It’s been said that there is more confusion about Acts 15 than almost any other chapter of the Bible. How are we to understand what was at issue? What was the actual decision reached, and how was it reached?
The important question for us is what are the implications for us as Christians in terms of obedience to God? In order to understand we must take a closer look at the historical and Scriptural background and at how the Church arrived at its decision.
Are Christians required to keep the Law of Moses? If someone were to ask you this question, how would you answer? If Christians are required to keep the Law of Moses, what does that mean? If they are not, what does that mean?
This very question was a thorny one for the early Church, and it led to considerable controversy. It has remained a key question among those calling themselves Christian ever since then.
Did the decision of the Church recounted in Acts 15 negate the requirement that Christians must obey God’s commandments? Are Christians free to sin with impunity, based on the results of this conference? And if not, what is the controversy about and what are the ramifications of the decision made?
Learn from the Bible the answers to these questions.
Most professing Christian Churches keep Sunday as their day of worship. Have you ever stopped to ask why? Where in the Bible is Sunday commanded to be kept as a weekly day of rest and worship?
If you keep the Sabbath on the day commanded by God for it to be kept, the seventh day of the week, according to the sacred calendar, the way God counts days as recorded in Scripture, has anyone ever asked you why you keep it as noted? Would you be able to give a clear explanation?
Why should Christians keep the Sabbath, the real Sabbath, the Biblical Sabbath? Indeed,the Sabbath was made at the time God refashioned the earth as a habitation for life, and made the first human beings, as recounted in the first two chapters of Genesis, and it was made not only for the Jews, none of whom existed at the time, but for man (mankind; Mark 2:27). So from that standpoint, everyone should be keeping it. Investigate with us what the Bible itself reveals about this question.
Is the law revealed in Scripture a curse, bondage, not relevant for a Christian because it’s been replaced by Christ? Are the ten commandments outmoded “Old Testament” law that can be safely ignored, as many believe? The Bible speaks of the commandments as the “law of liberty.” Which is it? The law of liberty, or of slavery?
“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’” John the Baptist identified Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29)
Immediately after the Passover comes a festival that depicts the next step in the fulfillment of God’s master plan: the seven days of Unleavened Bread. The Passover pictures Christ’s death to save us from sin and its ravages. Jesus did not sacrifice Himself for us so we will continue to live in sin. Christ’s death reconciles us with God so we can become children in His family. Sin separates us from God. We read in Isaiah: “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear” (Isaiah 59:1-2).