The Shocking Decision of the Acts Chapter 15
Apostolic Council (Pt. 2)
Rock of Offence Special Commentary
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This is Part 2 of a two-part Bible study.
Click on the link below to access
the next section.
Part 1
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AN UNFORTUNATE FACT
Not everyone is thrilled with the better promises of the New Covenant.
Similar to the traditional Jews in Acts 13:42-48, some church leaders
and their followers tirelessly work (and even fight) to keep the
previous old covenant system operational after God declared it to be
obsolete. To accomplish its purposes, this popular brand of theology
illegally merges the Old Testament program and Christ's New Covenant
program together. As a result, supporters insist that Christ's New
Covenant is just a continuation (or extension) of the old program.
Saint Paul warned that this kind of mixed theology, commonly found in
various expressions of Christian fundamentalism, creates a "different
gospel of Christ" and a "counterfeit faith in Christ"...
THAT CARRIES A CURSE AND
DOES NOT COME FROM GOD.
(Galatians 1:6-8)
This "mixed theology" is also deeply entrenched in Catholicism under
different names and labels. Due to its complexity, we will not cover
Catholicism in this commentary.
The context of God's Word must be observed to gain a proper understanding of how salvation is obtained AFTER THE CROSS (or for us today). As the book of Hebrews points out, “Eternal Redemption (or eternal life) DID NOT BEGIN UNTIL AFTER THE SACRIFICE OF CHRIST (Read Hebrews 9:12-17). This program of eternal redemption (the Bible calls it “The New Covenant”), could not start until the sacrifice of God’s Son was complete. Jesus gave this young man instructions about receiving eternal life, WHILE THE PROGRAM OF THE LAW WAS STILL IN OPERATION. Jesus spoke these words before His crucifixion and before the new covenant had started. Legally speaking, the Law continued all the way up to the events involving the crucifixion of Christ. It was Christ’s sacrifice and shed blood that initiated the New Covenant. It was His sacrifice that changed all the previous rules that governed the very nature of our salvation and how it is acquired.
"Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” So He (Jesus) said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”"
(Read the whole account in Matthew 19:16-26)
(This is important: When the young man asked Jesus which commandments to keep in order to obtain eternal life, JESUS QUOTED FROM THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF THE LAW in verses 18 through 22.)
A majority of church leaders and individual believers are confused about Christ’s words in this Scripture. Why? His words seem to disagree with the way the apostle Paul said to receive eternal life in his New Testament epistles to the Church. Yet, there is no real disagreement when you consider its context. Jesus is telling us THE WAY ETERNAL LIFE WAS RECEIVED BEFORE HE WENT TO THE CROSS (OR UNDER OLD TESTAMENT LAW). Because some Christians either ignore or distort Biblical context, they wrongly interpret the commandments Jesus speaks about in Matthew chapter 19, as the “new commandment” he gave to His disciples at the Last Supper - and the two great love commandments He mentioned to some Pharisees. This is what Jesus said:
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
(John 13:34-35 NKJV)
The Pharisees asked Jesus a trick question in order to trip Him up. Here’s how He answered:
“But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, ‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?’ Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:34-40 NKJV)
Believers living today should certainly keep these “commandments of love” given by Jesus Christ. Yet, as great as these commandments are, we should also understand that keeping them is not included in the requirements to obtain eternal life after the cross. ETERNAL LIFE TAKES ON ITS NEW ROLE AS "GOD'S GIFT" OBTAINED BY GRACE (UNMERITED FAVOR) ONLY AFTER JESUS PAID FOR IT – IN BLOOD. Contrary to popular Christian thinking, if any commandments, regardless of how good, must be kept in order to obtain God's gift, THEN IT ISN'T A GIFT. Under the Old Testament program of the Law, salvation or eternal life was never called "God's gift" because it was conditional – based on the obedience and behavior of the individual. It was only after the sacrifice of Christ AND THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW COVENANT that the word “gift” was used to describe salvation and eternal life (Ephesians 2:8-9 and Romans 6:23).
CHRIST’S COMMANDMENTS OF LOVE, BOTH THE
ONE GIVEN TO HIS DISCIPLES AT THE LAST
SUPPER AND THE TWO GIVEN TO THE PHARISEES
ARE NOT THE ONES HE TOLD THE RICH YOUNG
RULER TO KEEP IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 19.
Redefining Christ's words by either confusing or distorting the context of this Scripture makes it appear that He is telling us how eternal life (salvation) is obtained today. Yet, His crucifixion changed all of the previous rules governing salvation, which He taught before the cross. Other teachings given by Christ during His earthly ministry are subject to these same rules of context. The reason Saint Paul insisted that the Word of God must be "rightly (or correctly) divided" - is because the the cross of Christ changed all the rules that govern salvation.
There's More To This Story
Once again; when the young man in Matthew chapter 19 asked which commandments to keep in order to receive eternal life, JESUS QUOTED FROM THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF THE LAW. However, the young man claimed that he had kept all of these commandments since his youth. Jesus then gave him one more requirement: “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” When the young man sadly walked away, unwilling to obey this request, Jesus said to his disciples:
“Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 19:23)
In response to Christ's words, his disiples were astonished and correctly asked:
“Who then can be saved?” (Matthew 19:25)
Jesus, knowing what would take place AFTER THE CROSS under the New Covenant that His sacrifice would establish - answered their question:
“With men this is impossible, BUT WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.” (Matthew 19:26)
One thing stands out in this story: Eternal life BEFORE THE CROSS required an intense regiment of works tied to Old Testament Law. According to Jesus, it required a level of religious performance that few, if any, could satisfy. This is why the disciples ask the question: “Who then can be saved?” They knew that the kind of obedience Christ was talking about is impossible for most (and probably all) people.
BUT, AFTER THE CROSS THESE CONDITIONS CHANGED:
"For by grace (or God's unmerited favor) you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, NOT OF WORKS, lest anyone should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
"...not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:5-7)
Understanding the different requirements for eternal life both BEFORE AND AFTER THE CROSS is the key to ending much of the confusion, which is actually caused by either abusing or ignoring Biblical context. Speaking and teaching in the name of Christ, while twisting His words to make Him say something that validates your personal beliefs (or theology) - is a very serious sin that carries serious consequences. Once again, this practice is commonly found in many expressions (but not all) of Christian fundamentalism, Reformed theology and Calvinism.
JESUS SAID THAT KEEPING THE COMMANDMENTS
OF THE LAW IS THE WAY TO RECEIVE ETERNAL
LIFE BEFORE THE CROSS.
HOWEVER, IT DIDN'T STAY THAT WAY.
The Sacrifice of Christ
Changed Everything
The New Covenant program of Grace, which became God's "New and living way" for the believer – after the cross - has an entirely different goal and purpose. Instead of always “pointing a condemning finger” at the sin in the lives of others (as the Law did), Christ’s “new and living way” announces THE GLAD TIDINGS OF CHRIST’S REDEMPTION THAT PERMANENTLY ENDS SIN’S DOMINION OVER THE HUMAN RACE. Saint Paul draws attention to this important change by saying:
"THERE IS THEREFORE NOW NO CONDEMNATION TO THOSE IN CHRIST JESUS, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. FOR THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS (THE NEW COVENANT) HAS MADE ME FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH (THE OLD COVENANT)." (Romans 8:1-2 – Emphasis Added)
The Apostle John said that this permanent and eternal solution that ends the dominion and condemnation of sin is only found in one person: “The Lamb of God (Jesus Christ) that takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
More insight comes from the book of Hebrews....
"Not with the blood of goats and calves, BUT WITH HIS OWN BLOOD HE (SPEAKING OF CHRIST) ENTERED THE MOST HOLY PLACE ONCE FOR ALL, HAVING OBTAINED ETERNAL REDEMPTION. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, HOW MUCH MORE SHALL THE BLOOD OF CHRIST, WHO THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT OFFERED HIMSELF WITHOUT SPOT TO GOD, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And FOR THIS REASON HE IS THE MEDIATOR OF THE NEW COVENANT, BY MEANS OF DEATH, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, THAT THOSE WHO ARE CALLED MAY RECEIVE THE PROMISE OF ETERNAL INHERITANCE. For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. FOR A TESTAMENT IS IN FORCE AFTER MEN ARE DEAD, SINCE IT HAS NO POWER AT ALL WHILE THE TESTATOR LIVES." (Hebrews 9:12-17 -- Emphasis Added)
Religious Deception Continues
Through The Preaching Of A Wrong
Type Of Righteousness
In his epistle to the Corinthian church, Saint Paul provides several ways to more accurately identify this deceptive theology.
“But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, TRANSFORMING THEMSELVES INTO APOSTLES OF CHRIST. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. THEREFORE IT IS NO GREAT THING IF HIS MINISTERS ALSO TRANSFORM THEMSELVES INTO MINISTERS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, whose end will be according to their works.” (2 Corinthians 11:12-15 - Emphasis Added)
FIRST:
The ministers Paul warns about are essentially church leaders, who falsely identify themselves as apostles of Christ. similar to our example entitled “the deception of the twins”, they claim to be someone that they’re not.
SECOND:
Regardless of their disguise, Paul calls them "ministers of Satan", meaning that their out-of-context Bible teaching does not come from God.
THIRD:
In order to give the illusion of being “apostles of Christ”, they preach a message of righteousness.
We will focus our attention on the last
characteristic:
THEY PREACH A MESSAGE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Preaching Biblical righteousness can be misleading because both the Old and New testaments each have their own kind. We must remember that Christ’s sacrifice radically changed the previous Old Testament rules. This includes the way a believer is made righteous. The false ministers preach a convincing message of Biblical righteousness. But, it's obtained the old way through a person’s obedience to Old Testament Law - and it's “conditional” upon this obedience. It is often called self-righteousness because it depends on the obedience of "self" - and sounds like rock-solid fundamental Bible teaching. Yet, this kind of righteousness does not come from the New Covenant that began after the cross. The message of righteousness, acquired through good works and behavior comes from the rejected theology of the believing Pharisees from Acts chapter 15. Paul exposes the message of these “false ministers” by saying...
"...AND BE FOUND IN HIM, NOT HAVING MINE OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS, WHICH IS OF THE LAW, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith..."(Philippians 3:9 KJV -- Emphasis Mine)
"For He made Him (Jesus Christ) who knew no sin TO BE SIN FOR US, THAT WE MIGHT BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM." (2 Corinthians 5:21 -- Emphasis Added)
"Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, AND SEEKING TO ESTABLISH THEIR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS (THE KIND THAT COMES FROM OLD TESTAMENT LAW), have not submitted to the righteousness of God (The kind that comes from the New Covenant). FOR CHRIST IS THE END OF THE LAW FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS TO EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES." (Romans 10:1-4 NKJV -- Emphasis Added)
After the cross, God’s very own righteousness is “imputed” to the believer APART FROM THEIR WORKS AND BEHAVIOR (Romans 4:4-8). This “imputed righteousness” is totally undeserved and is a characteristic of the believer's New Covenant position “in Christ”. It’s one of the benefits purchased for us at the cross and was not available under the previous Old Testament administration. For more information click HERE and HERE
The Internal War in the Church Continues
Unfortunately, when the Jerusalem apostolic council condemned the doctrine of the believing Pharisees in Acts chapter 15, it ignited an internal church war that continues today. These false Bible teachers (the “believing Pharisees”) continued to spread their doctrine everywhere Paul planted a church. On the surface, they appear to be our true brethren (or brothers and sisters in Christ) – and claim to be committed “Bible believers and teachers”. However, a person can believe and interpret the Bible in both a right and a wrong way. We can believe and interpret the Bible wrong by ignoring its context - and still call ourself “a Bible believer”. Paul warned the Galatian congregation that these teachers and their followers are actually “false brethren” (Galatians 2:4-5). Today, these “believing Pharisees” (who taught a faith in Christ plus obedience to the Law - or what we choose to call "pharisaical theology") continues their agenda of attacking the Grace-based “faith in Christ” taught by Saint Paul in the New Testament canon.
In a misguided effort to preserve Christian unity, it is often suggested that God honors both the doctrine of the believing Pharisees (usually taught under a different name) and the New Covenant taught by Saint Paul - because both are in the Bible. For this reason, we are sometimes told to just choose the one we're most comfortable with. This is dangerous nonsense because one of these doctrines produces a "counterfeit faith in Christ" that God refuses to honor.
We must always carefully examine the evangelistic message of those who claim to preach “the whole Word of God”. Why? It is likely they are preaching “the whole Word of God” according to the believing Pharisees. It’s unfortunate that Bible teachers and evangelists make these types of emotional statements. You can call yourself a Bible teacher, yet fail to respect its context, which was the error of the Pharisees in Acts chapter 15. You can call yourself “a Bible believer”, but interpret and believe the Bible incorrectly. In these unfortunate situations, it’s not really the Bible you believe and teach. It's a theology that uses and misapplies Scripture - and doesn't come from God.
The real question is this:
Are you preaching "the rightly
divided Word of God" as Paul
commanded in 2 Timothy 2:15?
In this study (and other commentaries on our website), we attempt to expose "the doctrine of the believing Pharisees" from Acts Chapter 15, which we often call “pharisaical theology”. The word "pharisaical" is used because it describes the illegal mixing together of Law and Grace into one Biblical program, which is nearly identical to the way the Pharisees in Acts chapter 15 taught the Scriptures. The reader should not be intimidated by these terms. The word “theology” is just a teaching, doctrine, or a method of interpreting the Bible. It literally means “the study of God”. BUT, MANY FORMS OF THEOLOGY ARE MAN-MADE AND DO NOT HAVE A DIVINE ORIGIN. In his New Testament letter to the Galatian church (and later to the church at Corinth), Saint Paul refers to this aberrant pharisaical theology as “another Jesus and a different gospel”. The Galatian congregation (a local church previously established by Paul) had abandoned Paul's teachings on salvation through the Grace of Christ and embraced the false “Jesus plus the Law” doctrine of the believing Pharisees, who entered the congregation secretly after he left. For this reason, some Bible teachers choose to call this type of theology “The Galatian Error”. To emphasize the seriousness of the problem, it is also called “The Galatian Heresy”, which tends to be more accurate. Saint Paul gives us a clearer picture of the problem when he rebukes the Galatian congregation by saying...
"I MARVEL THAT YOU ARE TURNING AWAY SO SOON FROM HIM WHO CALLED YOU IN THE GRACE OF CHRIST, TO A DIFFERENT GOSPEL, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. BUT EVEN IF WE, OR AN ANGEL FROM HEAVEN, PREACH ANY OTHER GOSPEL TO YOU THAN WHAT WE HAVE PREACHED TO YOU, LET HIM BE ACCURSED." (Galatians 1:6-8 NKJV -- Emphasis Added. Also Read 2 Corinthians 11:3-4)
(Special Note: The word “accursed” used by Paul in this verse warns that God rejects those who preach this counterfeit message.)
Various terms and phrases are used throughout the New Testament (and to some extent, the institutional church) to describe the same error condemned by the Jerusalem Apostolic Council in Acts chapter 15. On our website, we tend to use all these terms, which may cause some confusion. We prefer the term “Galatian error” and “a different gospel” because they’re more descriptive. Sometimes we call it by its more popular historic name; “Legalism”. We also refer to it as “Christian religion” because the authentic Gospel of Grace is not a religion - yet false Bible teachers have turned it into one. If readers want to dig a little deeper, they will find that this "pharisaical theology" continues to be taught today under countless different names and labels on both the Catholic and Protestant sides of the isle. We see this practice as one of the most serious problems confronting the church today. Why? In most, but not all cases, it’s presented as “Christian fundamentalism” (or fundamental Bible truth) - and the uncompromised gospel of Christ. Yet, it’s actually a corrupted gospel (Saint Paul calls it a “perverted gospel” in Galatians 1:6-8) THAT GOD DOES NOT HONOR. In other words, there are unintended and unexpected spiritual consequences that will affect millions of professing Christians that embrace this popular theology. Paul continues to warn the Galatian congregation (and all Christians today) by saying...
"FOR AS MANY AS ARE OF THE WORKS OF THE LAW ARE UNDER THE CURSE; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” BUT THAT NO ONE IS JUSTIFIED BY THE LAW IN THE SIGHT OF GOD IS EVIDENT, for “the just shall live by faith.” YET THE LAW IS NOT OF FAITH..." (Galatians 3:10-12 -- Emphasis Mine)
"You have become estranged (separated/cutoff) from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; YOU HAVE FALLEN FROM GRACE." (Galatians 5:4 -- Emphasis Added)
Additional Off-Page Information
The additional commentaries listed below should
be considered as helpful supplemental material.
Exposing Misconceptions About
"Saving Faith"
Read It Here
Exposing the Error of Redefining
God’s Grace
Read It Here
The Battle for God's Grace
Read It Here
What Does It Mean When God Says
'He Doesn't Change'
Read It Here
Why The Term "Christian Fundamentalism"
Causes So Much Confusion
Read It Here
Avoiding the “Look-Ahead Error”
Of Reformed Theology
Read It Here
The Role of the Holy Spirit in Salvation
After the Cross
Read It Here
The Prime Directive of Christ’s
Authentic Gospel
Read It Here
We hope the information provided by this
this Bible study will be of help in your
relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
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This is Part 2 of a two-part Bible study.
Click on the link below to access
the next section.
Part 1
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