Category: The Apostle Paul

^36 “And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” ³⁷ Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. ³⁸ But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. ³⁹ And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, ⁴⁰ but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. ⁴¹ And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches” (Acts 15:36–41).

The dispute between Paul and Barnabas began innocently enough. Most church disputes and arguments do. Following the Jerusalem Council, and the subsequent delivery of the council’s recommendations to the Gentile believers in Antioch (Acts 15:22-35), Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” Barnabas must have thought it was a great idea. In fact, he wanted to take along with them his cousin John/Mark (Colossians 4:10).

This was the same John/Mark who initially accompanied Paul and Barnabas on their First Missionary Journey (Acts 12:25; 13:1-5), but later deserted them and went back home to Jerusalem (Acts 13:13). Barnabas, whose name means son of encouragement (Acts 4:36), sought to do for John/Mark what he had previously done for the newly converted Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9:26-30; 11:19-26). He sought to be an encouragement to Mark, who most likely needed to be encouraged.

However, Paul was not in agreement with Barnabas. He thought it best to not take John/Mark with them on the trip. Why? Luke provides us with the answer. “Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.”

 This resulted in “a sharp disagreement” between Paul and Barnabas. The phrase indicates that it was an intense argument and a contentiousness to the point of exasperation between the two brothers in Christ. Luke clearly reveals that there was no meeting of the minds between Paul and Barnabas.

Therefore, with no reconciliation in sight, Paul and Barnabas separated from each other.  From todays’ text, Luke records that “Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, ⁴⁰ but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. ⁴¹ And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.”

 Dr. R. C. Sproul writes that, “The split between Paul and Barnabas is a sad episode. But in the providence of God, there are now two teams of missionaries proclaiming the Gospel on separate fields. And in time, perhaps because of Barnabas’ mentorship, Mark will give Paul reasons to think differently about his fitness for missions work (Colossians 4:10; 2 Timothy 4:11).”  

 Soli deo Gloria!   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

^36 “And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” ³⁷ Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. ³⁸ But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. ³⁹ And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, ⁴⁰ but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. ⁴¹ And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches” (Acts 15:36–41)

The godly resolution at the Jerusalem Council unifying Jewish and Gentile Christians stands in stark contrast to the disunity which occurred between Paul and Barnabas some time thereafter. While it is a sad episode in the lives of two giants in the early church, it is also a testimony to the truth of God’s Word. The Bible portrays God’s people as real human beings who are not perfect. God’s people sometimes do not get along.

The dispute between Paul and Barnabas began innocently enough. Most church disputes and arguments do.

Following the Jerusalem Council, and the subsequent delivery of the council’s recommendations to the Gentile believers in Antioch (Acts 15:22-35), Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” Barnabas must have thought it was a great idea. In fact, he wanted to take along with them his cousin John/Mark (Colossians 4:10).

You may remember that this is the same John/Mark who initially accompanied Paul and Barnabas on their First Missionary Journey (Acts 12:25; 13:1-5), but later deserted them and went back home to Jerusalem (Acts 13:13). Barnabas, whose name means son of encouragement (Acts 4:36), sought to do for John/Mark what he had previously done for the newly converted Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9:26-30; 11:19-26). He sought to be an encouragement to Mark, who most likely needed to be encouraged.

However, Paul was not having it. He thought it best to not take John/Mark with them on the trip. Why? Luke provides us with the answer. “Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.”

 We will consider the outcome of this disagreement between these two brothers in Christ when next we meet. Sufficient it is to say that schisms and divisions occur all too frequently in churches today. However, God can, and does, work through them. God’s purposes are never thwarted by human failure and human sin.

Soli deo Gloria!   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:9)

The Epistle to the Galatians was very likely the Apostle Paul’s first canonical letter. In Galatians 2, Paul described his visit to the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15, so he must have written Galatians after that event. Since most scholars date the Jerusalem Council to be around A.D. 49, the most likely date for Galatians is shortly after the council concluded and Paul, Barnabas, Judas and Silas delivered the council’s subsequent letter to the Gentile believers in Antioch.

In a strict ethnic sense, Galatia was the region of central Asia Minor inhabited by the Galatians. Paul and Barnabas founded churches in the southern Galatian cities of Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe during their first missionary journey (Acts 13:14–14:23).

Paul wrote The Epistle to the Galatians to refute Judaizing false teachers who were undermining the doctrine of justification by grace alone, through faith alone in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone. Ignoring the expressed decree of the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:23–29), the Judaizers spread their heretical teaching that Gentiles must first become Jewish proselytes and submit to all the Mosaic law before they could become Christians (Galatians 1:7; 4:17, 21; 5:2–12; 6:12–13).

In commenting about the doctrine of justification by faith, Dr. John MacArthur writes that, “Paul defends that doctrine (which is the heart of the gospel) both in its theological (Gal. 3–4) and practical (chs. 5–6) ramifications. He also defends his position as an apostle (chs. 1–2) since, as in Corinth, false teachers had attempted to gain a hearing for their heretical teaching by undermining Paul’s credibility. The main theological themes of Galatians are strikingly similar to those of Romans, e.g., the inability of the law to justify (2:16; cf. Rom. 3:20); the believer’s deadness to the law (Gal. 2:19; cf. Rom. 7:4); the believer’s crucifixion with Christ (Gal. 2:20; cf. Rom. 6:6); Abraham’s justification by faith (Gal. 3:6; cf. Rom. 4:3); that believers are Abraham’s spiritual children (Gal. 3:7; cf. Rom. 4:10–11) and therefore blessed (Gal. 3:9; cf. Rom. 4:23–24); that the law brings not salvation but God’s wrath (Gal. 3:10; cf. Rom. 4:15); that the just shall live by faith (Gal. 3:11; cf. Rom. 1:17); the universality of sin (Gal. 3:22; cf. Rom. 11:32); that believers are spiritually baptized into Christ (Gal. 3:27; cf. Rom. 6:3); believers’ adoption as God’s spiritual children (Gal. 4:5–7; cf. Rom. 8:14–17); that love fulfills the law (Gal. 5:14; cf. Rom. 13:8–10); the importance of walking in the Spirit (Gal. 5:16; cf. Rom. 8:4); the warfare of the flesh against the Spirit (Gal. 5:17; cf. Rom. 7:23, 25); and the importance of believers bearing one another’s’ burdens (Gal. 6:2; cf. Rom. 15:1).”

The doctrine of justification by faith alone is central to the Gospel. To preach and teach something contrary is to invoke the damnation by God upon the preacher and teacher as today’s text clearly indicates. Let us resolve that we will not allow ourselves to be persuaded to believe a false gospel which denies justification by grace alone, through faith alone in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone.

Soli deo Gloria!

 

 

 

 

 

 

^30 “So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. ³¹ And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. ³² And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words. ³³ And after they had spent some time, they were sent off in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them. ³⁵ But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.” (Acts 15:30–35)

The Jerusalem Church, and its leadership, sent Paul, Barnabas, Judas and Silas to Antioch. We do not know much about Judas except that he was a prophet (v. 32). Silas was also known as Silvanus. He accompanied Paul on his second missionary journey (v. 40; 16:19, 25, 29; 17:4, 10, 14–15; 18:5) and later was Peter’s amanuensis (scribe) for his first epistle (1 Peter 5:12).

When they gathered the church together, they formally delivered and read the letter from the Jerusalem Council. The church rejoiced because of the letter’s encouraging words.

Judas and Silas encouraged and strengthened the believers in Antioch. The text does not specifically inform us as to how long Judas and Silas stayed in Antioch. It only says that they spent some time there and then returned to Jerusalem.

However, Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch. While there, they continued to do what they always did. They taught and preached the Word of God. Luke records that others joined them in this task and responsibility.

Acts 15:34 says, “But it seemed good to Silas to remain there.” This verse is not found in the best ancient Greek manuscripts. Therefore, it remains a textual variant.

It is most likely that the Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to write to the Churches of Galatia at this time about the central issue considered by the Jerusalem Council. The Letter to the Galatians was written to oppose the Judaizing false teachers who attempted to undermine the central New Testament doctrine of justification by faith alone.

We will do a brief survey of Galatians when next we meet. Until then, I encourage you to read the Book of Galatians. 

Soli deo Gloria!

^22 “Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, ²³ with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings” (Acts 15:22–23).

Following the reports by Peter, Paul, Barnabas, and James, the apostles and the elders of the Jerusalem Church, along with the entire church body, decided to compose and send a letter to the Church in Antioch. They chose leaders from within the congregation in Jerusalem, Judas and Silas, along with Paul and Barnabas to deliver the letter.

The letter was addressed to the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia. It was composed by both the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. Following a brief word of greeting, the letter was as follows.

^24 “Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, ²⁵ it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, ²⁶ men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷ We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. ²⁸ For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: ²⁹ that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.” (Acts 15:24–29)

Dr. R. C. Sproul writes, “In the wording of the letter, the council works to right the wrong done by the Judaizers. The writer, presumably James, candidly admits that the source of the controversy was Jerusalem, but he notes that those who went to Antioch and there troubled the Gentiles spoke without authority. But the writer then notes the council’s four directives, which, he says, ‘seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us.’ The apostles, the elders, and the church were fully aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit to guide and direct them.”

 We must be on our guard to not allow any self-righteous works to be added to the message of the Gospel. While good works are an evidence of conversion (Ephesians 2:10; James 2:14-26), they are not the basis for conversion. The fundamental foundation of the Gospel is the sinner’s deliverance from the penalty, power and presence of sin by God’s sovereign grace alone, through God given faith alone, in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone.

Soli deo Gloria!

 

^19 “Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, ²⁰ but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. ²¹ For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.” (Acts 15:19–21)

As chairman of the Jerusalem Council, James, the half-brother of the Lord Jesus, rendered a judgment. The word judgment (κρίνω; krino) means to give an opinion, make a decision or to hold onto a particular viewpoint. The grammar in the Greek indicates that James’ judgment was not only what he believed at this point in time, but also what he would commit to in the future.

James’ judgment was that the church, and its leadership, should not cause difficulty for the converted Gentiles. In other words, the Gospel for the Jews is the same Gospel for the Gentiles. It is by God’s sovereign grace, the enablement by God-given faith, in the person and work of Jesus Christ that sinners, Jew and Gentile, can repent of their sin and receive Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior. Nothing else must be added to this Gospel message of justification.

However, what follows justification is sanctification. Sanctification is a growing life of holiness unto God and unto one’s fellow man. Sanctification is a cooperative and lifelong effort by the believer and the Holy Spirit (Philippians 2:12-13).

It is with this mindset that James proposes several guidelines for the Gentile believers. These guidelines were not given in order to convert the Gentiles, but rather to instruct them into the importance of a believer’s holy lifestyle.

James encouraged the council to encourage the Gentile believers to (1) abstain from the things polluted by idols; (2) to abstain from…sexual immorality; and (3) to abstain… from what has been strangled, and from blood.

Dr. John Walvoord writes, “The Gentiles were to abstain from three items: (a) food polluted by idols, (b) sexual immorality, and (c) the meat of strangled animals and … blood. Many Bible teachers say these are only ceremonial matters. All three prohibitions in Acts 15:20 are best taken in an ethical or moral sense. If this be so, they are still the responsibility of Christians today, even to the point of not eating blood sausage and raw meat. By not attending temple banquets, or being involved in fornication, or eating meat with blood in it, the Gentile Christians would be maintaining high moral standards and would keep from offending their Jewish brothers.”

The high moral standards of the early church are to be the high moral standards of today’s church. God’s Word has not changed.

Soli deo Gloria!

^13 “After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. ¹⁴ Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name.” (Acts 15:13–14)

James followed Peter, Barnabas and Paul in addressing the Jerusalem Council. The James in question is the half-brother of Jesus, leader in the Jerusalem Church, and the author of the New Testament Epistle which bears his name.

He agreed with the previous speakers that justification by faith alone was the heart of the Gospel and the heart of the Gospel was justification by faith alone. This doctrine is a non-negotiable.

James indicated that God had visited the Gentiles. In other words, the salvation of the Gentiles by grace alone, through faith alone in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone was a work of God the Father alone. The justification of Gentiles was not the church’s idea, or even the apostles, but God’s.

James also said that God did this in order to take from the Gentiles “a people for His name.” James would take this phrase from the Prophet Amos and apply it to the evangelizing of the Gentiles. Amos 9:11-12, as quoted in Acts 15:16-17, says, ^16 “After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, ¹⁷ that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things ¹⁸ known from of old.”

In quoting the Old Testament Prophet Amos, James was interpreting that Amos said that God would restore the temple in Jerusalem and that both Jews and Gentiles would worship the LORD at that place. James indicated that this prophecy was fulfilled with God’s salvation of the Gentiles.

Praise the Lord today that you are one who He has chosen to be one of His people: whether you be Jew or Gentile.

Soli deo Gloria!

“And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.” (Acts 15:12)

Following Peter’s address, Barnabas and Paul then spoke. As they did so, the entire assembly fell silent. The entire assembly probably included the apostles, the elders and other leaders of the Jerusalem Church, the two missionaries, those who accompanied Paul and Barnabas from Antioch, and the Judaizers.

Paul and Barnabas echoed and supported what the Apostle Peter had already said. Conversion is an act of God, whether the converted happen to be Jew or Gentile.

Paul and Barnabas recounted the signs and wonders the Lord did through them during their first missionary journey. They did not praise themselves for the work they did, but rather they praised God for the work He did through them. The church then, and the church today, has to realize that the growth of the church is the Lord’s work.

The Apostle Paul spoke of this understanding of church growth in his first letter to the Corinthian Church. He wrote, “⁵ What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. ⁶ I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. ⁷ So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. ⁸ He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. ⁹ For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building. ¹⁰ According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it.” (I Corinthians 3:5-10)

Dr. John Walvoord writes, “If you will review the record of the first missionary journey (Acts 13–14), you will see that the emphasis is on what God did in response to men’s faith. See Acts 13:8, 12, 39, 41, 48; 14:1, 22–23, 27. Note also the emphasis on grace (Acts 13:43; 14:3, 26). God opened for the Gentiles “the door of faith,” not “the door of Law.” For that matter the Antioch church, which commissioned Paul and Barnabas, was founded by people who “believed and turned unto the Lord” (Acts 11:21) and experienced the grace of God (Acts 11:23). They were saved the same way sinners are saved today, “by grace, through faith” (Eph. 2:8–9).”

The church today must continue to hold fast the Gospel. Justification by grace alone, through faith alone in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone must never be negotiated or neglected.

Soli deo Gloria!

^10 “Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? ¹¹ But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” (Acts 15:10–11)

Justification by faith alone was the issue at the Jerusalem Council. The matter at stake then was the same dispute which provoked the 16^th century Protestant Reformation. The question was on what basis does God declare the sinner righteous? This remains an issue of supreme importance.

Martin Luther was converted when God brought the truth of the Gospel, contained in Romans 1:16-17, to Martin’s soul. Romans 1:16-17 says, “¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. ¹⁷ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” 

Dr. R. C. Sproul writes, “Justification refers to a legal action by God by which He declares a person just in His sight. The Protestant view is often described as ‘forensic justification,’ meaning that justification is a ‘legal declaration’ made by God.” 

It was this biblical understanding of justification by grace alone, through  faith alone, in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone, and the Roman Catholic Church’s rejection of the same,  which prompted Luther to nail his 95 Theses on the  castle church door in Wittenberg, Germany on October 31, 1517. This act, and the accompanying response to Luther’s concerns expressed in his theses’, ignited the Reformation.

Justification by faith alone is the doctrine that the righteousness by which God declares sinners just before Him is not inherently their own, or achieved by their good or religious works. Rather, it is the righteousness belonging solely to Jesus Christ, which is imputed, or credited, to the sinner solely through the God given instrument of faith (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Therefore, this righteousness is an alien righteousness. It is a foreign righteousness. It is a righteousness apart from the sinner. Again, this righteousness is imputed and credited to the sinner by faith alone, in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone.

Underlying justification by faith alone, is the doctrine of grace alone. The entire motivation for God justifying the sinner by faith alone is the prior doctrine of God’s sovereign grace. God does not justify the sinner on the basis of any work the sinner could do. Rather, justification by faith is on the basis of God’s sovereign grace alone (Ephesians 1:3-14) and His acceptance of the good work which Jesus Christ alone accomplished on the cross.

In addressing the officials at the council, the Apostle Peter strongly spoke that preaching any other Gospel, other than justification by faith alone, was putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that would be unbearable. Peter then proclaimed that Jews and Gentiles are both saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Justification by faith alone declares that God has pardoned the sinner from the debt, slavery, guilt and enmity of their sin. This was the yoke Peter of which Peter spoke. God has not only declared the sinner righteous but also  has freed the sinner from the penalty, power and eventual presence of sin.

On this Reformation Day, the words attributed to Martin Luther continue to ring with biblical truth; “Justification is the article by which the church stands and falls.”

A biblical church preaches justification by faith alone. An un-biblical church does not.

Is your relationship with God on the basis of grace alone, through faith alone, in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone? Any other belief system is not the Gospel. Reaffirm your trust, dependence, commitment and worship of Jesus Christ today.

Happy Reformation Day.

Soli deo Gloria!

^7 “And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. ⁸ And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, ⁹ and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.” (Acts 15:7–9 (ESV)

“You contribute nothing to your salvation except the sin that made it necessary.” Jonathan Edwards

 There was much debate at the Jerusalem Council. The word debate means discussion, disputing and the seeking of information. Luke gives us the impression that the discussions held at the council were lengthy and intense as to whether Gentiles must become Jewish in order to become Christians.

At issue was nothing less than the essential message of the Gospel. At stake was whether or not God delivers the sinner from the penalty, power and eventual presence of sin solely on the basis of sovereign grace, through God given faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Does the sinner contribute anything to his salvation by which he can boast or take credit? Do our good works, however sincere they may be, contribute to our justification before God?

Peter responded that God makes no distinction between Jew and Gentile. God justifies both people groups through the instrument of faith.

Dr. John MacArthur writes, “Peter gave the first of three speeches at the Council that amount to one of the strongest defenses of salvation by grace through faith alone contained in Scripture. Peter began his defense by reviewing how God saved Gentiles in the early days of the church without a requirement of circumcision, law keeping, or ritual—referring to the salvation of Cornelius and his household (10:44–48; 11:17–18). If God did not require any additional qualifications for salvation, neither should the legalists.”

 Let us resolve not to take anything away from, or add to, the Gospel. It is by sovereign grace alone, through faith alone, and in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone that God justifies the sinner.

Soli deo Gloria!