The Jerusalem Confession – part 3
Acts 15:12
December 9, 2012
Well, as you know we are presently studying one of
The most important councils to ever convene in the history of the church.
The setting is familiar.
• Gentiles are being saved.
• Some Jews fear this is the loss of their cultural way of worship.
• Some traveled to Antioch and demanded that Gentiles be circumcised.
And apparently their argument was compelling enough
That Paul and Barnabas ended up having to travel to Jerusalem
To settle the matter.
Here we find the apostles and elders gathered together
To seek God’s will and to seek God’s word in regard to this issue.
Do Gentiles have to be circumcised to be saved?
And if not, do saved Gentiles need to be circumcised to be obedient?
Now, on the surface that appears to be
Simply a matter of religious ordinance.
To side with the Judaizers would have certainly caused the church to maintain a much more Jewish flare.
To side with the Gentiles would cause the church to take on a much Jewish flavor and would end up much like we see church today.
And on the surface it just appears as a matter of style of preference.
But much much more than that is at stake.
This isn’t a debate about how the church should look,
This is a debate about how the church is saved.
Salvation hangs in the balance here.
And Peter really made that point clear in verse 11.
Acts 15:11 “But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.”
And Peter, as we saw the last couple of weeks, adamantly defended
That salvation is by grace alone through faith alone.
Peter certainly did not believe salvation could be attained
By human effort of any kind, including circumcision.
And we called that Peter’s Reaction.
Well tonight I want to move forward a little bit.
I. THE DISAGREEMENT
II. THE DEBATE
A. Peter’s Reaction
Now let’s look at the second leg of this debate:
PAUL’S RECOLLECTION
(12) “All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were relating what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.”
The phrase “All the people kept silent” really doesn’t have
As much to do with Paul and Barnabas as it does with Peter.
Peter’s dissertation thoroughly silenced the critics.
They had nothing to say to Peter’s assertions.
They had nothing to say, but Paul did.
He seized the opportunity as if to say, “Amen” what Peter had just said.
Peter gave the exhortation of God’s grace
Paul gave examples of it.
“they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were relating what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.”
So Peter preached doctrinal truth
And now Paul supports him with relevant testimony.
He simply wanted the crowds to know
That he could vouch for everything Peter had just said.
Furthermore, God was vouching for everything Peter had just said.
Paul was giving first hand accounts of how God was in fact
Choosing, Consecrating, and Changing the Gentiles.
And the main thing mentioned is “the signs and wonders God had done”.
And we are familiar with at least a few.
Remember Bar-Jesus?
Acts 13:11 “Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time.” And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand.”
Then at Iconium:
Acts 14:3 “Therefore they spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that signs and wonders be done by their hands.”
Acts 14:8-10 “At Lystra a man was sitting who had no strength in his feet, lame from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. This man was listening to Paul as he spoke, who, when he had fixed his gaze on him and had seen that he had faith to be made well, said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he leaped up and began to walk.”
I even think Paul’s survival can be seen as a miracle.
Acts 14:19-20 “But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. But while the disciples stood around him, he got up and entered the city. The next day he went away with Barnabas to Derbe.”
Those were all miraculous events.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE?
To indicate two things.
1) That Paul and Barnabas were true servants of God.
2 Corinthians 12:12 “The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles.”
These miracles were not for all believers, but rather they were
Specific gifts the apostles had in order to gain credibility to speak.
That was exactly the same purpose Jesus used them for.
John 5:36 “But the testimony which I have is greater than the testimony of John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish — the very works that I do — testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me.”
Their miracles certainly gave them credibility.
2) To prove that God was in fact at work. (the point made here)
What man could make Bar-Jesus blind?
What man could heal that lame man?
These miracles didn’t just validate Paul and Barnabas,
They were also indisputable evidence
That God was in what they were doing.
Hebrews 2:2-4 “For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.”
The writer of Hebrews saw the miracles worked
At the hands of those whom Jesus commissioned
And knew that was evidence that God was in what they were doing.
And this is really the main point of Paul’s defense here.
What Peter said was true.
God did choose the Gentiles, and God was saving the Gentiles,
And God was saving them apart from requiring their circumcision.
God had worked miracles and had validated the message.
It was obvious from a testimonial standpoint
That God saving Gentiles apart from making them Jewish.
Now, here in the record of Acts 15, that truth only occupies one verse.
But since we are here, and on the subject,
I think it’s important that we understand what a big deal this is.
It wasn’t just a big deal that this council understand this
And that they make the correct judgment.
It is also important that believers understand this.
Only one verse is devoted here to Paul’s debating
That God’s miracles validated Gentile salvation by faith apart from works.
But if you continue on in the New Testament,
We get a whole book devoted to this argument.
That book is the book of Galatians.
TURN TO: GALATIANS
Now for accuracy sake, I want you do know that
The setting for the Galatian letter is after this Jerusalem council.
In fact, Paul actually mentions in this letter how he went to Jerusalem to debate this issue, and then how Peter came to Antioch and he and Paul had an important conversation there.
So the setting of the letter is later.
What is evident is that those Judaizers
Who were at the first insinuating that the Gentiles be circumcised
Apparently were not in agreement with the decision
Reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem.
The council upheld that circumcision was not necessary,
But the Judaizers continued to travel and preach that it was.
Now as we saw last week
It can be a very compelling argument that a Gentile be circumcised.
I mean if a man showed up and started quoting one Old Testament passage after another (and you didn’t yet have a New Testament)
You can see why the Gentiles were confused.
Well, that is what happened in the region of Galatia.
And now they were all be compelled to be circumcised.
That is why Paul gave that very harsh rebuke right off the bat
READ: GALATIANS 1:6-9
Now obviously Paul is here to make his defense.
• And if we had time, chapter 2 is very interesting as Paul actually recounts this Jerusalem council and then gives an instance in which he was forced to confront and rebuke Peter.
But what I really want you to see is this same argument in the Galatian letter that Paul made to the Jerusalem council.
To the Jerusalem council Paul reiterated that God was saving Gentiles
Apart from circumcision and validating it by miracles.
Now this is the same argument Paul will make to the Galatians.
READ: GALATIANS 3:1-5
Those who went to Sanyati this past summer are probably sick of that passage, I think we listened to about 6 sermons based on that one passage.
But the passage is important and certainly sheds light
On what Paul was debating back in Jerusalem.
Now first we notice a scathing rebuke from Paul.
“You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you”
Paul is really angry at the Galatians because some snake oil salesman
Came through town and completely seduced them.
He is angry because they were so gullible.
Wasn’t that what he said in chapter 1?
“I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you…for a different gospel?”
And the reason here Paul can’t believe they’ve been seduced is because it was before their “eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified”
The point being.
How could you so quickly listen to some sermon on circumcision when you know good and well that Jesus Christ was crucified?
Why did you think He was crucified?
If circumcision saves you, then what was the cross for?
See Paul saw all forms of legalistic ritual as a tremendous insult
To the sacrificial death of Christ.
Every form of legalistic effort only minimized what Jesus accomplished.
But then Paul goes into deposition mode.
(2) “This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?”
Now if you will recognize it, that was precisely Peter’s point.
What was it that caused you to receive the Spirit of God?
Circumcision?
Obviously not, because God already gave you the Spirit
And you still aren’t circumcised.
(3) “Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?”
Now this implies that the argument reaching the Galatian region
Wasn’t that they needed circumcision to be saved,
But rather that they needed circumcision after salvation to remain pleasing.
And Paul says that it is a stupid thought too.
Which is a bigger deal?
Which is more difficult?
Is it more difficult to change a sinner or wash a saint?
Well if God saved you (gave you the Spirit) based solely on your faith,
Do you really think that He will now finish your salvation based on works?
Obviously not.
(4) “Did you suffer (experience) so many things in vain – if indeed it was in vain?”
In other words, was God’s pouring out of His Spirit wasted on you?
And then here comes the point.
It is the same point Paul made in Jerusalem.
(5) “So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?”
And the answer is so obvious, that Paul does not record it.
And there you see why Paul is so passionate.
• God gave you His Spirit.
• God worked miracles among you to validate His offer.
• And He did all that based on your faith.
If works like circumcision were so important then why did God do all that apart from you being circumcised?
It just makes no sense to go adding works to the obvious work of God.
Now, let me show you one more passage here in Galatians that will really sort of solidify why this is such an important truth for us to grasp.
READ: GALATIANS 5:2-6
Last week I asked you:
“Even if God saved Gentiles apart from being circumcised, don’t you think it’s still a good idea that they go ahead and do it?”
Look at Paul’s answer to that here.
(2) “Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you.”
(Now if you’re setting there, having been circumcised, don’t flip out, Paul will actually circumcise Timothy in Acts 16. Three times Paul says that circumcision is nothing)
What we are dealing with here is the Gentiles were viewing circumcision
As an important requirement to make them pleasing to God.
And Paul is telling them if you do it for that reason
Then “Christ will be of no benefit to you.”
What do you need Christ for
If you’ve determined to go ahead and try to earn salvation?
See Christ can’t save those who are bent on saving themselves.
Don’t we remember the necessary attitudes of salvation?
Matthew 5:3-6 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
In order to be saved the first thing you have to realize is that
You are weak, poor, helpless sinner
Whose only hope is if someone else delivers them.
I told you last Sunday morning
About Israel’s prophetic future salvation in Isaiah.
Isaiah 64:5-8 “You meet him who rejoices in doing righteousness, Who remembers You in Your ways. Behold, You were angry, for we sinned, We continued in them a long time; And shall we be saved? For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. There is no one who calls on Your name, Who arouses himself to take hold of You; For You have hidden Your face from us And have delivered us into the power of our iniquities. But now, O LORD, You are our Father, We are the clay, and You our potter; And all of us are the work of Your hand.”
Salvation requires a broken, helpless desire for salvation.
But a person who thinks they can earn salvation has no use for Christ.
But that is not the only problem.
(3) “And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law.”
See, you can’t just pick and choose
Which commandments you are going to keep.
You can’t pull a “Rich Young Ruler” and say, “Which ones”
If you are going to earn it, then you have to earn it.
And Paul says, “I earning salvation is what you choose
(made obvious by a decision to receive circumcision)
then you had better keep it all.”
Go pick up that burden that Peter said none of the Jews
Had thus far been able to carry.
But you can’t just pick up a few.
This is one of the things that really concerns me
About groups like the Seventh Day Adventists.
Now, first of all there is nothing wrong with worshiping on Saturday.
The day doesn’t matter.
However, if worshiping on Saturday is some sort of requirement
By which you are made pleasing to God then we have a big problem.
Namely, you can’t just pick that one command and say, “We’re good”
You have to take them all.
And then notice what Paul says to those who choose circumcision.
(4) “You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.”
Works and Grace are like oil and water, they cannot mix.
You cannot be saved partly by grace and the rest by works.
You cannot be saved partly by works and the rest by grace.
To choose salvation by grace is to rest from your labor.
To choose salvation by works is to toss grace out the window.
And that is what Paul says there.
If you choose to earn your salvation.
• Say goodbye to Jesus
• Say goodbye to freedom
• Say goodbye to grace
None of those things are found by keeping the Law.
But you should also know
If you say good by to Jesus and to grace,
Then you can also say goodbye to salvation.
(5) “For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness.”
See those using works are working like crazy
Hoping they will obtain righteousness.
But hose who trust Christ for it and receive the Spirit by faith
Have the hope of righteousness.
For the one who works, “hope” is a verb.
(He hopes he will get it)
For the one who trusts, “hope” is a noun.
(He has hope because of it)
And those who trust Christ have hope.
(6) “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.”
When you get Jesus, who cares if you’ve been circumcised.
It doesn’t matter.
All that matters is faith in Christ based on a love for Christ.
But you see Paul’s point.
This circumcision issue matters.
If you let circumcision sneak in here as a requirement for salvation
Then kiss Jesus goodbye,
Kiss grace goodbye,
Kiss freedom goodbye,
And kiss glory goodbye.
And that doesn’t just go for circumcision,
But any work that someone seeks to add to salvation.
This is a major issue.
And so now not only do we understand
Why Gentiles don’t have to be circumcised,
We also understand why Peter, Paul, and James fought so hard against it.
Salvation was at stake.
If these men succeeded in getting those Gentiles circumcised,
Then we would have been right back where we were
Before Christ ever came.
Right back to the unbearable burdens…
Right back to the futility of sacrifices…
Right back to the veil of separation…
Jesus and His grace is the greatest gift mankind ever received,
Don’t disregard it.
Now, I think that leads us to important point to make in our lives.
It is so easy to let legalism creep in to our lives.
It is so easy to become “works” oriented.
But when we are tempted to put confidence in our own works,
All we are really doing is saying
We don’t have confidence in the work of Christ.
KNOW THAT THE DEATH OF CHRIST IS SUFFICIENT.
And know it is not only sufficient to save you, but to perfect you.
Galatians 3:3 “Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?”
The issue there wasn’t salvation, but rather sanctification.
We know that a true believer still has sin in his life,
But we also know that he hates it.
The question is, how are you going to go about getting rid of it?
How are you going to achieve sanctification in your life?
Are you just going to try harder?
Are you just going to work at it?
You’ll end up disheartened.
Remember what Paul said about struggling against sin?
Romans 7:18-19 “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.”
It is amazing how many people in the church
Know they can’t be saved by works of the flesh,
But the second they get saved they say,
“Thanks Jesus, I’ve got it from here.”
We sort of assume that all Jesus came to do
Was get us saved and now the rest is up to us.
And tonight I just want to throw those same questions out to you that Paul gave the Galatians..
• Did you receive the Spirit by works of the Law, or by hearing with
faith?
• Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the
flesh?
• Does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles
among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with
faith?
Make sure you aren’t sucked in to legalism,
Either for salvation or for sanctification.
There have always been those Judaizers out there
Who try to get you to earn what Jesus came to freely give.
Don’t give in to them.
Galatians 2:2-5 “It was because of a revelation that I went up; and I submitted to them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but I did so in private to those who were of reputation, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain. But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. But it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage. But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.”
You don’t give in to them either.
• Trust the work of Christ to save you.
• Trust the work of Christ to sanctify you.
• Don’t disregard grace
• And certainly don’t substitute grace with works.
Acts 15:11 “But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.”
