What Really Matters? — The Church Decides on Grace (Acts 15:1–21)
As the early church grew, people from all kinds of backgrounds began to follow Jesus. Many of them were not Jewish, and this raised a big question:
Do non-Jewish believers have to follow all the Jewish laws to be saved?
This question led to one of the most important meetings in early church history—and it taught a powerful lesson about God’s grace and what really matters in following Jesus.
A Big Debate Begins
Some Jewish believers came to Antioch, where Paul and Barnabas were teaching. These men started telling the new Gentile (non-Jewish) believers:
“You must be circumcised to be saved.”
In other words, they were saying, “You have to become Jewish first if you want to follow Jesus.”
Paul and Barnabas strongly disagreed with this. So the church decided to send them to Jerusalem to meet with the apostles and elders and settle the matter once and for all.
A Meeting with Church Leaders
When they arrived in Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabas shared how God was working among the Gentiles—how many people were believing in Jesus without following Jewish laws.
Still, some believers from a group called the Pharisees stood up and said:
“Gentile believers must be circumcised and follow the law of Moses.”
This led to a serious discussion. The leaders had to decide: Is salvation based on following rules—or on faith in Jesus?
Peter Speaks the Truth
Peter, one of Jesus’ closest followers, stood up and reminded everyone what God had already shown them:
“God chose me to share the good news with the Gentiles, and they believed.
God gave them the Holy Spirit, just like He gave to us.
He made no difference between us and them, because He purified their hearts through faith.
Why put a heavy burden on them that even we Jews haven’t been able to carry?
We are saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus—just like they are!” (Acts 15:7–11, paraphrased)
Peter made it clear: salvation is a gift from God, not something we earn by keeping all the rules.
Paul and Barnabas Share More
Next, Paul and Barnabas told everyone how God had done miracles and wonders among the Gentiles. It was clear that God was at work, even though the Gentiles weren’t following all the old laws.
James Offers a Solution
Finally, James (the brother of Jesus and a leader in the Jerusalem church) spoke up. He agreed with Peter, Paul, and Barnabas. Then he suggested a wise and peaceful solution:
“Let’s not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.”
Instead of requiring them to follow all Jewish laws, James suggested they follow a few basic guidelines to promote peace and unity, especially when living among Jewish believers. These included:
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Avoiding food offered to idols
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Avoiding sexual immorality
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Not eating meat with blood or from animals that were strangled
This wasn’t about earning salvation—it was about helping believers live together in love and respect.
What We Can Learn from Acts 15:1–21
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Salvation is by grace, not by rules
We don’t have to earn God’s love—we simply trust in what Jesus has done for us. -
God welcomes everyone
The early church realized that God was saving people from every nation, not just one group. -
The church should not put up unnecessary barriers
We must be careful not to add extra rules that make it harder for people to come to Jesus. -
Wisdom and unity matter
The leaders didn’t fight or split—they listened, prayed, and made a decision that honored both truth and love.
Final Thought:
The early church faced a big question—and they answered it by looking at what God was already doing, listening to each other, and focusing on what really matters: grace through Jesus Christ. It’s a powerful reminder that today, too, we are saved not by what we do, but by what Jesus has done.
Acts 15:1-21 (WEB)
15:1 Some men came down from Judea and taught the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised after the custom of Moses, you can’t be saved.” 2 Therefore when Paul and Barnabas had no small discord and discussion with them, they appointed Paul, Barnabas, and some others of them to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question. 3 They, being sent on their way by the assembly, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles. They caused great joy to all the brothers. 4 When they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the assembly and the apostles and the elders, and they reported everything that God had done with them.5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”6 The apostles and the elders were gathered together to see about this matter. 7 When there had been much discussion, Peter rose up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that a good while ago God made a choice among you that by my mouth the nations should hear the word of the Good News and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, testified about them, giving them the Holy Spirit, just like he did to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore why do you tempt God, that you should put a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11 But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they are.”12 All the multitude kept silence, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul reporting what signs and wonders God had done among the nations through them. 13 After they were silent, James answered, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simeon has reported how God first visited the nations to take out of them a people for his name. 15 This agrees with the words of the prophets. As it is written,16 ‘After these things I will return.I will again build the tabernacle of David, which has fallen.I will again build its ruins.I will set it up 17 that the rest of men may seek after the Lord:all the Gentiles who are called by my name,says the Lord, who does all these things.’18 “All of God’s works are known to him from eternity. 19 Therefore my judgment is that we don’t trouble those from among the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 but that we write to them that they abstain from the pollution of idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood. 21 For Moses from generations of old has in every city those who preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”