SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 3/30/2018
7:58 AM
My Worship Time Focus: PT-1 The
Decision
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Acts
15:19-29
Message of the
verses: “19 "Therefore it is my
judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the
Gentiles, 20 but that we write to them that they abstain from things
contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from
blood. 21 “For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who
preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath." 22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and
the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to
Antioch with Paul and Barnabas-Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men
among the brethren, 23 and they sent
this letter by them,
"The apostles and the
brethren who are elders, to the brethren in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia who
are from the Gentiles, greetings. 24 “Since we have heard that some of our
number to whom we gave no instruction have disturbed you with their words,
unsettling your souls, 25 it seemed good to us, having become of one mind, to
select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have
risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 “Therefore we have
sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will also report the same things by word
of mouth. 28 "For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon
you no greater burden than these essentials: 29 that you abstain from things
sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from
fornication; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well.
Farewell.’”
We can ask a question about the first word, “therefore”
in verse 19, and that is what is the therefore, there for? And the answer is that since all of the
speakers have spoken and all came to the same conclusion that salvation is by
grace alone. Keeping the law and
observing rituals were not requirements for salvation. The Judaizers were to be forbidden to trouble
the Gentiles by teaching otherwise.
No that this major doctrinal issue resolved, James, who I
have mentioned before was the head of the Jerusalem church; he then turned to
practical matters of fellowship. The
apostles were concerned not only that the Jews not trouble the Gentiles
believers, but that the Gentile believers not trouble the Jews. MacArthur goes on to say “The danger was that
the Gentiles, reveling in their freedom in Christ, would pressure the Jewish
believers to exercise that same liberty and violate their consciences. To forestall that, James proposed that they
write a letter to the Gentiles ordering them to abstain from four
practices: ‘things contaminated by idols
and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood.’ Those were violations of the law of Moses,
who ‘from ancient generations has in every city those preach him, since he is
read in the synagogues every Sabbath.’
To needlessly violate the Mosaic sanctions would destroy the church’s
credibility with unbelieving Jews and also offend believing ones. It would be an abuse of the freedom in Christ
believers enjoy (cf. 1 Peter 2:16).” “18
Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who
are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable.”
We will be looking at these four practices that we are to
abstain from that are mentioned above in our next few Spiritual Diaries
beginning with “Things contaminated by idols.”
Spiritual meaning
for my life today: Today we
celebrate “Good Friday” and as I look back at the salvation by grace we have
been studying over the last few days it could not have happened without what
Christ went through as He hung on the cross to pay for my sins. He did that because of His great love for me
and for all who will turn to Him for salvation by grace alone.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Continue to think of that great love that
Christ has for me, demonstrated by what He did for me, and to be committed to
tell others of it.
Answer to yesterday’s Bible
question: “A house of prayer” (Matthew
21:13).
Today’s Bible
question: “Who said ‘"Where were
you when I laid the foundation of the earth?”
Answer in our next SD.
3/30/2018 8:24 AM
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