Men That Have Hazarded Their Lives for the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ. - Part 1186

The scriptures are clear on this point. Men have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 15:26) Indeed, note who was sent. Barnabas and Paul and it seemed good to the apostles and elders to do so.

And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. Obviously, when Paul and Barnabas heard this, they had no small dissension and disputation with them.

Why is this important? Because the new testament came about as a consequence of the blood our Lord God and Saviour Jesus the Christ shed on the cross. Jesus said, For this is My blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. (Matthew 26:28)

And for this cause, He is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead; otherwise, it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood. (Hebrews 9:15-18) 

So, Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation. (Hebrews 9:28)

Therefore, we are no longer under the old covenant, whereby adherence to the Law was critical. One can only imagine what Paul and Barnabas were thinking. Nevertheless, the certain men which came down from Judaea determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.

And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles, and they caused great joy unto all the brethren. And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.

But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the Law of Moses. And the apostles and elders came together for to consider this matter. And when there had been MUCH disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the gospel, and believe. And God which knows the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as He did unto us, and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

Now therefore, why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. (Acts 15:5-11)

Read that again. Now therefore why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? In other words, why are we back in the Law. The Law was given as a schoolmaster so that we would know that we had done wrong. That we as believers could not (and should not) serve two masters.

But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved. This preached message consistent with Acts 2:37-42 when the first 3,000 asked Peter (standing with the eleven other disciples) what they must do to be saved, and Peter as spokesman said, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sin and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:37-42)

Herein, then, all the multitude kept silence and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them. And after they had held their peace, James answered, and said, Men and brethren, hearken unto me. Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name. (Acts 15:12-14)

You and I -- a chosen people for His name. 

And to this agree the words of the prophets, as it is written: After this I will return and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down, and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up, that the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles upon whom My name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.

Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world. Wherefore, my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God, but that we write unto them that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas (namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas) and Silas, chief men among the brethren. And they wrote letters by them after this manner:

The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia. For as much as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised and keep the Law, to whom we gave no such commandment. 

These have troubled you with words -- subverting your souls -- to whom we gave no such commandment to be circumcised and keep the Law. 

Wow! The message does not get any clearer than that. The letter continuing: It seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. (Acts 15:15-27)

Why? For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things -- that ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood and from things strangled, and from fornication, from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch, and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle, which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation. And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with words and confirmed them, And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles. (Acts 15:28-33)

The question is this. When we read that the subject of circumcision and the Law are preached, why are we so willing to accept it as the gospel truth, when the apostles themselves cited this false doctrine as capable of subverting your soul.

Good question. 

Now more than ever, we need to study His Word, as a workman doeth. We need to understand that there are false teachers out there who are not teaching the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, just as there was in the apostles time.  The difference is that when His Word is hidden in our heart, we cannot be persuaded to accept another gospel.

Yes, One Lord, One Faith, One baptism. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all and in you all. (Ephesians 4:5-6)

Trust Jesus today. Stand in the offering plate.