What’s Inside the Heart of the Matter
(Read Acts 15)
As a teenager in high school, I would sometimes get into fierce arguments with friends about which rock band was better. When I say friends, I’m not talking about casual acquaintances, I’m talking about close, longtime friends. The conversations would sometimes go from humorous to nasty in 60 seconds. In our divisive world today, it’s virtually impossible to have a civil disagreement about anything. From politics to vaccines to social justice, it’s normally fuel for a heated discussion. Surprisingly, churches can be even worse in terms of tolerance for disagreement.
Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.
Acts 15:1-2
At the time of Luke’s writing of Acts, Jewish Christians were ok worshipping together with gentiles but they could not accept them as equals without them first coming through the Law of Moses. Meaning they should observe the same restrictions, laws, and for men, circumcisions. Passionate beliefs bring about passionate disagreements. There was a bit of an us versus them attitude in the church at that time. The Jewish Christians came from a culture centered on strict adherence to dietary, behavioral, historical rules. Why should the gentile new believers be allowed to bypass thousands of years of laws prescribed by Moses?
According to Luke, there were sharp distinctions as to what was considered acceptable or unacceptable teaching. Churches still fight and even implode due to issues not directly relating to doctrine. Don’t get me wrong, the debate over ways to salvation is unquestionably pivotal. There are cornerstones of our faith that need to be set apart and defended. But too many churches let lesser issues like use of alcohol, age of Baptism, women Pastors, and politics cripple them. These lesser conflicts are simply distractions from the God’s beautiful Gospel.
Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.”
Acts 15:5
Pharisees were an influential group of Jews who specialized in following rules. They were more comfortable with protocol and obeying the law to tiniest detail. The Pharisees-turned Christians believed that Jesus saved them, but only after they did A, B, and C. Paul’s teaching said they can only be right with God on the basis of what Jesus had done. It wasn’t a combination of works or perfect works, Paul argued that we are all justified by faith alone. Martin Luther took this a little further, “Sola fide, sola scriptura, solus Christus, sola gratia,” translated by faith alone, by scripture alone, in Christ alone, by grace alone.
Disagreements have been a part of church history from the beginning. It’s not inherently wrong for churches or members of small groups to find they’re at odds with each other, but it’s a cancer if they’re not resolving the conflict in Christ-like ways. Luke tells us in Acts 15 that the Elders “appointed,” “considered,” and asked for reports. It was essential for this church to find the correct response to their conflict in a way that respected all their members. In a way that gave a voice to different views while achieving a more solidified and unified approach.
Peter, one of the leading Apostles, eventually stepped up to show them his enlightened perspective.
God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear?
Acts 15:8-10
Peter told his church that our perfect and sovereign God, who knows everything, didn’t make distinctions between the two groups. God, who can see everything, can see right through us to our hearts. He’s not looking for our checked boxes or our self-prescribed tests, He’s looking at our hearts, at what’s inside?
You can tell a lot about the heart of a church by how you’re welcomed when entering. We came from a tiny rural church with about 100-120 total members. Our resources were limited. The Sanctuary was small but comfortable. One thing we did better than many other churches I’ve visited since, was fellowship. Whether a 25-year member or someone visiting for the first time, you would be greeted with a warm, country smile. It was policy to engage with everyone, especially new visitors. More importantly though, we wanted to provide a place where people could worship, learn, and grow in their faith — comfortably.
One week, I visited a nearby fancy, large contemporary church. It had a huge reputation in the area. I walked in a few minutes before the service started and was greeted by no one. I found my own seat and sat alone. The praise music and sermon were tremendous but I never felt welcome. It was as if my presence there was unnoticed. That was actually the second time I attended a church service alone where I wasn’t greeted. It’s not only uncomfortable, it’s a little demoralizing.
We see this same thing happening in Acts. James took the floor after Peter spoke to drive the bigger point home to the congregation. Many scholars have attributed more leadership sway to James, Jesus’ brother, than even Peter at this church. He repeated Peter’s earlier stance on the issue. Then, he figuratively or literally raised his voice, pointed to himself and said, “Listen to me.”
“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.
Acts 15:19-20
I think that every church should have written somewhere in their mission statement, “We should not make it difficult for Gentiles who are turning to God.” We shouldn’t make a stigma out of issues that differentiate us, we simply need to welcome our brothers and sisters who are seeking a relationship with God. Too many people view Christians as elitist, prejudiced, and archaic. We can’t control what people will think of us, but we can control the impression we give them to make that assumption.
James went on to admonish the newer Christians about their eating and sexual habits. His larger message wasn’t to lecture them on breaking the rules, it was a stern reminder to not offend their Jewish Christian brothers and sisters with their careless and selfish behavior. True, the new (gentile) believers were not bound under the law of Moses, but James made it clear that they were bound under Jesus’ law of love. The Law of Love told them not to unnecessarily antagonize your fellow congregants in and out of the church.
We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said.
Acts 15:24
While far from perfect, this is how church councils, church leaders, and all followers of Christ should behave. We are supposed to create a space where other believers and especially people seeking Jesus for the first time, can open up to the glory of God’s grace.
Acts 15 highlights the vital importance of making the one thing, the one thing that matters. Unfortunately, Paul and Barnabas had a falling out. They would go their separate ways from that point forward. Was it important? Yes. According to passages from Timothy and Colossians, there is ample evidence that Paul and Barnabas later reconciled their differences.
It’s one thing for a church to engage in conflict over something fundamental like the Deity of Jesus Christ, but at the end of Acts 15, we are seeing two dedicated men fully committed to Christ but disagreeing over the application of biblical principles.
There was no new command in the New Testament that required circumcision or fulfillment of Mosaic Law. Sometimes, Scripture is silent on a topic. As told in Acts and still occurring today, some church leaders take it upon themselves to teach on their own initiative, based on their own views.
I have grown a long way since my argumentative teen years. Do I still argue? Sure do. But, I try to be silent, understanding, empathic first and leave the arguments for something contrary to my faith. Contrary to what is written in the Bible. I’m not getting into heaven or excluded to Heaven based on my debating skills, I’m getting into Heaven by my faith in the sacrificed blood of my Savior, Jesus Christ.
In the final analysis whether we obey or disobey God is a matter of regard or disregard for the Word of God. The only possible way for us to be united is to follow the simple plan of “speaking where the Bible speaks and by remaining silent where the Bible is silent” (1 Pet.4:11).
-Scott Vifquain
Key Applications:
- Know that disagreements are part of our makeup. They will always exist. Focus on eliminating the anger and nastiness from your disagreements. Focus on eliminating trivial arguments that don’t matter in the first place. Pray that your disagreements are just that. Disagreements. Don’t undermine your relationships and friendships because of insignificance.
- We live in a polarized world. More so now than ever. Resist the urge to always take sides. Sometimes, the Bible is silent. If it’s not written, sometimes it doesn’t need to be said. Keep this in mind.
- Read Acts 15, if you haven’t read it already. Recognize the various viewpoints, arguments, and angst in this chapter. Now, find rest in God’s perfect providence to overrule us for His good.
Where else in your life can you live out the teachings of Christ? Look for next week’s Devotion.