We come to the famous Jerusalem Council of Acts 15. Paul & Barnabas have been seeing Gentiles come to the faith in large numbers, and Jewish Christians are celebrating it... but it also creates a theological quandary: Do Gentiles have to be circumcised? Obviously, such a requirement would be a huge obstacle for adults. Some Christians "of the party of the Pharisees" insist on circumcision for Gentiles. Paul and Barnabas have a "sharp disagreement" with them. A debate. An argument. A fight. Among Christians. I'm sure that thought is not surprising to anyone who's been around churches for any substantive length of time, but it does invite some questions: How should Christians disagree? What is worth fighting over? Who decides the outcome? And what hope for peace and unity afterward? Let's talk about "Fighting Like Family" (Acts 15:1-29).
