But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. (Acts 15:1-2 ESV)
Christians are good people. Christians are people that keep the 10 commandments. Christians are folks that love God and love their neighbor. Christians are people that go to church. Christians are individuals that are good citizens. Christians are Bible people. Christians are people that do the right thing. How do these descriptions sit with you? Are they accurate? Are they complete? How would you describe a Christian?
This week Luke relays the events at a critical moment in the history of the early church. In Acts 15 the question of what it meant to follow Christ was on the table. What were the qualifications? Did the path to Christ go through Judaism? Did following Him mean keeping the Law? Luke outlines the first church counsel where this critical issue was decided. You might think these issues have long been settled but our quandary over those opening questions in the first paragraph might demonstrate otherwise. Take some time to read through Acts 15.
