Wednesday: The Gentile Believers
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.
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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.” – Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 189.
It’s interesting to note in Acts 15:10 the way in which Peter depicted these old laws as a “yoke” that they were unable to bear. Would the Lord, who instituted those laws, make them a yoke on His people? That hardly seems so. Instead, over the years some of the leaders had, through their oral traditions, turned many of the laws from the blessings they were meant to be into burdens. The council sought to spare Gentiles from these burdens.
Notice, too, that there was no mention or question of the Gentiles not needing to obey the Ten Commandments. After all, could we imagine the council telling them not to eat blood but that it was acceptable to ignore the commandments against adultery or murder and the like?
What rules were placed on the Gentile believers (Acts 15:20, Acts 15:29), and why these specific rules?
Although Jewish believers weren’t to impose their rules and tradition on Gentiles, the council wanted to make sure that the Gentiles didn’t do things that would have been deemed offensive to the Jews who were united with them in Jesus. The apostles and elders, therefore, agreed to instruct the Gentiles by letter to abstain from meats offered to idols, from fornication, from things strangled, and from blood. Some say that, because Sabbath keeping wasn’t specifically mentioned, it must not have been meant for the Gentiles (of course, the commandments against lying and murder weren’t specifically mentioned either, so that argument means nothing).
| Could we, in some ways, be laying on people burdens that are not necessary but are more from tradition than divine command? If so, how? Bring your thoughts to class on Sabbath. |
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Romans 4:11-25, tells us that we are justified through faith and not by observing the law. Those who have not read this may have missed some very important scripture.
Good morning Paul. Being justified through through faith, I just can't leave it there, otherwise my faith dies. I realize where sin is, grace is more aboundent. Romans 5:20. But shall I continue in sin just because grace does abound? Absolutly not. I have have given my heart to Christ and surrendered my will so that Christ can take my heart, my stony heart, and gift me a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26. Yes, yes I have been baptized. The old man of sin has died. I have died in Christ that I my live in Christ. Romans 6:1-14. Now I am a saint, I am one of those who keep the commandants of God and have the faith of Jesus Christ. Revelation 14:12. Like Herb Douglas said a few years back when interviewing Bob Wieland, "I am happy". Indeed I am happy because of what Paul tells us in Romans 4:11-23, and follows through with Romans 5:20-21, and Romans 6:1-14.
What laws or commandments did Jesus give? It is important to know those, because truly with Jesus the whole Jewish Moses order changed. We often say God changes not but what happens is that God unfolds, same God but He illuminates in revelation from time to time. Consider that It is written 'gospel is the power of God to bring salvation to everyone who believes but first to the Jews and then Gentiles. Meaning that though God is the same all time but He operates in phases. Something can be improved upon in God's ways. New light can illuminate God's same old truth. I like where the lesson author said the various categorization of laws into moral, ceremonial etc is artificial. What commandment did Jesus give? What was His answer to the rich young ruler when he asked? Let's pay more attention to those in the leading of the spirit of Jesus in us rather than spirit of Moses law in us. Those emphasizing sabbath law at the slightest chance are still lead by Moses law rather than spirit of Jesus. They are using moses law as a mirror to check themselves.
Thanks so much for sharing this scripture. It has really helped in answering some questions I had.
Romans 3:31 shows us just how important faith is. When we have that faith in Jesus something, someone bigger, then we can't help but to strive to be something, someone better.
When we label people as less Christians because they are not vegan or because they don't attend church and are involved in church service as we are; we are not only laying a yoke on them as well as pushing them away further from us. God did not give us permission to judge others and we will have many surprises when Jesus comes. Peter said the Holy Spirit had being given to the circumsized and to the gentiles, could it be that the Holy Spirit is being poured in people that we judge "less Christians?"
Sister Rose, much as i agree with you on the point of not judging anybody based on little involvement in the running of the church or church attendance, i also have reservations when it comes to people who do not want to have anything to do with church services.The bible encourages us not to ignore the spirit of gathering together because by gathering together, we edify one an other! Again when we come to gather, any well meaning christian led by the Holy spirit will not sit idol when there is something that has to be done to make the burden lighter for his brethren. Off course brotherly or sisterly advice to such people is one thing and utter justification and outright judgment is an other. As for the issue of vegetarianism, i agree with you that people have blown it out of proportion to make Adventism synonymous with vegetarianism....
AMEN! I was a vegan for about five years as a SDA because somehow I fell into the idea that EGW was right about that GOD would not translate meat eaters to heaven. But then I came across the BIBLE story of Elijah and how GOD used HIS RAVENS to bring HIS PROPHET MEAT (animal flesh) and bread twice a day for a LONG PERIOD OF TIME and then TRANSLATES HIM TO HEAVEN without dying. So, why would GOD do this for an Old Testament Prophet but not to HIS END TIME PEOPLE?
One thing I noticed in the Jerusalem Council RULES FOR THE GENTILES there also was no PUSH for them to abstain from UNCLEAN MEATS either or for that matter to be VEGETARIANS OR VEGANS. And I would venture to say that probably at least and if not more, 99% of SDA'S are ALL GENTILES.
I agree totally with not judging people to be less Christian or Adventist for not being vegan or vegetarian.
I would, however, warn against using isolated texts to support what we want to do. 😉
I also want to address the reason that those of us who do choose to live on a plant-based diet do so. If we did not understand it otherwise, Paul made clear in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 why we should take good care of the bodies God gave us: "
Paul wrote this particularly in the context of sexual practices, reminding Christians that their bodies belong to God and are therefore not to be used for immoral purposes. However, there is a natural corollary: If our bodies belong to God, then it follows that is our responsibility to take good care of our bodies. And that is the basis for following the foundational rules of health, which include a healthy diet. The world now recognizes the superiority of a plant-based diet, eating foods as close as possible to their originally grown state, because such a diet prevents most of the chronic diseases of western society. Thus the number of people who eat a plant-based diet is growing by leaps and bounds. People choose that diet simply because it makes them feel batter, have more energy, and it allows them to regain much of the health they had lost.
God knew all this from the beginning, and that's why He prescribed a plant-based diet in Eden. He allowed the eating of animal flesh only after the Flood, and that was likely a contributing factor to the drastic shortening of lifespan immediately following the Flood.
When He called His people out of Egypt and educated them in the desert, He put them on a no-animal-products diet, but they rebelled, and He gave them meat to eat ... and thousands died from gluttony.
And when God called out a people to proclaim His last-day message, He showed them that a plant-based diet is best for the body and graciously asked them to adopt it.
And that's how a plant-based diet relates to the Christian life. If we believe that God knows best (even without all the scientific backing), will we nnot trust Him and want to walk in all the light He has given?
That's why we follow a plant-based diet.
My heart aches for my brothers and sisters who have not seen light in this and suffer from heart disease, diabetes, intestinal and gastric disorders and a multitude of other preventable lifestyle-related illnesses that cause them to suffer unnecessarily and thus limit their usefulness. When the body has been abused for a long time, it's not easy to restore it to health. And I consider it inherently risky to suggest such a drastic change to people who don't ask for such advice. I can only pray and look for an opportunity. I rejoice when I observe people discovering a plant-based lifestyle on their own and radiantly testify to the difference it has made in their life. Should I speak up more? I don't know. We do occasionally put on health seminars which members are free to attend. If they don't take action on what they learn, I figure there's little I can do. People bring vegetarian dishes to potluck but eat flesh foods at home. How God must weep at the unnecessary suffering to which they expose themselves!
God never asks His people to give up anything that would be to their benefit to keep. And that includes flesh foods. That said, there are exceptional circumstances where a plant-based diet is not possible. (I'm thinking of our northern Inuit people, for instance. They live on the tundra.) There are probably also cases where the digestive system has become so debilitated that it no longer handles plant foods well. But those are the exceptions.
Disclaimer: This is not to say that disease is a direct judgment of God, nor is it intended to say that those on a plant-based diet will always have perfect health. There are, after all, seven other basic laws of health, and there are environmental and hereditary factors over which we have no control.
For those who are interested, Sabbath School Net does offer a page of Health Resources. Most of these are free to access. So you may educate yourself. Also check in your own congregation to find people with experience with a plant-based diet.
Sister Inge judging from the masterpiece you have put up, you must be highly enlightened about a vegan lifestyle, with all the choices there are to substitute flesh based nutrients. Unfortunately, some people just hear about vegetarianism and jump into the band wagon without doing thorough research about the impact lack of certain nutrients will do to them. I bet people should first do proper research before they become vegans or else malnutrition will catch up with them. I have heard some people equating vegetarianism to vegetable and beans eating only. I bet these do not offer a complete nutrition and some other products have to be afforded in order for one to stay healthy.
Yet, Inge Anderson, the APOSTLE PAUL is very clear in Romans 14:17 that GOD'S KINGDOM does not require in anyway shape or form that we become VEGANS OR VEGETARIANS OR RAWGANS( some people do not cook their food at all and claim that neither did ADAM AND EVE,) even for our physical health here on this earth but he (the Apostle Paul,) says there that GOD's KINGDOM just simply requires RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE, AND JOY IN GOD'S HOLY SPIRIT to enter God's eternal Kingdom in HIS SON JESUS.
My dear Brother Villarreal, I agree completely that there are no requirements for salvation beyond, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 16:31). And I also understad that such a saving belief will transform the life, as Paul consistently preaches.
I don't know why you are taking the line of argument that you are currently taking - that you don't have to keep the laws of health and that (apparently) you don't have to keep the Sabbath to be saved - but it appears to me that you are proposing very legalistic arguments. You are arguing on the side of what you don't have to do to be saved, while others are arguing on the side of what you have to do to be saved, beyond faith in Jesus. They are two sides of the same coin of legalism - with legalism being defined as a focus on the law as a means/partial means of salvation.
The Apostle Paul, on the other hand, repeatedly emphasizes that we are saved only by grace through faith, leaving us no room to take credit for anything we do.. And faith is a relationship word. Faith in God means trusting Him and loving Him so completely that we are eager to go wherever He leads by the commandments and information He gives us.
You "replied" to my comment, but I must ask, did you read it at all? I ask because you are not replying to anything I wrote but simply re-asserting what you originally said in different words. Could you do me the favor and read my comment again, even if you read it once, and try to understand what I was saying?
But perhaps I was not clear enough. So I will re-state my reasons for taking care of my body, leaving out the selfish reasons (feeling better, more energetic, avoiding some horrible lifestyle diseases, etc.) and focusing just on the faith aspect: When I was still a teenager, I read 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 and recognized that God wanted me to take care of my body in the best way I knew how, and I determined to do that because I wanted to be aligned with God's will in my life - against the practices of my family. (There were some interesting family interactions as a result.) As my relationship with God has grown, I have a deeper understanding of what it means to be saved by grace through faith. It is all about a relationship with Jesus Christ, and this motivates me to align with His will for me. (Please understand that I'm still on a journey and God isn't finished with me yet!) The biggest deterrent to acting unkindly, for instance, is the thought that I might misrepresent my God by my actions.
The bottom line is that faith - i.e. a relationship with God - does not release us from obedience, but it empowers us to obey. And we cannot truly obey without the power of the Holy Spirit that is received by faith.
Additionally, a relationship with God helps us to understand that God relates to each one of us individually - as though there were not another person alive on whom to bestow His love. Thus what He asks of me may be different from what He asks of my neighbor, because we are at different places in our lives. And He clearly has not given me the job of judging my neighbor's heart or his duties. Thus, while I may share my understanding, He has not laid on me the burden to compel my neighbor to agree. 😉
But to your mention of vegetarians, vegans, rawgans (never heard that expression before!), I hesitate to identify with any of these movements because they are popular movements that have a lot of social baggage attached. I simply want to be in the center of His will, and I know that God has clearly indicated that a plant-based diet is the most healthful diet for me to follow where I live. Okay, so I have to admit that, since I know the benefits of such a lifestyle, I would observe it even if God hadn't given any such direction. 😉 But I am one person, and I can't really separate out my "secular" thoughts and my faith-based thoughts. 😉
I would, however, encourage you, as a sister in Christ, to re-evaluate your approach to salvation. God only wants your heart, and when He has that, all your thoughts and actions will flow from your heart dedication to Him, and you will not look for the least you have to do to enter the Kingdom, but you will joyfully pursue any indication of God's will for your life because you love Him, based on his total, self-renouncing love for you.
Pete,
So question my friend.
Do you feel it's ok to eat unclean meat?
No I personally don't feel it's ok to eat unclean meat. But if a church member or anyone else is doing so, I don't look down to him/her or change my attitude towards them but I can give them a loving advice if there's an upportunity to do so, because it's their choice after all.
Andre Anthony, my answer to you is that Romans 14:17 makes NO JUDGEMENT for GOD'S KINGDOM on anyone that eats UNCLEAN MEAT or for that matter leaves the matter of DIET completely OUT OF THE QUESTION for any requirements of HEALTH SPIRITUALLY OR PHYSICALLY for ENTERING GOD'S ETERNAL KINGDOM.
I will let Andre reply for himself on other aspects of your comment, but I do wonder how you got the idea that Romans 14:17 refers to unclean meats? Not even the several modern translations that I consulted refer to "unclean meats." While this is not in the current lesson, the situation confronting the early Christians seemed to be about meat offered to idols. Apparently most, if not all, meat that was available in the markets was first offered to idols. See also Acts 15:9 and 1 Cor 8:10) Acts of the Apostles, pages 191-197. What is interesting to me is that Paul, at this point in time, thought it no longer necessary for believers to follow the directive not to eat meat offered to idols. This indicates to me that the Holy Spirit leads step by step, according to the situation in which we find ourselves.
Pete, if what you eat is a matter salvation, the texts that come to mind. Romans 14:1-18. Unclean meat was a ceremonial law given to Moses when the tabernacle was built and the sacrificial system was put in place. When asking if something is ok, one must evaluate the basis for the belief.
I like the word
noun: salvation
1.
preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss.
"they try to sell it to us as economic salvation"
synonyms: lifeline, preservation; means of escape, help, saving, savior
"that conviction was her salvation"