4/8/10 Acts 15
By Faith
(Ac 15:9)9and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.
In this chapter there some, probably of the Pharisees, who had believed that came to the church at Antioch (Syria) from Jerusalem and began to teach the church that circumcision is a necessity to receive salvation. Paul and Barnabas having recently returned from their first missionary journey debated the issue with these individuals. When there was no agreement the church at Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas to the church at Jerusalem where the apostles and elders were asked to look into the matter. There was great debate concerning the issue of circumcision and more so observing the Law of Moses. Peter stood up and gave his understanding, and Paul and Barnabas related all that God had done in the cities of the Gentiles. Then James offered his judgment that Gentiles were not required to be circumcised to receive salvation. This was met with acceptance of the whole church in Jerusalem and they decided to send a letter and two other men from Jerusalem along with Paul and Barnabas to the church at Antioch to share the verdict. When the church at Antioch read the letter they rejoiced because of its encouragement. After some time Paul and Barnabas decided to return to the cities they had traveled to on their first journey but they came to a severe disagreement concerning John Mark going along as a result Paul and Barnabas went different ways each with new companion.
What we learn in this chapter and verse 9 is that salvation is by faith alone. There is nothing required for an individual to do in order to receiving cleansing from their sins, except simple faith. Faith is believing in someone or something to do what I cannot do for myself. So because I have sin and there is nothing in and of myself that I can do to remove the sin. The only option is to lookout side of myself and believe that person or thing is able to cleanse me from my sin. This chapter indicates God is the only one that can remove the debt of sin, and he does that when people trust in His Son Jesus Christ. Notice that God is the one who does the cleansing, not the person needing the cleansing.
Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Then verse 2 states, for by it (faith) the men of old gained approval. The verdict and judgment in Acts 15 was completely consistent to how men of the Old Testament were cleansed from their sins and gained approval from God. Their faith was in God and therefore they obeyed what he had commanded some before the Law of Moses and some after. They did not gain approval because they faithfully carried out the law, because no one is able to keep the whole law.
Prayer: Father thank you for the simplicity of faith alone in you. I have trusted you through the person and work of Jesus Christ to cleanse me from my sin and the debt that my sin brings upon my soul. Your gift of the Holy Spirit has confirmed that you are faithful and cannot lie. I rejoice in the knowledge that my heart has been cleansed by you and that it is not of my own human effort to keep any set of laws or regulations where I have gained your approval. It is all by faith alone, in Jesus name. Amen.