19 May 2022
Therefore I have reached the decision that we should not trouble those Gentiles who are turning to God, but we should write to them to abstain only from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from whatever has been strangled and from blood. For in every city, for generations past, Moses has had those who proclaim him, for he has been read aloud every sabbath in the synagogues.’
From Acts 15:7-21, NRSV
Peter and James (also a leader of the Christian community in Jerusalem) had a difficult issue to resolve. A disagreement had arisen about whether Gentile Christians should also have to follow the Jewish Law – particularly with regard to circumcision. For many Jewish converts, it was inconceivable that Gentiles be allowed to join the community without accepting the same rules by which they lived. However, as Peter pointed out, God did not make such distinctions and had chosen to send the same Holy Spirit to Jews and Gentiles. He argued that all were saved in the same way: through the grace of Jesus Christ and that it would be unfair to place obstacles in the way of people who were already believers. James supported Peter’s argument and quoted from the Scriptures to remind the community of the prophecies about the “pagans” coming to the Lord. With his awareness of the concerns of the Judeo Christians, James also proposed a compromise by which the Gentiles would be asked to comply with teaching around food, idolatry and sexual impropriety. These would not be a cause for objection from most Gentiles and would enable most Jews and Gentiles to enter into fellowship.
- How do you suppose those present reacted to the reasoning of Peter and James?
- What is your experience of the difficulties presented by the new and changing membership of our communities and how have these been resolved?
Pray for healing of differences in our local, national and global faith communities.
