Devotional: Thoughts on a Saturday Night

Many people sincerely believe that God is pleased by rules and rule keeping; therefore, we want to know the rules. Then, when we think we have figured out the rules, we demand that all others adhere to our rules or we can't associate with you. In the First Century the Jews wanted rules, and wanted to put their rules on others so they hassled the new Christians….the Gentiles.

Some, like the Jews, want to lay-down rules for the “other guy” in order for them to be “approved.” In this case, the debate was requirement for the Gentiles to be circumcised. So, the question was brought to the Jerusalem Council – the only elders meeting mentioned in Scripture - in Acts 15. Everyone was invited….there was no closed door meeting. The Council listened as both sides gave their argument. James quotes from the Book of Amos 9 and clarifies that God is here for everyone. What does that entail? That God is not looking for conformity. We can look at nature and see that God has never shown us an interest in conformity.

The organizing principle for the church “body of believers” is found in Acts 15:19, “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.” They weren’t told that they had to keep Holy Days, stay kosher, be circumcised, etc., but rather….we don’t make it hard for people to be a part of God’s body. What a stunning, powerful statement….let’s not make this harder than it has to be. Many have grown up in fellowships that were so hard, they left them. This is not God's intent. The “church” is not to break the people, but to love them and allow God to carry the burden and load that He has said He will lift off of us. He doesn’t want His children beaten down. He wants our love, our relationship, and our commitment to serving others.

If you are a baptized believer, according to His promise, you are saved. Rejoice in it! Celebrate it! God is not going to make it harder than it has to be…..and the congregation shouldn’t either. James main concern was that Christians act like Christians. He showed zero concern for worship style, special days, circumcision, the laws…..He points out that the laws are read and have been read in the synagogues every Sabbath….so if you want to keep them, there they are. But, James is letting them know that they don’t have the right to tell other people to keep those rules. God wants our unity to be in our love for Jesus and our fellowship with each other.

The letter written to the Gentile believers in Acts 15 does not address the issues that was brought to the Council, but rather gives an over-riding principle instead. In verses 28-29 we read, “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.” The “blood thing with meat strangled” was a pagan thing and they are merely being told….act like Christians and not like pagans.

Love God and Love One Another!

"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. Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." Galatians 5:1-6

Amen!