Lesson 4661

 (Lesson 4661)(11-07-24) Acts 15:1-2 

   “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.” 

 

  Today’s lesson relates that, as Paul and Barnabus were preaching in Antioch, certain men came from Judea teaching that Gentile believers must be circumcised according to the custom of Moses to be saved. This false teaching caused a major dispute and debate between those individuals, Paul and Barnabas. To address the issue, the church in Antioch decided to send Paul, Barnabas and some others to Jerusalem to consult with the apostles and elders about this matter. The debate discussed in this passage set the stage for the Jerusalem Council, where early church leaders gathered to discuss the requirements for Gentile converts. As we will note, as these lessons continue, this debate set in motion a serious philosophical split among the apostles concerning what should be taught to the new Gentile believers. The wrongful intent of water baptism, although NEVER demanded by the teachings of Jesus as prerequisite to eternal salvation, is the most prevalent of those rules that are still erroneously enforced in many so-called Christian sects today. ~