Daily Bible Study

Tweet

Day 26 Acts 15:1-35 15:1 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 6 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. 7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. 8 And God, which knows the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; 9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. 12 Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them. 13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: 14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. 15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, 16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: 17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, says the Lord, who does all these things. 18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. 19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: 20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. 21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day. 22 Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren: 23 And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia: 24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment: 25 It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; 29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well. 30 So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle: 31 Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation. 32 And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them. 33 And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles. 34 Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still. 35 Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also. Disputes take place in every church over the various rituals they should observe. Because of the many disputes, many denominations have risen up with many forms of doctrine. There are as many different denominations as there are people groups. No one wants to give ground about what and how they should believe. Paul and Barnabas faced the first dispute when Jews came to them and told them everyone needed to be circumcised according to the Law of Moses. They took the dispute to Jerusalem and told it to the apostles and elders. It was the first time a conference of believers took place to determine the proper course to take. They determined four main areas everyone should abide by. Not to eat the meat offered to idols. They determined this because many people had come out of idol worship and eating meat offered to idols would lead them back into idol worship and let them know it was okay to serve both God and idols. Not to eat blood. It was one of the basic commands God gave Moses. They were not to eat anything raw or partially raw because the life of every thing is in the blood. Not to eat anything that was strangled, killed with violence. When an animal kills another animal with violence, the one doing the killing is diseased and that disease then passes to the animal they kill, so that if you were to eat that animal, you would gain the same disease. To keep themselves from fornication, sexual sin. God ordained marriage between a man and a woman. When you pervert marriage by committing adultery with another person, not your spouse, when you have sex before marriage, you pollute your body bringing the possibility of disease and spreading it to everyone you have relations with. God told Moses the penalty for adultery and fornication was death to keep disease from the people. As Christians, you are to keep yourselves pure before God. You are not to be willful with your behavior, acting the same as unbelievers. 1 Corinthians 6:15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. 16 What? Know ye not that he which is joined to a harlot is one body? For two, said he, shall be one flesh. 17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man does is without the body; but he who commits fornication sins against his own body. 19 What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. You need to weigh everything you do in light of your relationship with Jesus Christ. You belong to Him, and He joined Himself with you the moment you accepted Him as Savior and Lord. The Holy Spirit dwells in you, and will help you resist the world you came out of, and keep you free of sin. Don’t enter into foolish disputes, but consider what God would have you do, and do it. Let’s pray: Father, keep me from foolish disputes that don’t give You glory or further the work of Your kingdom. Help me resist the world and the pleasures it offers and seek You with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Copyright © 6 February 2019 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay