By Rich Carlson

The original version of Acts 15:19 says "We should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.” I decided to change the word “Gentile” to be more applicable for us today. In the last devotional, I talked about how Christian Jews were trying to retain tradition as a condition for salvation. Their brethren disagreed with them. When the council in Jerusalem heard what Peter and Paul said about salvation being for everyone, they decided to change their views.

The council’s follow-up action is described in Acts 15. The group created a short list of things new Gentile believers should be expected to avoid. When I first read this list, I thought the council was still being pretty tough on new believers. They said Gentiles should abstain from food that was polluted or sacrificed to idols, sexual immorality, the meat of strangled animals, and blood. To our 21st century minds it’s kind of an odd list, but as I continued to think about it, I realized that the council had softened its position a lot. Before, they had said no one could be saved unless they were circumcised and followed all the laws of Moses. Now, though they recommended these practices, none of them are identified as conditions for salvation.

Instead, the council made a short list of advice: they were saying that it would be best to avoid these practices. Of course avoiding sexual immorality continues to be good advice. On the other hand, I can’t say I’ve actually been tempted to eat food offered to idols recently—or blood for that matter—but in their culture, I’m sure this was also important advice. The mature Jewish Christians were dispensing the wisdom they had learned over the years—kind of “insiders’ secrets.”

It seems like the church leaders were saying “Welcome to the family; let us help you out. We’ll respect you as much as we want you to respect us. We’ll love you as much as we want you to love us. We’ll be as accepting of you as we want you to be accepting of us.”

When Paul and Barnabus read to the people in Antioch the letter prepared by the leaders in Jerusalem, they “were glad for its encouraging message.” There is something encouraging about respecting others in their journey toward the kingdom. Kindness and mercy are “encouraging messages.” Respecting others brings gladness to the heart. It sounds to me like a good way to live. Thanks, Jerusalem Council!
 
Rich Carlson is campus chaplain at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska. "God is Faithful" is adapted from the email devotionals he writes regularly for the Union College family. Rich enjoys filling his life with God, his family, and especially his five grandchildren.