Acts 15:1, 5 says, “And going down from Judea, some taught the brothers, saying, If you are not circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved. But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, that it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.” Whom the Son makes free, is free indeed. It was for freedom, He set us free. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. Not freedom to live sinfully, but freedom to live righteously. Some Jewish Christians thought the Gentile Christians had to be circumcised and keep the law to be saved. Was that true then? Is it true now? Let’s get into God’s Word.

In Acts 15:15-17, the Apostle James, head of the church in Jerusalem, quoted Amos 9:11-12, which shows clearly that the Gentiles are included in God’s redemptive plan (see also Isa 2:2, 11:10, 60:3, 5, 66:12). Then, he makes this statement: My sentence, or ruling, is, that we do not trouble (harass) the Gentiles who have turned to God (put faith in Jesus Christ) anymore. Only write to them that they abstain from the pagan worship practices of idol worship, including fornication (Sex outside of marriage), and consuming strangled meat (because it retains the blood) {Act 15:20}.

There you have it. The official ruling from the head Apostle of the church at Jerusalem 2,000 years ago. Gentiles do not have to keep the law of Moses to be saved. They do not have to be circumcised. They do not have to keep the Sabbath. They do not have to keep the dietary laws. They do not have to keep the feasts. Essentially, they do not have to become Jews to be saved. What did the official church ruling say? Tell the Gentile Christians to refrain from idol worship, and it’s associated practices (fornication, strangled meat, blood).

Why are so many Christians running around today, trying to overturn the ruling of the Apostles in the first century? Do they know better than the Apostles? Do they know better than God? Why do they test God (Act 15:10)? Why is the ruling of the first church council, headed up by the Apostles, not good enough? Why did the Apostle Paul implore the Galatians to stand fast (persevere) in the liberty and freedom, where with Christ has made us free; and do not be entangled and ensnared with the yoke of bondage? Because it seems people, like the Judaizers, are constantly trying to put a yoke of bondage on you. So, you have to stand firm against it, as Paul said. Legalism is a trap that can ensnare you and chain you like a slave.

Lest anyone be confused, Paul was not saying that it was a sin to retain Jewish customs - as long as you didn’t do it to be saved, or to earn right standing with God. If you want to blow a shofar, then blow it! If you don’t want to eat pork, don’t eat it. If you want to go to church on Saturday, then go. If you want to wear a prayer shawl, keep the feasts, get circumcised, or speak Hebrew - go right ahead. What we must remember is: 1. None of those things save you or make you right with God. 2. Do not judge your Brothers or Sisters who don’t do likewise.

What about the moral law? Love fulfills the moral law (Rom 13:9-10). The moral law is included in the law of love, the law liberty, the law of Christ. Murder, stealing, lying, covetousness, adultery, dishonoring parents, dishonoring God’s Name, worshipping anything but God - these are still sin in the New Covenant. However, that does not make it the Old Covenant. You see, our covenant - the New Covenant - is a better covenant based on better promises. Although it still retains some of the principles of the first covenant, it is a totally new and different covenant. It is new wine. It is new cloth (Lk 5:36-39). Motive - the heart - is what God looks upon. We keep the moral law because we are saved - not to be saved. We turn from sin because we are accepted by God - not to be accepted by God. Our good works are fruits - not roots - of our salvation. Faith alone in God in the flesh - Jesus Christ - saves us. Yet true saving faith is never alone. It manifests itself in actions (Eph 2:8-10, Jam 2:17-26)

Obviously, I’m not teaching that Christians should go live sinfully. However, the Apostle Paul was accused of teaching the same thing, so I would be in good company if that’s what you think. No, I’m simply teaching the completeness of what Jesus did. It is finished. He saves to the uttermost. Nothing lacking. Nothing insufficient. No one needs to add to Jesus or His work. It is perfect. It is complete. I will explain this further next week, Lord willing. Until next time, rejoice in the Lord!