Acts Chapter 15 Verses 1-6

Acts 15:1 “And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. 2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. 3 And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren. 4 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them. 5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. 6 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.”

“And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.”  These men came down from Judaea to the church at Antioch and taught a false doctrine.  This brought a conflict between the church at Jerusalem and the church at Antioch.  This chapter serves as a model for us on how churches in conflict should handle their conflict.  Now this false teaching would ultimately infect other churches as Paul deals with this issue in the book of Galatians: Gal. 1:6 “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”  This is what I call the grace, but doctrine.  In other words the false teaches teach that you are saved by grace, but you must do something in order for you to be saved. 

“When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.”  Paul and Barnabas immediately saw the error in the message of these false teachers from the church at Jerusalem.  They first dissented and disputed with the false teachers.  Then realizing the impact that this false teaching would have between the two churches, the church at Antioch determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain other of them would go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders to resolve this question.  Here we notice that they did not carry the conflict to other sister churches at this time.  This issue was to be resolved between the two churches.  How much better it would be if the churches of today would resolve their issues between the churches that have the conflict rather than exporting the trouble to the sister churches?

“And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.”  We notice that Paul and Barnabas and those who went with them declared the conversion of the Gentiles but did not discuss the conflict with the sister churches to which they spoke. 

“And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.”  Paul and Barnabas continued to declare the blessings of God and God’s blessings upon the ministers and those to whom they preached. 

“But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”  In declaring the blessings of God upon the Gentiles through the preaching of the gospel, the sect of the Pharisees that believed declared this false teaching: “That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”  It was at this point that “the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.”

This matter was critical to be addressed as the conflicting views were totally in opposition to one another. 

Verses 7-11

Acts 15:7 “And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. 8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; 9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.”

In this passage Peter weighs in using his experience in the Lord’s leading him to declare the gospel to the household of Cornelius: “And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.”  Peter declares this after their had been much disputing.  The parties needed to be heard and the issues discussed. 

“And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.”  In this statement Peter points out that God put no difference between the Jews and Gentiles and that he gave evidence of this when he gave them the Holy Ghost even as he had done to the Jews on the day of Pentecost. 

“Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?”  Peter goes on and points out that even the Jews of his day nor the fathers were able to bear such a burden as to keep the law of Moses.  Therefore, to say that the Gentiles must be circumcised and keep the law of Moses was to put a yoke upon them that they would not be able to bear. 

“But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.”  Here Peter affirms that both the Jews and the Gentiles are saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Thus, he rejected the idea that circumcision and keep the law of Moses were requirements to salvation.