Acts 15:1-21 - Grace and Graciousness

In this section of Acts, Pastor David Guzik speaks about the Jerusalem Council. In the midst of a great dispute, the apostles and elders come together to work out an issue.

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0:00 Introduction
3:00 From Jerusalem to Antioch
4:55 You Cannot Be Saved
14:00 Justified by Faith, Not Works
15:41 Verse 6-11
21:55 Through Grace - Verse 11
23:26 Verse 12
24:40 Verse 13-21
27:40 Therefore I judge - Verse 19
29:20 How does this apply?
33:00 Certain men from Judea
35:45 Closing Prayer

#actsoftheapostles #biblestudy #christian #jesus #enduringword

[cassandralottering]

What an inspiration and wake up call! Praise God for His presence in our lives

[colletteboyd]

I put my trust and hope and faith in Jesus Christ alone my Lord and my Saviour Amen🙏

[valeriehadfield]

Thank you for this message. I lead a bible study and listen to teaching before the meeting, your insight has given me a lot to think about and pass on. Blessings.

[kunalramjunum]

We are saved through faith in Jesus Christ only. Thank you Pastor for this wonderful word of God. God bless you in your ministry.

[be.love.shine.]

"If you love me, keep my commandments " praise YAHSHUA Jesus Christ

[arlenaf.]

Enduring Word Commentary is my favorite online commentary. I thought Mr. Guzik was older. Very insightful commentary. I am also subscribed to the podcast. Great message.

[Ethel-npnq]

This scriptures' chapter makes it so abundantly clear! But there are so-called Christians who taught the exact opposite!

[fernandomarquez]

Amen, thank you YESHUA, my messiah.

[sunnyelanders]

Looking forward to the next section of 15.

[be.love.shine.]

Saturday is the sabbath. God bless you all 💞👑🦁🤗🔥🕊🗝🚪🌈🙌🏽

[shoshanahcrookes]

Good message but I disagree with your comment about the men not being named because of the grace of God, that He doesn't do that. What about Euodia and Syntyche in Philippians 4:2-3. They were named so did they not receive God's grace?

[obamaohno]

The circumcision "requirements" were spelled out over 2000 years prior with specific requirements, "on the 8th day", as far as Mosaic law, where during the period Christ was on the cross, his 40 days during resurrection, where he did say following the law was mandatory"? Or did he just say follow these command; (1) love thy Lord/God with ALL your heart, soul, and mind, , (2) love your neighbor as your- for these are the basics of Christ' final commandments. Now on to circumscion, it was to be on the 8th day, I contend, that day was the only acceptable day (believe it, there's much supporting the date), go outside that date, you've failed the "law".

Now returning to Christ on the cross, did he not say "it is finished" ( the unattainable law was going out) to make way for the new gospel which will act as THE guideline for future New Covenant practices. The bottom line ; Christ achieved and fulfilled the law. Which was then transferred to the new gospel the new Christian covenant began. Thats where we are today.

Points of note, : The 10 commandments were not changed, they remain but are a completion in fullfilment under Christ. Now time to move into the New Gospal which settlev us into new thinking . Keep in mind this directive is now for the church age (not a replacing tech for the old testament or Jewish way, but for jews snd gentiles to bond under the new Church of Jesus Christ.. Covenental change period.

More later...

[janeecejjf]

At 26:28 you said this was James the apostle, the brother of Jesus. I thought James the apostle was son of Alpheus and that James, brother of Jesus wasn’t a believer until after Jesus was resurrected. Is that not right? Please respond if you see this comment. Thanks so much!

[jessyjonas]

This very thing is happening today
People with their opinion and interpretation of the Holy Scriptures
Is coming and teaching error

[messengerisrael]

ACTS 15:1-41, " 1.And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
( Circumcision means to remove something . In the covenant with Abraham, it is the removing of of the flesh of foreskin ; which is the completion of the creation started by God, on the first day that man was formed . Man was created in the image and likeness of God, but every other creature was made in their kind . Man was made from the dust of the ground, GOD IS NOT . God is teaching man how to become the kind . On the eighth day of man's creation, the flesh and blood of the earth will be removed, and man will become the kind .

1 Corinthians 15:49-53, " 49.And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.50Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.51Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.53For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality ".

This covenant was not with Abraham and his seed only, but the stranger bought with his money, not of his seed .

GENESIS 17:9-14, " 9.And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.10This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.11And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.12And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.13He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.14And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.

IN GENESIS 17:13-14, " 13He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.14And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.

THIS IS ALSO FOR THE STRANGER/GENTILES WHO HAST BECOME THE SEED OF ABRAHAM BY A PRICE .

ACTS 20:28, " 28.Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

GALATIANS 3:26-29, " 26.For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.27For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.29And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

THE CIRCUMCISION OF FLESH OF FORESKIN IS AN EVERLASTING COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM, HIS SEED AND THE STRANGER PURCHASED WITH THE BLOOD OF JESUS .

Biblical circumcision means to make clean .

The circumcisions for the cleaning of sin went through the two mediators of the covenant between the Father & the children of Israel .

The circumcision of the heart/spirit is a sin sacrifice of atonement through faith, through the mediator Jesus Christ ; which is repenting of your sins, then believing by obedience ; which is keeping your mediator Jesus Christ commandments ; which he received from the Father .

People forget that there was also a sin sacrifice of atonement through works, for the flesh/body ; which the God of Israel gave through the mediator Moses ; which was called the law of animal sacrifice and oblations, or circumcision of flesh/body for sin . Moses, like Jesus was the, for the one's under the covenant between the Father .

The key word the brethren used is SAVED ! To be saved means to be redeemed, or forgiven or justified ( made clear ) of all your past sins ; which requires a sin sacrifice of atonement ; which comes under a priesthood .

The sin sacrifice of atonement of works ( animal sacrifice & oblations ) came under the mediator Moses, through the priesthood of Leviticus ; which was not of faith ; which clean your flesh/body, not your heart/spirit . The Father requires a clean heart/spirit to be accept by him .

Psalm 51:16-17, " 16.For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.17.The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise " .

The circumcision as of the manner of Moses is not the circumcision of flesh of foreskin, the everlasting covenant through Abraham ; because Moses did not circumcise his own child of foreskin ; also no males were circumcised of the foreskin after leaving Egypt, until the LORD told Joshua to have them circumcised of foreskin before they entered the land of Israel ( Joshua 5 ) . The circumcision as of the manner of Moses was the circumcision of flesh/body for sin ; to clean the flesh/body, not the heart/spirit . )



2.When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.

( Paul and Barnabas did not agree with the men from Judaea . The mother church was located in Jerusalem . The church is the covenant between the Father and the children of Israel, or the Woman ; with believing Gentiles grafted into this covenant through faith . The seven Churches in Asia were the remnant of the woman Israel, or the church, before Judaea was destroyed in 70 A.D. . )

3.And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.

( Romans 2:11-15, " 11.For there is no respect of persons with God.12For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;13(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.14For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:15Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another " .)

4.And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.

( Acts 14:25-28, " 25.And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia:26And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.27And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.28And there they abode long time with the disciples " . )

5.But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.

( The sect of the Pharisees which believed that the sin sacrifice of atonement of the heart/spirit through faith, goes through the mediator Jesus Christ ; not the blood of the animals & oblations )
( The children of Israel continued in the sacrifices & oblations for the cleaning of the body ; when it becomes unclean due to touching a dead body, woman on her monthly, etc ..., but not for sin ; this came through the mediator Moses ; but the Gentiles were never under these sacrifices & oblations . )

6.And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.

( There was much discussion pertaining to what was required of the Gentiles )

[jordanswayfoundation]

Could it be that the problem with the Pharisees was they thoughts works or the law would earn them salvation and not the blood of Christ. Could this have been just a focus wrong not that the law is wrong or done away… the attitude of pride in outward works instead of a circumcised heart?
If the law was thrown out instead of just this attitude rejected. Then why is the answer in acts 15 include laws given to Moses as apart of what ti do? Also why do part of the answer also seem to say “For the law is preached each week in the synagogue “.
We seem to pick and choose laws to keep or laws not to keep….
Maybe it is just laws kept with the wrong ligalistic attitude and not accepting Christ as the problem discussed in Acts 15

[backthescriptures]

What about Acts 15 verse 21? The context suggests that gentiles that believed were saved but afterwards were charged to forsake paganism and learn Torah every Sabbath day in the synagogues.

Acts 15:21, NIV: For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.'

[withlovestephaniedenise]

What about the women since there is no circumcision for women?

[garyladeroute]

Good enough stuff thx. but a question of being and Jew of being a Christian, one cannot be both, nor can one assume they are! Once one comes to believe in Jesus, which then is he? which religious belief, do you wish to place upon yourself, made up or other! If one follows Christ he is? we dictate he is a Christian, another label set upon someone by men! labels are easily put! Now you are a Christians and you are saved!!! Make no mistake, Jewish, Greek, Islamic, Catholics, any other religious name or label you can put on Jesus's (Ishua's) word are just that, a label to make men feel like we are on the right path! Their is not Greek, no Jew, no male no female, in the spiritual realm of heaven" we are all one and the same. Maybe we should make up an new name Spiritualchristism? If we stand for Jesus, thus God the Father, put the labels aside and follow love. Thx for you time.. in Jesus name.

[papabear]

(1) Jewish believers in Jesus misapplied Genesis 17. Abraham believed in God first before the physical circumcision.
(2) The Law of Moses is not a property of Jews. The Law of Moses is a property of God ( Exodus 19:5-6, Leviticus 26:4-12). Those who embrace God/Jesus must obey His commandments and Laws. James decided five things (including Sabbath observance) of the Law of Moses in verses 20-21 to be observed not as a requirement for salvation but as a holy (set apart) conduct/life. Paul in Galatians 5:19-21 warns TWICE that those who practice sexual immorality will not inherit the kingdom of God. Jesus said in Revelation chapters 2-3 that those who practice sexual immorality and eat foods sacrificed to idols are in danger of His wrath and if he does not repent, his name will be removed feom the Book of Life.
(3) Verse 21 says “for Moses from ancient generations has had in every city those who proclaim him since he is read in all the synagogues every Sabbath.” This means that the rest of Moses Laws will be heard when he is read in their synagogues. Even the Gentile believers in Jesus in that time were observing the Sabbath law of Moses.
(4)Moses, Caleb, Joshua, and the Israelites who were born in the wilderness observed all the Laws of Moses and in fact had a physical circumcision before enetring the promised land Canaan (Joshua 5:2-5)
(5) Exodus 12 reveals that the descendants of Jacob and the mix multitude together were called ALL His Armies and Sons of Israel TWICE (verse 37-51). These were “jews and gentiles” together receiving salvation in Exodus and together receiving the Laws of God as they journeyed out of Egypt.
(6) Under the Law simply means a state of being under the of the Law of Moses (Galatians 3:24). But “if you are led by the Holy Spirit, you are not under Law (Galatians 5:18). Therefore, a Jewish believer in Jesus who observes the Law of Moses is not under the Law. The Gentile believer in Jesus who observes the Law of Moses is not under the Law. But the Jew who does not believe in Jesus is under the Law of Moses. The Gentile who does not believe in Jesus (and who is outside of the Law but do by nature the things of the Law are a Law unto themselves- Romans 2:14) are under the Law.
Romans 8:1-16 says that there is no condemnation for those who are in Jesus (either Jew or Gentile) because they have the Law of Spirit and Life in them that set them free from the Law of Sin and death as He condemned sin in the flesh so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in those that believe. (This means that Jesus is the requirement of the Law for a believer to walk right before God in obedience to His Laws. The Law was powerless since it was weakened on account of the flesh (verse 3)).
And those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the THINGS of the Spirit. But the mindset of the flesh (the unbelieving and those who are not led by the Spirit) is hostile toward God for it DOES NOT SUBMIT TO THE LAW OF GOD-for it can not.
Galatians 4:4 says that Jesus was “born under the law to free those under the law so we might receive adoption as sons”. Jesus was under the (Galatians 3:24) of the Laws of Moses (not because the Law is greater or higher than Him as He is the Lawgiver- the property owner of the Law that He gave to Moses) as He was growing up from childhood to adulthood and was sinless that through faith and trusting in Him, we receive adoption, new vessel, new wineskin, new mind, new temple, new body holy for the receiving and observing of His commandments and Laws.
Now this Jesus is the Grace of God, the Power of God, and the Wisdom of God and He is also the Word (1 Corinthians 1:4, 24, John 1:1). Then this Grace “teaches/trains us to say no to ungodliness and worldly desires...from EVERY LAWLESS deed and so that He might purify for Himself a chosen people, ZEALOUS for good deeds (Titus 2:11-14)”.
(7) Romans 13:10 says that “love is the fullness of the Law”. Matthew 22:40 says “on these two commandments (love God...love neighbor...) hang the Laws and Prophets”. Romans 7:12 says “ the Law is holy, the commandment is holy and righteous and good”... so why is the Law under a negative light whenever christian leaders speak about it. James the leader of the first council in Acts 15 said “ the one who looks intently into the PERFECT Law, the Law that gives FREEDOM, and CONTINUES in it, not becoming a hearer who forgets but a doer who acts-HE SHALL BE BLESSED (James 1:25)”.
Acts 15:29 says “that you abstain from meat that has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, ans from what has been syrangled and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from doing these things, YOU WILL DO WELL.” James letter in Acts 15 is no different than James 1:25