Tuesday: Pisidian Antioch – Part 2
Acts 13:38-39, presents the issue of the law’s inability to justify, an important doctrinal concept. Despite the binding character of its moral commandments, the law is unable to bring justification because it cannot produce perfect obedience in those who observe it (Acts 15:10, Rom. 8:3). Even if the law could produce perfect obedience in us, that perfect obedience cannot atone for past sins (Rom. 3:19; Gal. 3:10-11). This is why justification cannot be earned, not even partially.
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We can receive it only by faith in Jesus’ atoning sacrifice (Rom. 3:28, Gal. 2:16), a gift that we do not deserve. However central it may be to the Christian life, obedience cannot earn us salvation.
Read Acts 13:42-49. How did the synagogue receive Paul’s message?
Notwithstanding the harsh way Paul ended his message, the reaction of most in the synagogue was highly favorable. The following Sabbath, however, things changed drastically. It is highly probable that “the Jews” who were rejecting the gospel message were the synagogue leaders, those who represented official Judaism. Luke ascribes their ruthless attitude toward Paul to jealousy.
In the ancient world, several aspects of Judaism, such as monotheism, life style, and even the Sabbath, exerted a strong attraction among non-Jews, and many of them joined the Jewish faith as proselytes. Circumcision, however, was a serious hindrance, as it was considered a barbaric and disgusting practice. Consequently, many Gentiles would attend the synagogues to worship God but without formally converting to Judaism. These were known as “God-fearers”, and it might have been the God-fearers, as well as the proselytes, of the Antioch synagogue (Acts 13:16, Acts 13:43) who helped to spread the news about Paul’s message among the people in general, and they came in great numbers. The possibility to experience salvation without first having to adhere to Judaism was no doubt particularly attractive to many.
| This may help to explain the jealousy of the Jewish leaders. In any case, by rejecting the gospel they were not only excluding themselves from God’s salvation but also liberating Paul and Barnabas to turn their full attention to the Gentiles, who rejoiced and praised God for including them in His saving plan. |
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The whole city came to hear the Word of God. Why?
Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. They were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.
When anointed by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit gives such authority and clarity to the Word one has to embrace the message the reject the truth.
How often authoritative positions makes a person hardcore without the possibility of being open minded to the scriptures or any presentations.
The birth of the Seventh Day Adventist movement was made possible by men and women who were willing to reexamine the scriptures and unlearn what they had thought was the truth.
They were willing to admit their fault and study the scriptures with new light.
The issue that Paul presented to the Jews was a seismic shift to their way of thinking. Their perception was that if they kept the law, the Messiah would come and restore Israel as a great nation. They lived towards that goal. However, Paul preached that the Messiah had come and that they had killed him. And his message was about forgiveness, even your enemies. This was not kingdom making talk. For the Jews, this was treason talk.
Deeply embedded in the thinking of Jews was the notion that sacrifices paid for their sins. They did not see sacrifices pointing to the ultimate sacrifice because they did not see the Messiah in that light. And yes, they had the messianic prophecies of Isaiah, but they did not apply them. (we need to remind ourselves that we see those passages in the 20-20 vision of hindsight and their interpretation in the New Testament.)
We are somewhat critical of the Jews for their rejection of Jesus but I wonder if we would have been any different today. Maintaining the status quo is still a stumbling block for many of us, particularly when change is radical. Sometimes we even use scripture to back up our arguments to maintain the status quo.
For us, it is important to be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit. That is more than just a feeling or a persuasion by an erudite preacher, but a living relationship where we can grow and develop.
I would say we are often not just somewhat critical but rather often very critical. Often the Jews are painted as one monolithic group of people ignoring the diversity of thought, doctrine, and practice among the Jews at the time. Sadly much of what we accuse the Jews of is often wrong and inaccurate as we blindly accept things that have been passed down to us from a long legacy of Antisemitism. To answer the question would we have been any different today? Not likely just look at our history. We should be careful of our criticism and boastfulness.
Thank God for the gift of salvation. Of course we are saved only by faith, not by deeds. But a life with Jesus must show results. We should not be worried about these results, we should be worried about living with Jesus... But the fruits are inevitable. if by any chance we hang around Jesus, of course we will spread His perfum. There is nothing in ourselves that can save us, but walking with Jesus can change us.
There is a lot to be changed in my own life, but I thank God that mysteriously He has changed me... my essence may still be the same, but when I let Him guide me, everything seems to fall into the right place.
Because "justification cannot be earned" and "obedience cannot earn us salvation" what we have left is to look for what Jesus wants from us! We should search for it everyday. Thus, at the same time we are used as instruments in His cause, our hearts is changed and converted to Him.
I'm not saved because I'm good. I'm good because I have being saved.
Would you like to explain your 2nd sentence in some detail?
Jim how about: I love Christ because He loved me 1st. 1 John 4:19. Now that is not the long answer, there is much room for Blanca to explain the second sentence. My sentence is just a starter.