THE JERUSALEM COUNCIL: PAUL P/4

 

                                     
                                                                                    Read Part One HERE

A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                       PART XV - IV

" I, James, began to address the meeting of the apostles and the elders of the church in Jerusalem... While speaking, I looked at their faces.... I could see they were ready to hear from me what I was going to suggest... So I went ahead... I explained in more details what I thought would be helpful guidelines for the Gentile believers... I could see that everyone agreed with my proposals.... For they could see the leading of the Holy Spirit in what I suggested....... We then prepared a letter to be taken to the church in Antioch... I believe this letter will be very helpful for the Gentile believers today."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn of the suggestions James made related to Gentile believers....

                     ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                    PART XV - IV

All those present at the meeting of the apostles and elders in Jerusalem would have continued to listen very carefully to the next words of James for these words would help them know what exactly he meant when the said that the church should not make it difficult for Gentiles to turn to God. And could they agree with what he was going to propose? So far they were in agreement with what he had said. But they did not as yet know if they could be in agreement with his final proposal. So they waited for him to reveal the specific details he had in mind for the Gentile believers. They did not have to wait long as you can read in Acts 15:20

"Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled aimals and from blood."

The whole meeting recognised the wisdom of James, no doubt, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and accepted his proposal. A letter was then prepared with these guidelines in mind and this letter was sent to the church at Antioch where it was received with gladness as you an read in Acts 15:30-31

So the men were sent of and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message.

This letter still affects us today as believers for all of us here are Gentile believers. And aren't we grateful that we do not have to follow the Mosaic Law in order to be pleasing to God?