Has the Message of the Church changed over 2000 Years? - Acts 15

The big news for the apostles in Acts 15 was that God was working wonders and miracles in the midst of the Gentiles and that significant numbers were coming to faith.  The leaders in Judea had decided to send Jewish men to the Gentiles to help Paul and Barnabas.

The Jews that came to help were teaching a message that was a little different than the one being taught by Paul and Barnabas.  The traveling Jews were saying in effect that one had to become a Jew in order to enter the Kingdom of God being circumcised and following the law of Moses. 

Paul and Barnabas realized that being a Jew was not the cause of salvation; rather, one was saved as a result of the grace of God through faith.  This resulted in the gift of the Holy Spirit which sealed us until the day of redemption.

The debate became rather heated so they decided to take the issue before the church council in Jerusalem.  When Paul and Barnabas got there, they conveyed their news that the Gentiles were accepting the gospel having received the Holy Spirit.

The disciples and apostles rejoiced that God had manifested himself to the Gentiles.  After discussing whether or not a person had to be circumcised and obey the Law of Moses, Peter stood up and said,

“Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.⁸ So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, ⁹ and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith…we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.”

Peter recognized that we were saved by grace and not the works of the law.  One did not have to become a Jew; rather, something new had taken place in that the grace of God through the Holy Spirit was at work among his people producing a life of righteousness and worship.

A letter was then written to the churches, in which the apostles, elders and brethren wrote,

Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law” —to whom we gave no such commandment— ²⁵ it seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, ²⁶ men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷ We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will also report the same things by word of mouth.

A person is saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone triumph at the council and remains the message of the church to this day.