Acts 15:1-11 - Legalism
Scripture:
Acts 15:1-11
Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved."
Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved."
2 And when Paul and Barnabas had great dissension and debate with them, the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue.
3 Therefore, being sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and were bringing great joy to all the brethren.
4 When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them.
5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses."
6 The apostles and the elders came together to look into this matter.
7 After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe.
8 "And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;
9 and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.
10 "Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?
11 "But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are."
NASU
NASU
Thoughts:
In these verses the most strict definition of legalism is displayed: adding the requirements of the Law as requirements for salvation (verses 1, 5). Legalism has a broader definition as well, and that is adding a list of do's and don'ts to scripture as requirements for the obedient Christian.
No matter which brand of legalism is being applied, it has a divisive and destructive power. It enslaves the Christian (verses 1, 5, and 10), rather than setting them free as Christ promised to do. It also divides, as this situation would divide the Gentile and Jewish Christians.
Both brands of legalism are generally presented by misrepresenting, adding to, or ignoring key passages of the scriptures. In this case, the legalists were ignoring the truth that Christ completed the work required for salvation at the cross. Peter sums it up best (verses 10-11).
It's so sad that this same scene continues to be played out in the Christian world, today. People find God's grace and His word too "easy" in some area, and so they add rules. When applied to oneself, there is room for individual convictions (Romans 14). However, legalists are not content to hold their own convictions, but seek out others, generally younger or weaker in the faith, to teach their brand of "Christianity" to, like the Pharisee Christians here (verse 5).
Prayer:
Lord, let me be content to live according to what Your word clearly says. Give me a right understanding of Your truth. Protect me from any tendencies I have towards complicating Your grace or convoluting Your word. And grant me the grace to accept that other Christians may not see eye-to-eye with me on areas where the scriptures are not so black and white, and still be Christians.
Amen
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