Title James's plea (Acts 15:12-29)
Is salvation completely accomplished through faith in Jesus Christ? Or I believe in Jesus Christ, but I need to do something more. Do you have to keep the law, do good deeds, fast, etc., do you have to do these legal acts to achieve complete salvation? It was a debate.
“The whole crowd was still, and they heard Barnabas and Paul tell them the signs and wonders that God had done through them among the Gentiles.”
Through their first missionary journey and through the ministry of the Antioch church, they discovered that even without circumcision, God came to them, Jesus became their salvation, and the works of the Holy Spirit were revealed. This was unbelievable for the Jews. How can God care? How can God work on them if they do not keep the Mosaic Law? These were things I couldn't understand. But it was true.
God is not only the God of the Jews, but the God of all mankind. God was glorified through the people of Israel who kept the Old Testament law and kept the sacrifices, but God worked even on the Gentiles who did not know the sacrifices at all.
Our problem is that we try to limit God. Especially, those who have been in the faith for a long time tend to think that the way they believe is God's everything. He wants God to be in his experience, his knowledge, his way. That was the Jews. It is true that the Jews served God better than anyone else. But when God exists outside of their thoughts and experiences, they are not willing to accept it. The problem is trying to lock God into your experiences and thoughts. Don't lock God in our thoughts. God's power is immense.
After the testimony of Barnabas and Paul in this way, James, the general general, concludes.
Verse 13: “When he had finished speaking, James answered and said, Brethren, listen to me.”
In Galatians 2, James is said to be “a man like a pillar.” James gives the conclusion. This is what James summarized in verses 14 and 15.
“Simeon reported that God had first admonished them from among the Gentiles to take a people for his name, according to the words of the prophets, as it is written.”
There are two big things.
First, the event in which God calls the Gentiles. Gentiles thought they could never believe in God, but there was nothing in the Old Testament where the Holy Spirit came, the salvation of Jesus Christ, and miracles came to them who were not even circumcised. It is the first event that God personally did after Pentecost. Traditional people of the Old Testament cannot believe this. He showed him three visions to teach Peter these things.
The Gentiles' acceptance of Jesus Christ and receiving the Holy Spirit is not a man-made event or a man-made event, but it is the first thing God does now as a response and fulfillment of that promise according to the prophecies and promises of the Old Testament.
The second is, “However, the work that God is about to do is not done blindly and without warning, but is fulfilled according to the prophecies of the Old Testament prophets.
What Peter said was his personal experience. What Barnabas and Paul said was also their personal experience. It was true. However, when deciding on faith, it is not based on personal experiences and fantasies. It shows here that the words and prophecies of the Old Testament must be in harmony.
The words prophesied through the prophets Amos and Jeremiah in the Old Testament are surprisingly consistent with the events in the field that were fulfilled through Paul and Barnabas and everything that Peter experienced.
James connects the Old Testament message with the present event.
What is the prophecy in the Old Testament book of Amos? Verses 16 and 17 are its contents.
“After this I will return and rebuild the tabernacle of David that was torn down, and I will rebuild it and raise it up again, so that the remnant and all the Gentiles who are called by my name may seek you. It is like saying.”
Why did you not remove the throne of David, but let it remain forever, because it was God's plan to bring forth a Messiah from David's descendants and to save all the Gentiles through that Messiah. The prophet Amos wrote it a long time ago.
James is saying that these things were not the work of men. It was an event that God worked supernaturally. The book of Amos says this is the work of God. Today's Word is also called the Lord's Word. Based on these words, James now makes two decisions on behalf of the church. Verses 19-20
“Therefore, in my opinion, do not trouble those who turn to God from among the Gentiles.”
Do not impose Jewish traditions on Gentiles. line