:1-4, "And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren. And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them."

This lesson documents the first dissention within the Church and the first attempt, by some of the early disciples (No doubt with the guidance and full support of Satan), to distort the gospel of Christ by holding on to elements of the Law of Moses.

In this example, the demand was that one must be circumcised before he can be saved, "And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved."

Sadly, some elements of the law, such as water baptism, living completely without sin, and ritual observance of the passover meal, (communion) have, till this day, been wrongly incorporated into the tenets of many religious faiths.

We know, however, that the Law was fulfilled by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, and that salvation holds no such requirements. In order to be eternally saved, one must ONLY BELIEVE in the testimony of Jesus Christ. Acts 16:31, "And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."
Paul and Barnabus disputed with the men from Judea and decided to go to the Apostles and elders at Jerusalem to set the matter straight.

As they worked their way to Jerusalem, they proudly broadcast the news that the gospel of Jesus Christ had been offered to the Gentiles. When they arrived they were graciously accepted by the Church at Jerusalem.~