Week 7, Day 1
February 14, 2022 Scripture: Acts 15 One of the most important conversations happened at a council in Jerusalem. A decision needed to be made about how the gospel would move forward and how people came to be a part of the family of God. The issue is that Gentiles, a people who were never a part of the family of God, now are being sought by God and this new movement. How do people come to be a part of the family of God? Does it require circumcision to belong? How much of the law of Israel needs to be obeyed? What was its purpose and is it all still in effect? Well, much of this will be sorted out later by the book of Hebrews and much of Paul’s writing in Romans and Galatians. But this council determines, after much deliberation and guidance from the Spirit: “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.” (Acts 15:28–29) What is left is outward expressions of an undivided loyalty to Jesus. There is a value for all life, for all of God’s creation. The Spirit sets up for there to be a testimony of repentance and faith for the Gentiles. Other Gentiles will notice that the converted Gentiles to Christianity no longer practiced their former ways of worship. Their allegiances have changed. They now show, by turning from their past, they love the Lord their God with all of their heart. Love him and seek him. Show your allegiance is to King Jesus.
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AuthorJordan Ickes, Minister of Etna Green Church of Christ. Archives
December 2022
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