September 19, 2024
Acts clearly sets forth through apostolic preaching and historical events that the gospel message is for all ethnic groups and cannot be hindered by man-made divisions. In “The Book of Acts: The Early Struggle for an Unhindered Gospel,” New Testament scholar Frank Stagg delineates the progress of the gospel to Jews, Samaritans and Gentiles.
Acts 15 narrates the struggle between the Jews and Gentiles regarding the gospel and its requirements for salvation. Acts ends with the comment that during Paul’s house arrest, he proclaimed the one gospel with boldness and without hindrance.
Some men came from Judea down to Antioch and preached that the requirements for salvation included circumcision. Paul and Barnabas engaged these false teachers in “serious argument and debate.” The gospel message was at stake. The Gentile church at Antioch appointed Paul, Barnabas and others to travel to Jerusalem to discuss the issue with the apostles and elders in Jerusalem in a church council meeting. Luke notes that there was much debate about the issue.
According to former Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary professor Curtis Vaughan in his book on Acts, three meetings took place with the delegation from Antioch and the leaders of the church in Jerusalem. First there was a public reception (vv. 4–5), which was followed by a private meeting between Paul and Barnabas and “the pillars” of the Jerusalem church (Gal. 2:2–10) and then a public conference in which concord was reached (Acts 15:6–21). In the middle of the debate Peter stood and defended intentional Gentile evangelism.
Peter cited the evidence of an open evangelism approach to Gentiles, namely the witness of the Holy Spirit, Gentile conversions and the cleansing of their hearts by faith. In the words of Paul, the gospel is God’s power to all believers, both Jew and Greek (Rom. 1:16).
What kinds of erroneous things might unbelievers today think are necessary for salvation?
The apostles and elders of the Jerusalem church selected godly men to send a letter to Antioch with Paul, Barnabas and Silas. The role of the godly men perhaps was not only to share their testimony but to verify the origin of the letter. The New Testament also refers to Silas as “Silvanus.” Silvanus assisted Paul on missionary journeys to Asia Minor and Macedonia. He also accompanied Peter on a missionary journey and served as Peter’s scribe (1 Pet. 5:12). Paul, Barnabas, Judas Barsabbas and Silas delivered a letter to the leaders of the church at Antioch.
How would you explain salvation to someone new to Christianity?
The contents of the letter highlighted that the Holy Spirit did not place any additional burdens upon Gentile Christians other than in matters that might hinder fellowship between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians.
The recipients of the letter rejoiced and experienced encouragement. Additional acts of outward identification are not required for salvation.
What do you find most encouraging about that?
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This lesson was written by Mark Rathel, pastor of Friendship Baptist Church in DeFuniak Springs, Fla., and originally published by The Baptist Paper. This study is based on the Explore the Bible curriculum from Lifeway Christian Resources.
