Can We Work Our Way to Heaven

 Isaac or Ishmael

Book of Galatians 4 verses 21 through 31

The way to Heaven is not by any work from us nor by any law; this must be clear to us.

 We are also very wrong if we think God needs our help to further the Gospel.

 God does not need us at all!

 In Luke 19 the Lord Jesus had these words: Luk_19:40  And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

 It is we who need our Heavenly Father and He offers us opportunities after He saves us.

 Our life becomes our testimony as we live to be more like our Savior.

 Jhn_12:26  If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

 There are two words that we see in our lesson today that we need to understand.

 1) Promise.

2) Patience.

 First promise: It takes God's wisdom to understand His promise.

 1Co 1:20  Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 

1Co 1:21  For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 

1Co 1:22  For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 

1Co 1:23  But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 

1Co 1:24  But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, "and the wisdom of God".

 We can have no wisdom without the Spirit of Wisdom which comes by the Holy Spirit and a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and in this we will have the power to work on patience and other important things.

 Eph 1:17  That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 

Eph 1:18  The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 

Eph 1:19  "And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power", 

Eph 1:20  Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 

 There is no wisdom of God without a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ which gives us the Spirit of Wisdom which is the Holy Spirit!

 Now let's look at the word patience as it pertains to God.

 We already know that God is never late, but He is always on time.

 Patience:

 Listen to these words from the Apostle Peter:

 2Pe 1:4  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 

2Pe 1:5  And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 

2Pe 1:6  And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 

2Pe 1:7  And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 

2Pe 1:8  For if these things be in you, and abound, "they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ". 

 Patience is something we will work on most of our lives because we live in this sinful and wicked world!

 God has promised Heaven only to those who believe in His Son and have patience till He returns!

 Now let’s look at our lesson today:

 *****Gal 4:21  Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? 

 All those who approach God by the Law or by works of goodness or religion are legalists or religionists.

 Every one of them needs to understand what they are doing because they will never reach Heaven this way!

 They need to understand the implications of what they are doing!

 This is why the Apostle Paul was pouring his heart out to these churches in Galatia.

 This is also an example for us to not just push away those of legalism, nor those who are religious, maybe we need to show them the "love of Christ" that is within us.

 This will not be easy!

 We are never better than any of them, we are just better off, and they need to understand why.

 Paul's final attempt to win these souls he went back to the Scriptures.

 The first five books of the Old Testament were considered the sacred law to all Jews and Paul used these same passages to show these churches the error in their way of thinking.

 This is also a great example for us as we tell the lost about the truth of Jesus Christ.

 We must try to tell those who are lost how to escape the bondage they do not realize they are under.

 *****Gal 4:22  For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. 

Gal 4:23  But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.

 If we have read the Bible, we all know this passage of the Old Testament.

 Abraham, who is the father of all those who believe in the promises of God!

 It is by the same faith that Abraham had that we can be saved!

 We must just believe what God says and understand that God keeps His promises.

 Abraham had two sons at this time though he later had others after the death of his wife Sarah.

 The Jews understand that they are descendants of Sarah. This is still in effect today.

 Abraham had two sons before Sarah died.

 One was born of Sarah who was Issac.

 This was a great miracle of God because Sarah had been barren all of her years and far past the time when she could conceive, until the birth of Isaac.

 God had promised Abraham a son by his wife Sarah and Sarah just could not believe what God said, or she wanted to be sure that God's promise to Abraham was true.

 The greatest lesson we can learn here is that God does not need our help to keep His promises!

 It is still a sin to go against the Word of God and trying to help God is a sin!

 God does not need our help; God simply wants us to believe in Him as did Abraham.

 Isaac was the Son of Promise, but there was another son who came before Isaac and his name was Ishmael.

 Sarah had become discouraged from being barren and she had a slave girl who was bought or given to them by a Pharaoh of Egypt.

 Sarah had no patience and thought God needed her help and sent Hagar this young slave into her husband Abraham, and she conceived, and Ishmael was born to this bondwoman.

 This is the basis of Paul's message to these Galatians.

 Paul reminded us of all of this:

 Rom 4:17  (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. 

Rom 4:18  Who against hope "believed in hope", that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 

Rom 4:19  And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: 

Rom 4:20  He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 

Rom 4:21  "And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform". 

Rom 4:22  And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 

Rom 4:23  Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 

Rom 4:24  But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 

Rom 4:25  Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. 

 Isaac was born after the order and the process of nature to fulfill the promise of God, just as our Lord Jesus Christ after the promised seed was planted.

 Sarah had a miracle birth, and our Lord Jesus had a miracle birth both of by the "Promise of God".

 Ishmael was still a precious child as much as any child until influenced by his mother and rejected by Sarah.

 None of these things were the fault of Ishmael, and we know God made a promise to Hagar concerning Ishmael.

 Ishmael was conceived in sin when Abraham listened to his wife and went against God's Law.

 Exo_20:14  Thou shalt not commit adultery.

 This thing has broken up more marriages than anything else in this world.

 Again, we cannot help God keep His promises, and this is the basis of a works doctrine.

 *****Gal 4:24  Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 

Gal 4:25  For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 

Gal 4:26  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

Gal 4:27  For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: "for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband".Gal 4:26  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 

Gal 4:28  Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 

 We should understand that these things the Apostle Paul is teaching are teaching in allegory and there are not many such places in the Bible where this happens. 

The Lord Jesus used typology in some of His teachings but not allegory.

 To allegorize is to say what is either designed or fitted to convey a meaning other than the literal one, or words adapted to another meaning.

 As believers, we accept the Word of God as the literal truth so we must be very careful if we try to do an allegory with the Scriptures

 It is best to leave these things to true Bible Scholars who know when to use them.

 We cannot ever change the truth of God to mean something else!

 The Apostle Paul was a Bible Scholar and He was speaking to mostly Jews who were once confirmed in Judaism and were trying to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and had received some false teaching from Judaizers who were trying to derail the Church.

 It is far better if we use typology rather than allegories!

 Paul was saying that in these two women Hagar and Sarah we can see the Two Covenants.

 The Covenant of Law and the Covenant of Grace.

 Some preachers might use the word dispensations.

 The one from Mount Sinai, which is the Law and applies to Hagar, and the other from Mount Sion which is the Covenant from Heavenly Jerusalem, bearing the children of liberty and this is Sarah.

 Mount Sinai is where Moses saw the burning bush and received his call to lead the Israelites out from the bondage of Egypt and represents the covenant of the Laws of Moses that were intended to lead all of Israel to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, but the Jews refused to take that step.

 Mat 23:37  O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! 

 Mount Sion is a reference to Heavenly Jerusalem. 

 Heb 12:22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 

Heb 12:23  To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 

Heb 12:24  And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

 It is the New Jerusalem that is our home, the home of those whose chains of bondage are broken by Jesus Christ and are now the children of God!

 It is the New Jerusalem which is that Eternal Spiritual City that God promised to all who approach Him by "faith".

 God's "Grace" and the promise of our Heavenly Home are both free to those who have faith in the work of Jesus Christ for our salvation.

 Jerusalem on earth is a place of turmoil and laws and has never been at peace and will only see peace for a while when the Lord Jesus returns

 We have no work to do to get into our Heavenly Home but only believe in the Word of God!

 This is why the Covenant of Grace is such a wonderful thing that comes from our Heavenly Father through the Lord Jesus Christ!

 Isaac was a child of promise and every believer in the Lord Jesus is also a child of promise!

 God made a way for mankind to inherit the Promised Land, and this true Promised Land is not upon this earth.

 Rom 4:13  For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 

Rom 4:14  For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: 

 Heb 11:13  These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 

Heb 11:14  For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. 

Heb 11:15  And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 

Heb 11:16  But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. 

 *****Gal 4:29  But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. 

 In the Book of Genesis chapter 21, we can read the story of how Ishmael had been mocking Isaac for some reason, and Sarah the mother of Isaac saw him.

 Sarah told Abraham it was time to send that bondwoman away with her son.

 Persecution is not specifically mentioned but any insult is considered to be persecution.

 Legalism persecutes and enslaves believers.

 We are mocked throughout this world because we accept the Word of God as the truth and believe God's promises.

 Ishmael ridiculed, mocked, and persecuted Isaac.

 When we try to approach God in the flesh, with our own energy and our own effort, we are rejecting the Grace of God as the means of righteousness.

 We cannot build credit with God!

We cannot try to get recognition from God!

We cannot work to get God's approval!

We do not have it in our power to gain acceptance and praise of God beyond "faith"!

 All persons in the flesh refuse to accept this fact and they will never make it to New Jerusalem.

 We are in that Age of Persecution today!

 2Ti 3:12  Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 

2Ti 3:13  But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 

2Ti 3:14  But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 

 What did God tell Abraham?

 Gen 21:12  And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. 

 *****Gal 4:30  Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. 

 We can see that legalism was cast out and can have no inheritance with God!

 I believe that most of us in the Church know but not many Jews, that Judaism and Christianity are utterly and forever irreconcilable.

 The Jews must accept Jesus Christ in faith just as any other non-believer!

 The Law and the Gospel are two entirely different concepts!

 God will never accept anyone who approaches Him by law or by works!

 No matter how much good and how many good works we present to God on the Day of Judgment God will ask, "What about my Son Jesus" and they will be cast from God's presence.

 What has God done for our salvation?

 God loved us enough to send His own Son to die for us, in our place.

 A simple prayer would be: Father you are my Savior and Lord. I believe with all my heart that your Christ did die for me and I surrender all I am into His keeping. I know that it is your Righteousness and your death that paid for my sins. In Jesus’ name Amen.

 God's promise: Tit 3:4  But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 

Tit 3:5  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 

Tit 3:6  Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 

Tit 3:7  That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

 And the results:

 *****Gal 4:31  So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free. 

The Lord Jesus Christ has freed every believer from the curse of the Law, which ends in death, and eternal separation from the God who made us all.

Amen

The Gospel is Plain and Simple

 The Gospel Plain and Simple

Book of Acts Chapter 15

What does God say about the "Gospel of Jesus Christ"? God says to keep it simple.

What upsets God the most? Changing the meaning of His words!

Rev 22:18  For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 

Rev 22:19  And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. 

This passage is ignored more than any other passage in all the Bible by those who want to argue over the Word of God.

People are always saying; God did not mean what He said, but God always means what He says, and God also says what He means!

While most of the Apostles were still living and even some of the family of Jesus were still living, there was a council called in Jerusalem by the first church that was established in Jerusalem.

What was the end result of this great council?

That mankind is saved by the "Grace" of God through "Faith" alone, period!

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 

Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast. 

There is to be nothing added to the Grace of God or it would not be "Grace"!

These certain men, Pharisees, were not opposing the Apostle Paul, though it was Paul they pointed their fingers, they were opposed to the Lord Jesus Christ.

They were opposed to Christianity!

If you are opposed to the Lord Jesus Christ, then you cannot be saved!

Is a ritual or ceremony necessary to be saved? No! Salvation is by "Grace".

Does each individual have to accept the whole Law of Moses before they can be saved? No! Salvation is by "Grace".

No matter how solid the Church congregation is, Satan will do his best to cause confusion in the Church.

If even one false preacher is allowed to preach in a Christian Church and he preaches a false doctrine, there will be someone in that group of Christians who then have doubt in some doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ and they will cause confusion in the Church.

1) All preachers must be screened before they are allowed to preach because some are false prophets.

2) All God's people must be settled on the Word of God and the Doctrine of Grace!

What is the "Doctrine of Grace"?

Grace is the unmerited, undeserved favor of God toward all mankind and is displayed in His care for us.

In reality by the operations of the Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit) exercises moral influence on man through His special revelation, that sin is restrained, order is maintained in life, and righteousness is of God.

It is by God's "Grace" those general blessings, such as rain and sunshine, food and drink, clothing, and shelter, which God imparts "indiscriminately" in what manner seems good to Him.

Mat 5:45  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 

Psa 145:8  The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. 

Psa 145:9  "The LORD is good to all": and his tender mercies are over all his works. 

This same Grace and goodness of God extends to all mankind.

God does not play the "bias" or the "race" game!

Those that believe that God has a part in all the bad things that go on in this world should know that God is good to all people!

Rom 2:4  Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

 It is the "Goodness" of God that allows the "Grace" of God, so there can be only one Savior.

1Ti 4:10  For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

It is the same Holy Spirit who holds back the unrelenting sin in the world until all mankind gets an opportunity to be saved!

2Th 2:6  And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 

2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 

When the Holy Spirit is removed at the Rapture of the Church, then the "Grace of God" will cease for seven years and those who rejected the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ will begin to understand just what "Grace" meant.

The "Grace of God" is an opportunity for us to claim God's "Goodness"! We may not have this opportunity for very much longer!

"Grace" involves the truth of the Word of God!

Rom 10:17  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

In our Chapter today we get to see the first battle of Satan trying to make a mockery of God's Grace.

We get to see how "legalism" first stuck its ugly head up trying to enter the Church and it did.

*****Act 15:1  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. 

If legalism had infiltrated the early Church the whole character of Christianity would have been changed and the Church would certainly have failed!

Legalism destroys the love of God!

Gal 5:2  Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. 

Gal 5:3  For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 

Gal 5:4  Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. 

Gal 5:5  For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 

Gal 5:6  For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

1) There had already been problems with the unbelieving Jews and we will see this continue.

2) There had already been problems with unbelieving Gentiles and this will continue and we see that it has.

3) Now we get to see problems within the Church by members who get confused by false preachers.

Confusion destroys churches!

The Church began to have problems between the Jews and the Gentiles.

These Jews, these Pharisees, had accepted the true Messiah, the Savior of the world but under the one condition that the Gentile nations would become Jews.

Judaism is full of "ritual" and "ceremony". In Christianity, salvation is by "the "Grace" of God with no ritual and no ceremony.

Even today this false doctrine still creates havoc in many churches!

These men from Judea came to the Church in Antioch Syria and mixed with true believers and taught their own ideas because these ideas are not in the Word of God.

There are far too many false preachers today who preach their own ideas of salvation and who reject salvation is an act of God's Grace.

We are wrong to teach any doctrine not in the Word of God! 

We are wrong to listen to the doctrines of some man!

God has made sure that a Bible is available to every Christian so we can know the Word of God ourselves!

These false preachers and false teachers were Pharisees so, they were well versed in the Scriptures of the Old Testament, but the New Testament was just being written as the Church grew.

The Apostle Paul wrote about half of the New Testament, with the Apostle John and Luke both writing a good bit of the New Testament and a few other writers including Peter, Jude, and James both the stepbrothers of the Lord Jesus Christ.

If what these men said was considered to be important, it would certainly cause confusion in this young Church and they would certainly be upset.

It is these things that cause churches to split and many have over these very things.

Legalism can destroy the Church!

When we feel like our eternal fate is at stake, we can get confused if we ignore "salvation by Grace".

Notice, these men did not say the all Christians should undergo these rituals to be obedient to Scripture, or to please God, or to the please the Church, or to show your love for God, or some other things.

These men said we must all go through these rituals and be circumcised "to be saved"!

They said it was these rituals that brought salvation and not the "Blood of Jesus Christ".

God's "Grace" plus any ritual is false teaching.

God's "Grace" plus man's own hand is false teaching.

God's "Grace" plus man's own work is false teaching.

God's "Grace" plus anything is false teaching!

Grace saves us, because of God's love!

God's love brings God's "Grace".

Circumcision was only a "physical sign" that a Jewish man was a follower of the One True God.

It was a "sign" that Jewish man believed the promises God made to Abraham and to Israel.

Circumcision is just "a sign" and has no salvation value!

Faith had to come before circumcision!

Rom 4:11  And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: 

Rom 4:12  And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. 

Even Abraham had faith before he was circumcised!

The Jews made much more out of circumcision than God intended, and this is what ritual and ceremony can cause.

Circumcision was never a sign of righteousness!

Gal 6:15  For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

Col 2:11  In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 

Col 2:12  Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 

Any man, woman, or child, who is "Born Again" by the Spirit of God, then become God's New Creatures!

Joh 3:3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 

2Co 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 

2Pe 1:4  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 

God saves only those whose, body, mind, and soul, are focused upon His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ!

Baptism is just being obedient to the Lord Jesus Christ and has nothing to do with salvation!

We are all baptized by the Holy Spirit to be "Born Again"!

Every Christian must stand up against any teaching that goes against salvation by the "Grace" of God through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ!

*****Act 15:2  When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.

Many of the Jewish converts were still zealous for the Law.

In reality, the Laws given to the Jews are good to live by.

The Ten Commandments are still considered the moral law and we should observe them.

The Jews were given 613 laws that pertained to every facet of their lives and those laws have not been rescinded.

These laws were given to the Jews and God has never said they would lead to salvation!

It is true that if someone could keep all 613 of these laws, they would be considered righteous, and righteousness is part of salvation.

The fact is, that there has never been a single human being that has kept all 613 of those laws and to break even one brings the sentence of death.

Rom 3:10  As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 

Rom 3:11  There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 

Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 

The Lord Jesus Christ is the only person who kept all 613 of those laws, proving His own righteousness.

Because most of the Apostles were still alive at this time and still in Jerusalem, then Jerusalem was the place where these things would be settled.

We should understand that this issue was critical to Paul because he was the Apostle to the Gentiles.

Paul's commitment to the Lord would not allow him to waste time in useless argument and neither are Christians to argue the Word of God with non-believers!

2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 

2Ti 2:16  But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. 

There must never be useless arguments over what God has said!

2Pe_1:20  Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

All arguments over what God has given to us in His Word are useless!

The Church at Antioch was not seeking for the Church at Jerusalem to enlighten them on the Doctrine of Salvation, they already knew where they stood and this church would have separated itself from the church at Jerusalem rather than give in to false doctrine!

The Church at Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas:

1) Because all the Apostles needed to be on the same page.

2) If the Apostles agreed it would carry a great weight in spreading the Gospel.

3) A declaration by the Church at Jerusalem would provide a great weapon in evangelism.

Many rituals were observed at the Church at Jerusalem because it was a church full of converted Jews, but if the Church would reject ritual salvation with a strong verdict, then salvation by "Grace" alone would be greatly strengthened.

Tit 3:4  But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 

Tit 3:5  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 

Tit 3:6  Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 

Tit 3:7  That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 

Tit 3:8  This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men. 

Titus, a Gentile did travel with Paul and Barnabas and Titus completely understood the outcome of this council was particularly important.

The Church won this first battle because the Church adhered to the truth of God!

The Church can win every battle if we all just cling to the truth of the Word of God!

As Paul traveled to Jerusalem he preached in as many churches as he could.

*****Act 15:3  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. 

It is important for us to consider that when the new Churches had witnessed the preaching of the Apostle Paul they knew they needed to use great effort to keep him preaching in as many places as possible.

It is the same for any church that has a great preacher, that church needs to help in getting his sermons to as many other places as possible.

We do this well here at Gethsemane but we can still do better.

Obviously we need to help all our missionaries as best we can!

Persecution had driven many believers to Phenicia.

Act 11:19  Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only. 

There may have been a church there, but they were not involved in missions.

The Church at Samaria had been established by Philip and Peter, and John.

Act 8:5  Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. 

Act 8:24  Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me. 

Act 8:25  And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans. 

Still these churches were not involved with missions and were excited to hear what the Lord had done on Paul's first journey.

There was excitement even in Jerusalem.

*****Act 15:4  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. 

Act 15:5  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. 

Salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ is certainly enough to cause excitement in any church, it is certainly "Good News".

This excitement is what the "Good News" of the Gospel can cause.

There are always questions about the simplicity of salvation and there will always be those who reject this simplicity.

Rom_12:8  Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

2Co_1:12  For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.

2Co_11:3  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

It is by a lack of "faith" in the truth of God that people want to add to the Word of God!

These Pharisees who had accepted the Lord Jesus as the true Messiah was a natural result after the Scriptures were explained to them!

Once their eyes were opened to the truth of Christ they were bound to see the evidence in the Old Testament Scriptures.

If they were honest and open in their hearts, then the Holy Spirit would certainly have convicted them, and they could have been converted from Judaism to Christianity.

Christianity is not a growth from Judaism! Christianity stands alone as the only means of salvation!

Most of these Pharisees saw Jesus as a fulfillment of Judaism and not a replacement.

Most of these Pharisees saw Jesus as an addition to the Law and not replacing the Law.

Most of these Pharisees saw Jesus as an addition to their rituals not replacing them.

Most of these Pharisees saw Jesus adding baptism to the ordinances and not replacing those ordinances.

The Pharisees who had a lifetime commitment to the Law would be very slow to give up the Law!

They would be slow to accept the "righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ"!

In Antioch, the question had been "does a man have to be circumcised to be saved"?

All of a sudden in Jerusalem, the question became "does a man have to keep the whole Law to be saved"?

This is the story of legalism! 

These people are never content until they keep adding to the Word of God and the simplicity of God's Grace making a mockery of the truth of God and His Son and even the Holy Spirit who declared the Word of God to be only from God and not from man.

2Ti_3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

**We should ask ourselves, what can we do to gain favor with God, when we know that God is no respecter of persons. We must accept His Son.

Act_10:34  Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

When we insist in a works doctrine, we call God a liar!

**We could ask ourselves what kind of work will make us righteous when God says that none of us are righteous nor can we be, again making God a liar.

Rom 3:10  As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 

Do we come to the Lord with or own package of works, or do we come seeking the "mercy" of God?

Do we come to the Lord to be praised for our works, or do we come to praise the Lord for what He has done for us?

Do we receive the glory of God because of our own goodness, or is God's glory given to us because of the glory He has given to His Son?

When the Apostle Paul stood before these elders and the church, he declared what the Lord had done and not what he (Paul) had done.

God will only save mankind by "Grace through Faith" because God is the only One who can accept us into His family!

What were these Pharisees doing? They were tempting God! 

"They had the gaul to ask God to declare Himself” when God has already given us His Word!

It was now time for the Church to act on these things.

The answer to these things would either stop the Church or the Church would grow in Spiritual Knowledge.

We already know that it is impossible for this world to stop the Lord's Church!

*****Act 15:6  And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. 

Act 15:7  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 word of the gospel, and believe. 

Act 15:8  And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; 

Act 15:9  And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 

Act 15:10  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? 

The Church at Jerusalem met together. The Apostles, the Elders, and the congregation, because the importance of this decision is far too important to ignore.

Notice the Apostles were not being Lords over the Church.

The Elders were not being Lords over the Church.

We see there was much disputing, so all sides were represented. No one was ignored or silenced!

The biggest problem with the Pharisees is that they had for many years been legalistic in their approach to God and they had caused much harm to Judaism.

The Apostle Peter hit the nail on the head when he said, "Why Tempt Ye God".

It is God the Holy Spirit who moves into each child of God and brings salvation to each individual.

These Jews nor these Pharisees had ever been able to keep all those 613 laws, so why would they ever demand the Gentiles to be obedient to those same laws to gain salvation.

Those old laws were never about "Righteousness".

Those laws were just a measuring stick to teach us all the path to righteousness.

Gal_3:24  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Gal_3:25  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

Then the Apostle Peter speaks, and all the religious world need to listen to what he said.

*****Act 15:11  But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

It was not the Law that saved all those in the church at Jerusalem, it was God's "GRACE" and it is God's "GRACE" that opens the door to salvation.

Peter said in so many words: "If our beliefs and hopes are the same as theirs, why should the Gentiles be urged to adopt observances which form to us no ground for our own hope of salvation".

You see it was God alone who saved the Gentiles!

It was God alone who saved the Jews!

It is God alone who can forgive sin!

Salvation can come from no other source and this "Grace" comes only by the Lord Jesus Christ!

Cornelius and his house had believed the Word of God while Peter was still preaching and by "Faith" the Holy Spirit had moved into each believer.

No law was involved but the Law of Grace!

Only God knows our hearts.

Only God can bear witness to our faith.

Only God can send the Holy Spirit.

Only God could send the Holy Spirit to the Jews and to the Gentiles.

His name is Jehovah.

It is by "faith" that moves the hand of God! Not any ritual and not any ceremony and not anything called religion!

Peter knew that no Jew had been able to keep all those Laws and one failure brought the Judgment of God.

These Pharisees also knew this was true!

Peter knew one more thing, "Why do we question the Word of God", it is extremely dangerous to question the actions of God!

All mankind is saved in the exact same way, and this is not ever going to change!

Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 

Rom 3:24  Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 

Rom 3:25  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 

Rom 3:26  To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 

There is only one salvation source for the world God created and it is by the Lord Jesus Christ.

*****Act 15:12  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. 

It was God alone who verified the message of salvation by "Grace" with miracles and wonders, not points and arguments!

Those miracles show clearly that God approved the message of the Apostle Paul and Barnabas.

God keeps the message of salvation simple because He does not want anyone to stand up in the Judgment saying, "God, you made salvation too difficult for me".

It is the truth that makes us free!

Paul preached to these same people on a later date.

Gal 3:1  O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 

Gal 3:2  This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 

Gal 3:3  Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? 

Legalism runs rampant in many a church today because “false prophets” push it.

It is only the Church who can put a stop to this foolishness by trusting the Word of God!

Amen