ABSTAIN FROM

The council meeting at Jerusalem was over a more important subject than diet. It concerned a controversy which threatened to destroy the fellowship of Jew and Gentile in the church. There were teachers who insisted that the Gentiles could not be saved unless they were circumcised and obeyed the law of Moses. That meant that faith in the Lord Jesus and His finished work was not sufficient for salvation. The law must supplement the gospel. What was at stake was the very way of salvation. Thus it was that a council of apostles and elders met at Jerusalem to consider this question. Peter reminded them how the Gentiles in Cornelius’ house had heard the gospel first from his lips, and this had been God’s choice. These Gentiles had been accepted by God, and that without circumcision or law-keeping. Both Jew and Gentile were saved, he maintained, by the grace of God. Paul and Barnabas then gave a resume of what the Lord had done through them among the Gentiles.

James, one of the brothers of the Lord Jesus and a leader of the church in Jerusalem, spoke next. He declared himself in full agreement with Peter, Paul and Barnabas. Indeed, the inclusion of Gentiles in the purposes of God had been foretold by the prophets, so the scriptures confirmed what God had done through the apostles. For James this was decisive. He gave his conclusion on this matter, which was endorsed by the others, and sent out by letter in the name of them all to Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia. Those who had stirred up the controversy were said to have done so without any authority. However, on the matter of fellowship between Jew and Gentile, the latter must know that there were certain things about which Jews had a conscience. Some of these are given in Leviticus chapters 17 and 18. To ignore these would make fellowship between them difficult, might damage the testimony and tell against the gospel. In addition, if the Jews violated their conscience in this matter, it would do them spiritual harm. Gentiles were being asked to forgo their liberty in these things out of respect for the conscience of their Jewish brethren. Paul would confirm this approach later; cf. 1 Cor. 8. 10; Rom. 14. 1ff.