August 24, 2023
Passage Read: Acts 14-15
Meditation Verse: 15:5
Thought
There's a lot to the Law of Moses and this group doesn't specify what all needs to be obeyed, which implies all of it. Of course, this debate began because some men came to Antioch and said the Gentiles had to be circumcised to be saved, so at least that, they were making a requirement for salvation. But Jesus had in effect done away with the whole ceremonial aspect of the Law, yet Paul reiterates most of the moral law in his letters. So the requirements he gives go beyond just abstaining from blood, meat sacrificed to idols, meat with blood in it and sexual immorality. But none of these instruction are to gain salvation, but how the saved should behave.
Application
Salvation is by faith in Christ alone. These is nothing to be added to that for salvation, so even someone like the thief on the cross can be saved without opportunity to live out his faith. But for those of us who do believe in Christ, He did save us to do good works and to live righteous lives, so there are things we need to learn and things we need to put off doing, and we need hearts eager to understand and obey. Not for salvation, but because we have been saved and made new creations. Even the few instructions given by the Council can be twisted to mean they are required for salvation, but that's not how they were intended, but only as instructions for how the saved should live.