Through the grace of God, we are saved (Acts 15)

Through the grace of God, we are saved

Acts 15:1-35
Key verses 15:11

Yesterday I stumbled on a CNN article titled “The gospel of Donald Trump.” He is a member of a Presbyterian church and has been instilled by his father’s Protestant work ethic and his mother’s traditional Christian values. He says that he loved the Bible. But as you know, he doesn’t look like a man who has faith in the Bible. He seems to have no shame on his indecent behaviors. So the CCN article called Trump’s faith “The guilt-free gospel of Donald Trump.” There are many people who call themselves Christians but abuse the grace of the gospel. But there are also opposite people. When I was a newbie in faith, I envied one of my friends in my church. He was so knowledgeable about the Bible. But strangely he did not look happy. Later, I learned that he was legalistic about himself. He forced himself to do something good because he was not sure about his salvation. Like these people, some people abuse or misuse the grace of the gospel while some others pursue something else other than the gospel for their salvation. All this made me think about what we the gospel is and how we believe it. What do you think the gospel is? What is your faith in it? Today we are going to talk about that.

In the previous passage, we learned that Paul and Barnabas were successful in their first missionary journey. And the Antioch church seemed to enjoy stability. Then the church was disturbed greatly by some Jewish believers and then the whole Jerusalem church also faced a great challenge. What was the issue they faced? In fact, this incident was a very significant event in the church history that solidified the most important biblical truth. What was the significance of this event? I pray that God may enlighten our hearts and help us believe the power of the gospel of Jesus.

“1 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.”

Some Jewish believers from Judea came to Antioch and taught the believers that they must be circumcised according to the tradition taught by Moses in order to be saved. This came as a big surprise to the Gentiles believers. They believed that they were already saved. But the Jews argued that the Gentiles could not be saved without circumcision. Circumcision was instituted first by God as the mark of faith in God’s covenant in Gen 17:12-13. The book of Moses commanded that Israel males must be circumcised. (Lev 12:3) Circumcision became the hallmark of God’s people. It was so important that a boy baby must be circumcised at the eighth day even if it fall on Sabbath day. (John 7:23) Circumcision was so much ingrained in their mind and life. To them, circumcision meant salvation and no circumcision was no salvation. So many of Jewish Christians thought that circumcision must be done in addition to faith in Jesus. But to the Gentiles, circumcision was regarded as a barbaric practice and most of all the Gentiles believers received the Holy Spirit with circumcision. So the circumcised believers collided with Paul and Barnabas who had preached to the Gentiles without the requirement of circumcision. “Only faith in Jesus or faith in Jesus plus circumcision?” This was a serious theological issue that could wreak havoc on the Antioch church and also on all other gentile churches. Paul and Barnabas sharply debated with the Jewish Christians who came from Judea.

“2 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.”

Because of the seriousness of the problem, the Antioch church sent Paul, Barnabas and some other believers, probable gentile Christians, to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about the issue. When they arrived at Jerusalem, the whole church welcomed them. And Paul and Barnabas reported everything God had done through them.

“5 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.”

Some believers among the Pharisaic group brought up the issue that the Gentiles must be circumcised and keep the law of Moses as Jews did. Probably, they were the same group of people who went to Antioch and taught that the Gentile believers must be circumcised to be saved. Here, we can see that their argument was not all about circumcision but about the law. They believed that any believers needed to keep the law beside faith in Jesus, including circumcision. Their thinking was that the law should play a role in salvation along with faith.

The law of Moses was deeply rooted in the life of Jewish people. It was unthinkable for Jewish people to abolish the law. It was more than for Koreans to live without kimchi. But it was virtually impossible for the Gentiles to keep the law. In fact, circumcision was a disgusting practice to them. Some Jewish Christians like Paul and Barnabas argued that the Gentiles did not need to be circumcised whereas some others thought the Gentiles must be circumcised like them. Now the church was divided on this issue. The Jerusalem church had faced a big challenge and must decide on the issue: “Do the Gentiles need to keep the law other than believing in Jesus Christ or not?” According to their decision, the whole thing about the Gentile ministry and even the meaning of the gospel would be different.

So, the apostles and elders discussed the matter seriously and carefully. What was their conclusion?

 “7 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: ‘Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.”

Peter first reminded the audience of what God had done for the Gentiles years ago. In a vision, God told Peter to eat unclean animals, which referred to the Gentiles. (10:9-16) Then God led him to Cornelius’ house where Peter spoke the word of God and then the Gentiles received the Holy Spirit. This showed that God did not see whether they were circumcised or not, but saw their faith and accepted them and purified them, giving the Holy Spirit to them. In other words, it was God who first reached out to the Gentiles and purified them through their faith. Then, Peter had said, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.” (10:34-35) After hearing what God did among the Gentiles, other circumcised believers in Jerusalem praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.” (11:18) It was obvious that the Gentiles were saved without circumcision through faith. And the people back then all saw it and accepted it as God’s work. Based on this, Peter said,

“10 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? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

The law was not given as the means of salvation. And no one could keep the law perfectly. The law was given to help them to see their sins and look forward to Christ. Now that Christ Jesus had come, they were no longer required to keep the law. Whether circumcised or not, or whether keeping the law or not, or whether they were Jews or not, they all were saved by faith in Jesus Christ who died for their sins. Therefore, it was unnecessary and even troublesome to force the Gentiles to keep the law to be saved. Even Jews themselves could not keep the law. The requirement was like putting a yoke on their necks. It was actually testing God who had already accepted and purified the Gentiles through faith. Let’s read one more time verse 11, which was Peter’s conclusion.

“No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

This is the foundation that Christianity hinges on. This is the truth we must believe. This is the truth we must not compromise in any circumstance. Salvation is given through the grace of our Lord Jesus alone; that is, by faith in Jesus who died on the cross for the sin of the whole humankind.

We are saved by faith. We live by faith from beginning to end. So, Rom 1:17 says, “For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’” Nothing else is required or needed for salvation other than faith in Jesus who fully paid for all our sins and fulfilled the law. His death is sufficient to cover all your sins and my sins. Jesus did everything for our salvation. All we need is to believe in him. If we look for or depend on something else other than Jesus’ death and resurrection for our salvation, we nullify Jesus’ death our sins and thus we are testing God.

After Peter finished his speech, Barnabas and Paul told the whole assembly the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. By the way, on the way to Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabas had testified in Phoenicia and Samaria about the work of God among the Gentiles and the news pleased all the believers. As such, the work of God among the Gentiles were evident and many people had already accepted it. Hearing this, the audience became silent. Then James spoke to the whole assembly.

“13 When they finished, James spoke up. ‘Brothers,’ he said, ‘listen to me. 14 Simon has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles.’”

James first pointed out Peter’s message that God himself chose the Gentiles for his name, which he said was in agreement with the Scripture (Amos 9:11,12).

“15 The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written: 16 ‘After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, 17 that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things’—18 things known from long ago. 19 It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.”

By saying this, James supported Peter that it was against God’s will to make it difficult for the Gentiles to turn to God. Then, he proposed the solution to the issue they were arguing.

 “20 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. 21 For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”

His proposal was to advise the Gentile believers to keep some basic things only regarding food, which was for the sake of Jewish believers (1 Cor 8:7-8), and sexual immorality that was an obvious sin the Scripture prohibited. This way, James bolster the biblical truth that we humans can be saved only by God’s grace. And at the same time he promoted peace and fellowship between Jewish believers and the Gentiles believers. The whole church agreed and decided to send Judas and Silas to Antioch with their letter.

“23 With them they sent the following letter: The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings. 24 We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. 25 So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul— 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. 28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29 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.”

Hearing this the believers in Antioch were glad. Judas and Silas encouraged and strengthen them. They sent Judas and Silas back to Jerusalem with the blessing of peace and Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch and taught word of God.

This teaches us that we should preach the gospel not with something else. Many people, especially young people, leave the church because they are burdened by some extra things in the church. Like some of the Jewish believers in the passage, some churches or some leaders unnecessarily impose their traditions, culture, or their ideas on their church members. Such traditions or cultures should be to encourage and strengthen people in Christ. But if such things go beyond what is biblical, that will be a yoke for the people. It is like kimchi to Americans. Some people like it but more people dislike it because of its strong smell. We don’t think we should encourage them to eat kimchi. But if they complain that we teach them Korean culture or something else outside the Bible, we should seriously think about it as the Jerusalem council did.

Jesus has set us free from sin and also from the law. So we believers are free from unnecessary burdens in church. It is also true with individuals. Some people, like my friend mentioned earlier, were saved by faith and then try to live by their own law as if they could complete their salvation by their good deeds and their human efforts. But again we are saved through God’s grace alone. All we need is to accept it and enjoy the freedom Jesus has brought to us through his death. Of course, our freedom should be used to build up the church and encourage other believers not to satisfy our own selfish desire.

Today’s passage teaches us the most import biblical truth we must hold on to without comprise in any circumstance that we are saved through the grace of God, that is, by faith in Jesus. Only Jesus’ death and resurrection can save us – nothing else. If not, that is not the gospel. However, this gospel has been always challenged. People try to compromise it. They think that we humans can do good things without God and we can be better off by our effort. For example, Judaism is based on this humanism: they can be saved by keeping the law. The Catholic Church has added more to the gospel for salvation. They say that we need good deeds for our salvation other than Jesus’ death and resurrection. Sure, we must do good because we are saved but not because it is required for our salvation. Anyone or anything that add something to the gospel or take something out of the gospel, does not come from God.

Why then do we often look for something else other than the gospel? One day I was talking with one of my friends. He said that he was really tired. He was stressed out because he was treated unfairly and humiliated at work. He was at the point where all his anger would burst out. But he could not find any encouragement at his church. Though he prayed and read the Bible, he said he could not find a solution. So he tried to look for something from other church’s sermons and vent out his stress by doing something different. But it helped just for a while. He still felt anxious and powerless. Hearing this, I sympathized with him and also empathized with him because I felt like I was in the same boat. What about you?

Then, he said that he finally found the solution. I asked him what it was. He read me 1 Cor 1:18: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” He testified that God convinced him that he must believe the power of the cross. He said that his problem was a sin problem. When he believed that only the cross of Jesus has power to save him and solve his problems, he could overcome his sin problem and thus his anxiety and stress. That struck me. “That’s right! There is no other way but the cross of Jesus. The cross of Jesus is the power of God, which saves us from sin and death, from our worry, from our stress, and from our doubt.”

We all know what the gospel is. But we do not believe the fullness of the gospel and the completeness of the gospel. We don’t believe the sufficiency of Jesus’ death and resurrection for our salvation. We don’t believe that God has given us the whole package through Jesus to resolve our sin and death and all our life problems. When we look for something else, not believing that Jesus’ death and resurrection is sufficient for our salvation and for our sanctification, we cannot experience of the power of God. Actually, we nullify the death of Jesus and disgrace God who sent Jesus.

But if we believe that the cross of Jesus is the power of God, we will experience the joy of salvation and see the glory of God. When Martha was still doubtful at the tomb of her brother Lazarus, Jesus rebuked her, saying, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” (John 11:40) The gory and power of God was manifested on the cross. And that is the gospel we must believe. Do not look for something else other than Jesus’ death and resurrection to resolve your sin problem and your life problem. Do not add anything and your human thoughts to the gospel. You don’t need any effort or any goodness for your salvation. All you need is to accept the grace of Jesus - his death and resurrection. Hold on to the gospel you have received.

In today’s passage, we have learned that we are saved through the grace of God alone. So we should not burden others or even ourselves by our own laws or our human things. Rather, we should firmly believe Jesus’ death and resurrection for our sins and enjoy God’s grace. I pray that we all may fully believe the power of Jesus’ death and resurrection and live by faith to the end. May God display his power and glory among us through Jesus’ death and resurrection.

By David Yun