However clear the council, there were those who sought to go their own way and who continued to advocate that the Gentiles keep Jewish traditions and laws. For Paul this became a very serious matter; that is, it wasn’t trifling over the fine points of faith. It had become a denial of the gospel of … Continue reading –>
Read Acts 15:5-29. What decision did the council come to, and what was their reasoning? The decision was against the contentions of the Judaizers. These folk insisted that the Gentile converts be circumcised and keep the entire ceremonial law, and that “the Jewish laws and ceremonies should be incorporated into the rites of the Christian religion.” … Continue reading –>
Read Acts 15:1. What issue was causing dissension? Why would some people believe that this wasn’t just for the Jewish nation? See Gen. 17:10. While the apostles united with the ministers and lay members at Antioch in an earnest effort to win many souls to Christ, certain Jewish believers from Judaea “of the sect of the Pharisees” … Continue reading –>
As time allows, skim through the book of Leviticus. (See, for instance, Leviticus 12, Leviticus 16, Leviticus 23.) What thoughts come to your mind as you read all these rules and regulations and rituals? Why would many of these be all but impossible in New Testament times to follow? It is convenient for us to classify Old Testament … Continue reading –>
Perhaps the greatest difference between the religion of the Old Testament and that of the New is the fact that the New Testament era was introduced by the coming of the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. He was sent by God to be the Savior. Men could not ignore Him and expect to be saved. Only … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Heb. 8:6, Matt. 19:17, Rev. 12:17, Leviticus 23, Acts 15:1-29, Gal. 1:1-12. Memory Text: “The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). The early church was composed mostly of Jews who never for a moment thought that by accepting the Jewish Messiah, Jesus, they were somehow turning away … Continue reading –>
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “The Mysteries of the Bible”, p. 706, in Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5; “Salvation to the Jews”, pp. 372-374, in The Acts of the Apostles. Read also The SDA Bible Dictionary, p. 922; and The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6, pp. 467, 468. “The salvation of humankind does not result from a divine afterthought … Continue reading –>
“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world” (Rom. 1:8). It is not known how the congregation in Rome was established. The tradition that the church was founded by Peter or Paul is without historical foundation. Perhaps lay persons established it, converts … Continue reading –>
Here is Paul’s salutation to the church in Rome: “To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 1:7). What principles of truth, of theology, and of faith can we take away from these words? Beloved of … Continue reading –>
“Now when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard; but Paul was permitted to dwell by himself with the soldier who guarded him” (Acts 28:16, NKJV). What does this text tell us about how Paul finally got to Rome? What lesson can we draw from this about the unexpected … Continue reading –>
