Preface

For years my studies and thinking produced an awareness of enormous problems existing between Jewish Christians and gentile Christians in the early church [first century Christian community]. The more I understood about this reality, the more aware I became that (a) their challenges in this reality and (b) the New Testament writers response to the reality is relevant to the Christian community in the 21st century.

This writing attempts to do two things. First, it seeks to verify the reality of that struggle among first century Christians. Second, it seeks to acknowledge Paul and Peters response to the struggle.

This writing is designed for the person on the pew whose faith roots are similar to the authors. During the formative years of my early life I was taught to view scripture from a specific perspective. The two basic goals were (a) to discover every proof text in scripture that would champion this specific perspective and (b) to discover ways to discredit any scriptural statement that contradicted this specific perspective.

These goals were rarely conscious goals, and they were rarely vindictive goals. However, these goals were restrictive to openness to Gods full revelation through His word. I was so convinced that the specific perspective I learned was Gods perspective that I refused to be aware of scriptures that contradicted my perspective.

I am not so arrogant as to think that I have an insight and understanding that cannot and should not grow with a better grasp of scripture. My primary hope: may these thoughts prove to be a helpful stepping stone in the pursuit of Gods purposes in Jesus Christ. The journey from the moment of entering Christ to the moment of living with God is just thata journey. There always will be increased understanding. There always will be growth. There always will be development. Thankfully, there always will be Gods grace and mercy revealed in Jesus Christ to accompany each of us on our journey.

I do not ask you to agree with these thoughts. I do ask you to think honestly about these thoughts as you openly examine scripture. Even if you disagree, at least acknowledge the perspective. As you continue your journey, may it always be a journey of faith that seeks Gods fullness in His purpose by understanding all He did and does in Jesus death and resurrection.

There is no way to acknowledge in any complete sense the many teachers, authors, friends, and fellow believers in Jesus Christ who stimulated, guided, challenged, or nurtured my thinking. They all richly blessed me and continue to be a powerful source of blessing to me as well as to many others. I am deeply grateful to each of them. Little that appears in these thoughts is original.

I also am deeply indebted to those who encouraged me and helped me. To the extent these thoughts bless you, you are a debtor to Christians you likely never shall meet. May God reward each of them richly!

Cast of Characters

To be read prior to reading the manuscript . . .

When a book has many characters, sometimes my wife makes a list of characters as she reads so she can quickly discern who is doing what in the book. This writing does not have numerous characters. It may challenge you to look at some groups of people in ways you have not considered previously. Following is a description of some groups that may be helpful as you consider the material. The complete context is always concerned with who is speaking to whom about what.

The author realizes readers are challenged to consider a complex situation. He also realizes that, at times, he over-simplifies complex situations. Never are complex situations presented in a summary overview with an intent to deceive. Please remember these thoughts are intended as a stepping stone to a (perhaps unreachable) destination rather than an arrival at the destination. If the material moves Christians in the direction of Gods purposes, it achieves the writers objective.

The majority of the Jewish people rejected Jesus as Gods promised Messiah or Christ.

Most of the Jews rejected Jesus as Gods promised Messiah or Christ. Though most first century Jews believed that gentiles [all peoples who were not Jewish] could come to God through Jewish proselytism [conversion to Judaismthe Jewish religionwhich involved accepting the Jewish lifestyle] (Matthew 23:15), they did not believe that gentiles could come to God without adopting the Jewish ways and Jewish beliefs. These people are seen in such passages as Acts 3:17-26 [the audience to whom these words were directed]; 4:1-3 5:17-18; 6:9, 12-14; 8:1-3; and 9:1-3 [the people represented by Saul the antagonist of Christians]. As a group they violently opposed Jews who believed that Jesus was the Christ.

The minority of the Jewish people believed Jesus was Gods promised Messiah or Christ.

Though to todays Christians the numbers of first century Jews who became Christians are perceived to be a large group, the Jews who believed Jesus was the Christ were always the minority among Jews in the first century. Most of this minority also believed that gentiles could be Christians if they became proselytes of Judaism and accepted the basic Jewish lifestylethe Jewish traditions and customs. This group included synagogue attending believers (Acts 9:1,2; 26:11); temple attending believers (Acts 3:1; 21:20, 21); believers who were determined to bind circumcision, the Law, and Jewish custom on gentile Christians (Acts 15:1, 5, 19); and the Judaizing teachers (Galatians 1:6-10; 2:12).

These Jewish Christians frequently disagreed among themselves about the obligation of gentile Christians to accept circumcision and elements of the Jewish lifestyle. That is the reason for the discussions in Acts 15. It is the reason for the Jerusalem elders to be concerned about the misrepresentation of Pauls teachings and actions in Acts 21:20-22.

The responsibility of gentile Christians to Jewish law, traditions, customs, and circumcision was a major issue in the first century church after Acts 10.

A sprinkling of Jewish Christians understood that God sent Jesus Christ to save both Israel as a nation and the gentiles.

This is a minority group within the minority group. It included Jewish Christians like Paul, Silas, John Mark, Timothy, and Aquila and Priscilla, and at times it included people like Peter and Barnabas (see Acts 10:34, 35 and Galatians 2:11-13). These Jewish Christians accepted an understanding of Gods ability to save idol worshippers through Jesus Christ without requiring them to become Jewish proselytes.

The issue:

It is critical that the foundation issue of the conflict among Christians in the New Testament be understood. The issue was this: does the grace God revealed through Jesus Christ enable gentile idolaters who believe in Jesus Christ to belong to God without going through the process of Jewish teaching, indoctrination, and adoption of Judaism.

The issue was not does God save by grace? Even Jews who did not believe that Jesus was Gods promised Messiah understood God saved by grace. Their ancestors' rescue from Egyptian slavery, their gift of Canaan, and their position of being recognized by God as His people resulted from Gods goodness, not from their deservedness (see Deuteronomy 7:6-11; 8:11-20; 9:4, 5). They freely acknowledged that truth.

Israel had a long history prior to the Babylonian captivity of incurring Gods wrath because they worshipped idols (see Deuteronomy 4:25-31; 12:3). It took generations for the nation of Israel to learn that idolatry and the living God were totally incompatible.

To the Jewish people [Christian and non-Christian], the way to escape the legacy of idolatrys immoral lifestyle and wrong concepts of God was through Judaism. To most first century Jews [both those who did and did not believe in Jesus as Gods promised Messiah] it was unthinkable that anyone could go directly from idolatrys immoral lifestyle and wrong concepts of deity to covenant relationship with the Holy God. Idolaters viewed deity as human art work (Acts 17:29) and worshipped repulsive things such as human forms, birds, animals, and reptiles (Romans 1:23). Proselytism would teach these people how to begin a covenant relationship with the living God and the right lifestyle to be lived by Gods covenant people. Judaism would bring gentiles to the understanding that the Holy God created human forms, birds, animals, and reptiles.

Pauls position: Gods grace as revealed through Jesus Christ can take a person directly from idolatry to the living, Creator God and place that person in Gods family.

The position of most Jewish Christians: Gods grace in Jesus Christ cannot do that. It will not work. Gentiles must get the paganism out of them before they can approach the Holy God. The Jewish method of proselytism had proven it could get the paganism out of idolaters. Gods grace in Jesus Christ, of itself, was insufficient to get the paganism out of them.

Stated in oversimplified terms, it was not necessary for a gentile to adopt the lifestyle of a Jew to be a Christian, and it was not necessary for a Jew to adopt the lifestyle of a gentle to be a Christian. Christian gentiles could be redeemed gentiles, and Christian Jews could be redeemed Jews. They did not have to be identical. They were one because of what God did for each group in Jesus Christ. Faith in Jesus Christ, not identical religious rites or lifestyles, made them one.

Chapter 1 - Beginning The Journey

I grew up in a traditionally conservative area. By traditionally conservative I mean that for generations there was a single proper stance on every religious matter. There was one proper perspective on the nature and character of God, one proper perspective on Jesus Christ, one proper perspective on the church, one proper definition of what it meant to be Christian, one proper list of expressions of worship, one proper list of godly behaviors, one proper list of righteous living, and one proper position to be taken in regard to each theological issue.

Faithfulness was defined as accepting each proper view without question. To challenge accepted views [regardless of ones spirit or motives] was to enter the category of the unfaithful. Faithfulness was not defined as faith in the living God Who created the world, faith in the living God sending Jesus, faith in Jesus atonement for humans, or faith in Gods resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Such faith was necessary but insufficient and incomplete. Unquestioning confidence must be placed in the propers rather than in God the Father. Failure to place unquestioning confidence in the propers was regarded as a rejection of the church.

Each proper was based on a number of proof texts from scripture. Scripture [the Bible] was held in high regard. It is Gods voice and authority. A thus says the Lord settled any religious issue if the thus says the Lord honored all the applicable and appropriate propers. If the statement from the Bible failed to honor the propers, this statement [in ways to be determined if necessary] did not rightly divide the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). Typically, rightly dividing primarily involved New Testament statements.

Please understand I grew up among good-hearted people who were generous, kind, and devoted to God and each other. I could not begin to name the many, many blessings that continue touching my life because of the blessings given me in my adolescent years. Their love of the Lord was genuine and sincere. Their commitment was unquestionable, deep, and absolute. I am grateful that God allowed me to be blessed, encouraged, and nurtured in that environment.

In adolescence, I was richly blessed and encouraged by Ray Cope and Burt Ingram as well as my physical family. Ray Cope made appointments for this teenager to visit rural congregations and teach. [I grew up in a county with thirteen congregations and one full time preacher.] He and my father provided me transportation to those appointments before I was old enough to have a drivers license! Burt Ingram introduced me to the value of studying in context at a time when the concept of context was foreign to my religious environment. These two men added immeasurably to my years of spiritual encouragement received in my home.

The Awakening

I began awakening to a more complete understanding of scripture when I attended college [now David Lipscomb University]. The greatest contribution that experience made to my spiritual growth likely was an increased understanding of the translation process.

My graduate school studies accelerated spiritual growth. Perhaps its most significant contribution was in teaching me how to study. I finally understood that the objective of study is to learn by being introduced to the previously unknown. The objective of learning is to increase personal understanding. As a result of those introductions and understandings, faith grows.

[As you discover previously unknown understandings, dare to ask previously unasked questions. Equally dare to seek answers to those questions. Never set any answer in concrete as unquestionably, totally complete. In seeking Gods truth from the revelation of His word, always be open to expanding understandings when encountering more complete information. Understanding is a friend, not an enemy.]

My in-depth education began when Joyce and I took our children to a West African country. Quickly I realized that many of the traditional propers I never questioned in past experiences were meaningless and inappropriate in the new [to me] culture.

The Realization

That realization had the impact of a nuclear bomb within my understanding! Before leaving the United States, I yearned to teach in a foreign mission field. Naively, I wanted to go some place that I could begin at the foundation level. I wanted to build Christian perspectives and understandings from the ground up. Suddenly, the teaching experiences in the new culture forced me to realize that my foundational Christian perspectives and understandings were influenced more by American culture than by an in depth understanding of the Bible.

It was a rude shock to realize I wore American glasses when I studied scripture. It astounded me to realize that many of my traditional propers dealt more with conservative American preferences than with the Bibles teachings. Suddenly, I realized that I was not a missionary to convert people to American values and concepts. I was a missionary to convert people to Jesus Christ.

This realization produced a personal crisis. With all my heart I believe that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. With all my heart I believe the church is to be Gods blessing to the world. With all my heart I believe that the avenue to Jesus and the church is the avenue of faith in Gods accomplishments in Jesus cross and resurrection. The crisis: why was it necessary to teach people who were not Americans how to view spiritual things from an Americans perspective before one could teach them to be Christians?

The American Perspective

Your response may be, I do not understand the concept of an American perspective. Typically, the American Christians answer to most spiritual needs begins with money [primarily because America is a prosperous society]. Third world countries are often poor societies [they have wealthy and middle class citizens, but those segments of third world societies tend to be small; the majority often live in extreme poverty].

Can you imagine the church existing in your community without a building? Or without a full time minister? Or without personal, motorized transportation for anyone [including the preacher]? Or without teaching aids, Bibles, or song books? Or without office machines of any kind? Or without any form of benevolent outreach? If you lived among people who were frequently sick, had no access to medicines, had almost no access to clinics or hospitals, and could live their entire lives without seeing a doctor, how would you help them by using Christian outreach?

Money and Blood

As you form and state your answer to that question, note how many of those answers begin with money. Missionaries attuned to needs in a local populace quickly realize huge sums of money could be invested in real needs, yet little be changed for more than a few days. Many American missionaries have this experience: locals ask, How can we become rich like you? while their American family and friends in the U.S.A. ask, How can you live like that?

If money is not available, can Christianity thrive? If we are not careful, we make mission work a form of business-producing-income to the nationals we seek to teach.

The second illustration is based on blood. Jesus was executed. Many of the apostles were executed. Martyrs in the early church were not unusual. Often the good news concerning salvation available in Jesus was shared at the expense of shedding the messengers blood.

Americans oppose Americans dyingeven in war! Our view of death is often distinctly different from other cultures [most Americans cannot grasp the concept of a suicide bombing!]. If the cost of sharing the good news about Jesus is your life, will you share the good news? Is it okay if your children share the good news? Is it okay if sharing the good news means you never see your grandchildren? Are blood and money too great a price for American Christians to pay for being evangelistic people of faith in Jesus Christ?

Christians Exist to Share Jesus

If you are no more than a second generation Christian, you can illustrate the unbelievable. You could relate an incident in which a congregation divided over the color of new carpet, the kind of grass for the new church lawn, to put or not to put a steeple on the building, the style of the new pews, who to hire as the new preacher, what spiritual songs to sing, the clapping of hands in worship, the raising of hands in worship, how the church building could be used, etc. Even the congregation at first century Corinth would be embarrassed by our reasons for falling out with each other!

We say Jesus is the universal Savior. What does that mean? We say Gods church is for the entire world. What does that mean? We say the resurrection to life is for everyone. What does that mean? We say the gospel is for all people. What does that mean?

It means the issues in Jesus Christ that confront Gods people are more important than carpet colors, grass, steeples, pew styles, following men, songs, clapping, raising hands, the uses of a church building, etc. A deeply significant awareness must come to exist among us! Jesus church pre-dates carpets! The first century church did not plant lawns! Originally, there were no church buildings, steeples, or pew styles. Preachers like Paul, Peter, and Apollos were merely laborers who served Gods purposes in Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:12, 13; 3:4-9). Speaking in tongues would make clapping seem an insignificant expression of appreciation! Paul told Christians to raise holy hands (1 Timothy 2:8). Jesus Christ is bigger than American preferences.

Americans do not have to become pygmies, or Nigerians, or Romanians, or British, or Spaniards, or Bosnians to be Christians. Neither do pygmies, nor Nigerians, nor Romanians, nor Brits, nor Spaniards, nor Bosnians have to become Americans to be Christians. Neither cultures nor languages are barriers to God, the Father of Jesus Christ.

Chapter 2 - Is Unity Uniformity?

Likely you witnessed this problem a number of times in a number of different contexts. As a listener, you listened to a discussion as two views opposed each other. You were absolutely amazed. Why? The opposing parties were not discussing the same concept. You may have tried to enter the discussion when you realized the other two participants were discussing different concepts. Yet, your entering the discussion proved pointless! Why? You were viewed as interfering. Why? Each party strongly assumed the other party and my side discussed the same problem, the same basic concept. Each party was certain we agree on the basic concept; we just disagree on the concepts application. The results: (1) the thoughts of the other party were regarded as flawed, ridiculous, inconsistent, or unreasonable; (2) the thoughts of the other party were commonly regarded illogical; (3) or the thoughts of the other party were regarded as an abuse or a violation of the authority they both accepted.

If discussion parties who differ do not hold a mutual understanding of the basic concept prompting their discussion, they confront an impossible problem. If their discussion/ disagreement is founded on a basic concept they assume everyone defines identically, they never will reach an agreement that produces a resolution. Both parties assume their discussion/disagreement basically begins with a common perspective. As they proceed, each party assumes in regard to the starting point of this discussion/ disagreement, your starting concept and my starting concept are identical. Neither party mentions the discussions basic concept because each party assumes we all are in agreement on our basic, beginning concept.

The Concept of Unity

One topic frequently discussed among those who believe Jesus is the Christ, Gods resurrected son, is unity. To assume everyone in a discussion concerning unity agrees on the basic concept of unity guarantees the discussion will fail to reach an agreement. While everyone assumes all are talking about the same concept, each party has a very different understanding of the meaning of unity, the nature of unity, and unitys primary concerns.

For example, when Paul condemned the division existing internally in the congregation at Corinth (1 Corinthians 1:10), he urged, ye all [all of youdwc] speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment (KJV). Some seriously argue that Paul meant Corinthian Christians had to achieve total agreement in everything.

[The following are illustrations. The author understands first century congregations had no 20th or 21st century church buildings. For the sake of insight allow a discussion of todays church buildings to illustrate the problem.]

Congregations have to reach total agreement on the carpet colors? They have to reach total agreement on color schemes? They have to reach total agreement on acoustics? On temperature? On steeples? On pew styles? Is this your understanding: If unity is the charge, unity must be focused on total agreementnot toleration, not silent surrender, not this is spiritually unimportant and a matter of personal preference, so do as the majority prefer.

The first matter of concern must be to allow scripture to define Gods concept of unity. Do you consider Jesus prayer in John 17:20, 21 to involve Gods concept of unity? Jesus prayed that his disciples be one as he and the Father are one. If your understanding (1) of Jesus oneness with God and (2) of Jesus prayer that his disciples be one as he and God the Father are one (3) involves Gods concept of unity, examine the situation. Jesus the son and God the Father were not identical when Jesus prayed that prayer. Jesus concept of unity [oneness] was not uniformity.

When Jesus prayed the night before his death that his disciples be one as he and his Father were one, he and the Father did not share uniformity. Jesus was a physical being; the Father was not. Jesus had limitations resulting from being human; the Father had no human limitations. Jesus could suffer physical pain; the Father could not. Jesus could die; the Father could not. Jesus and the Father were one, but Jesus and the Father were not uniform.

Calling people to Jesus Christ as the way to God through worldwide evangelism cannot and will not result in uniformity. People in any culture [regardless of how advanced or primitive; how educated or unschooled; how technologically skilled or technologically deprived] can be converted to Jesus Christ. However, differences in culture guarantees uniformity cannot exist among all those converted to Christ.

Illustrations

Consider the concept of marriage as an institution. I lived in a foreign culture for four years that was profoundly different from my American culture. The basic concept of marriage was different. Your reaction: Okay; no big deal.

Consider the roles in marriage. The roles of a husband and a wife contained significant differences. People commonly marveled at the marriage relationships between American missionary husbands and wives. The men of that culture concluded having an American wife would transform their marriage relationships! One morning my wife asked one of our workers how his wife was that morning. [They lived in an eight by eight foot room!] He replied, I do not know. We have not yet spoken. We are not like you Americans who ask, How are you today? when we wake up. Your reaction: Okay; that is a bigger deal.

Consider communion. They made no bread. They had no bread. In many places they ate no bread. Bread was a new, foreign food without meaning, beyond affordability, without significance, and without symbolism. Grapes did not grow in the regionin fact no regional fruit grew on a vine. The most common form of grape juice available was a cheap wine that quickly turned to vinegar after an opened bottle was stored in a hot place [no refrigeration was available to most people]. Consequently, the elements of communion there were different from those to which American Christians are accustomed. Your reaction: Major problem!

The Question

Question: should communion be a personal, meaningful experience that commits members of a congregation to each other and to Jesus Christ? Or, should communion be a performance experience without meaning but performed with this essential requirement: Do what we tell you to doeven if you do not understand what you are doing!

Lest you decide this is only an American Christian versus a non-American Christian issue, the problem also exists in our congregations in our own culture. Our own congregational challenges are enormous! Differences in personality types are enormous! Some are visual perceivers; some are not. Some are emotion driven; some are logic driven. Some are highly intuitive; some are black and white thinkers; some are oriented to intuitive thoughts and factual consideration. Some think and act primarily in terms of control and authority. Some think and act primarily in terms of nurturing and relationships. Some are convinced that elders should function as a board of directors who pass edicts down for compliance. Some are convinced elders should be shepherds who guide by being examples. Some love technology, considering it a wonderful friend. Some hate technology, considering it a horrible enemy.

The confrontations created by differing personality types are virtually endless. What melodies should worship songs follow? What words should worship songs have? How should worship be defined? What worship format should be followed? Should the elders of a congregation take to heart the expectations of members as the elders seek to lead? If so, what should those expectations be? Can individual members be told what translations of scripture they can or cannot study or what religious books they can or cannot read? Is the personal lifestyle of the Christian a matter of individual faith choice or a matter of congregational edict?

Consider an example. The elders of a congregation decide to be effective the congregation needs to renovate its building on the inside. The auditorium carpet is thread bare. The paint on the walls in the classrooms is peeling off. The chairs in every classroom are a variety of shapes, colors, and styles. Little or nothing has been spent on maintaining the inside of the building for decades.

A committee is formed to gather information from the congregation in order to form a consensus approach.

Some older members of the congregation want nothing changedIf it was good enough for my parents, it is good enough for us! They fear the building will lose its character. They are inflexible in their view.

Some want red carpet in the center aisle to symbolize Jesus blood flowing toward the pulpit. They are inflexible in their view.

Some want a specific calming color in the auditorium so the gathering people instantly feel a sense of peace. Yet, they are unconcerned about colors in class rooms. They are inflexible in their view.

Some want to spend all the money in the auditorium to enhance worship. They are inflexible in their view.

Some want to spend most of the money in the classrooms to advance education. They are inflexible in their view.

Question one: is unity in Christ in that congregation to be defined by renovations on a building? Question two: is unity in Christ in that congregation to be based on each Christian approving of every renovation? Question three: is unity in Christ in that congregation to be understood only in the terms and concept of uniformity?

It is evident in Romans 14 that unity was not uniformity in the first century church. Romans 14:4 declares the Lord can make stand Christians who were in no way uniform. God could make Jewish Christians stand and gentile Christians standeven when their concepts for expressing faith were in opposition.

Christianitys central element for unity in Christ is not found in an incredible human behavior that produces a profound uniformity among all Christians. Christianitys central element in unity is based on the incredible things God did in Jesus death and does in us when we knowingly and willingly enter Christ. The primary focus of Christian unity is on what God does in us, not in our uniformity.

Chapter 3 - Myth Number One

A commonly held myth among Christians is the concept that there was basic uniformity among Christians in the early church. [Referring to this conviction as a myth in no way is intended as an attack on the sincerity of the Christians who hold this view.] This conviction is typically broken down into these understandings. (1) Gods concept of the church was perfect. (2) The objective of the apostles was to convey Gods concept of the church to believers. (3) The apostles were successful in this objective. (4) While there were congregations of Christians existing in ignorance or defiance [like those in the congregation at Corinth], such congregations were the exception rather than the rule. (5) Overall, the apostles were successful in producing unity in the worldwide Christian community. (6) The end result was a uniformity which made all knowledgeable Christians alike in all religious things. (7) One of the major objectives of the church today is to reproduce the uniformity of the first century church.

What is the myth? The myth is that the church of the first century achieved uniformity among Christians. Typically this myth gives Gods grace a unique definition, or it disregards the concept of Gods grace.

Consider from the scripture a reality in the first century church. People were converted to the crucified, resurrected Jesus as Lord and Christ for the first time in Acts 2 (Acts 2:36). This first presentation of the saving power of the resurrected Jesus occurred in Jerusalem on the occasion of Jewish Pentecost. Only a Jewish audience that included those who were converted to Judaism heard this presentation (Acts 2:10). [Proselytes were people who had no Jewish ancestry but converted to Judaism as a religion. They adopted Jewish traditions as their lifestyle.]

At first there was enormous joy and sharing among the Jews and proselytes converted to Jesus Christ. Read Acts 2:41-47. Daily they devoted themselves to togetherness in Christ as they learned more completely about the significance of Jesus death and resurrection. Gods promised Jewish Messiah had come! They were filled with awe as they witnessed the Jewish apostles perform miracles. An incredible togetherness characterized all Jewish believers and proselyte believers who accepted the resurrected Jesus as the Christ.

These Jewish believers realized Gods original intent in Israel should characterize Christian relationships between Jewish and proselyte believers who accepted the crucified, resurrected Jesus as Gods Christ promised to Israel. Read Deuteronomy 15:1-11. Compare that Deuteronomy emphasis to the events mentioned in Acts 2:43-47 characterizing this first congregation [a Jewish congregation] and to the statement in Acts 4:34-35.

Local believers provided for the needs of pilgrim believers who wished to prolong their visit to Jerusalem. Pilgrim converts to Christ originally planned their pilgrimage to Jerusalem by calculating the expenses of their trip. They did not have our modern methods of acquiring more funds to prolong their visit [no ATM machines, no telephones to contact extended family back home, no wired money vouchers, etc.] Because of this new spirit among Jewish Christians, pilgrim believers wanted to stay in Jerusalem in order to learn more about Jesus Christ and better understand the teachings of the Messiah.

The Complexity of the Situation in the First Congregation

Speaking in broad terms, there were four categories of converts among the early believers in Jesus as the Christ in the first congregation. There were Jewish converts whose families had been residents of Palestine for generations. These people had not lived outside of Palestine for generations. Aramaic was their primary language. Their culture was basically a product of life and experience in Palestine rooted in the ancient traditions of the Jewish homeland.

There were Jews who had relocated to Palestine. Their families had generations of Jewish experiences in the Jewish communities in other countries. There are indications that these Jewish people had more contact and interaction with gentile people in their country of origin. Because of their ethical values and moral standards, Jewish people in other countries at times were desired by gentile people to fill roles in which integrity was critical. These people spoke Greek as their primary language. To retire to or to be able financially to move to the Jewish homeland was a dream of some of the diaspora [Jews living in communities outside Palestine].

There were pilgrim Jews who made the infrequent [perhaps the once in a lifetime] pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Conversion to Jesus as the Christ made it desirable for them to extend their pilgrimage. Perhaps some of them even relocated to the Jerusalem area.

There were proselytes. Prior to conversion to Jesus as the Christ, these gentile people had converted to Judaism. They were circumcised believers in Jehovah God who adopted Jewish ways and traditions as their lifestyle. For the greater majority of them, the language of their original country was their primary language, but they spoke the international language of Greek.

Please note one of the miracles on the Acts 2 occasion: the apostles [Galilean Jews] spoke to the crowd from which the first converts came. Without the aid of interpreters, every immigrant Jew, pilgrim Jew, and proselyte heard the apostles message in their own primary language.

The initial reaction of the converts to Jesus as the resurrected Christ was this: (1) God has kept His ancient promise to send the Messiah [Christ is the Greek word for the Hebrew word Messiah]. (2) The message of the Jewish prophets about the future of Israel is at this moment coming true. (3) The time of Israels renewal is here! The initial reaction of Jewish converts to Jesus as the resurrected Messiah was closely related to what American Christians would consider a restoration movement. The gospel could go into all the world [the Mediterranean world to us] with a message to the diaspora [scattered Jews located in Jewish communities in all major cities] about God sending the promised Messiah to the nation of Israel.

While most American Christians see the scope of Christianity as universal in concept, this first congregation saw the scope of Christianity in nationalistic terms.

Consider this diagram as an illustration:

Abraham ? Isaac ? Jacob ? 12 sons ? 12 tribes ? Israel [nation] ? Christians (vehicle) (vehicle) (vehicle) (vehicle) (vehicle) (divine goal)

Compare the above concept to this:

Abraham ? Isaac ? Jacob ? 12 sons ? 12 tribes ? Israel [nation] ?Israel [universal]

(vehicle) (vehicle) (vehicle) (vehicle) (vehicle) (vehicle) (divine goal)

In the Jerusalem congregation, most early converts did not look at Israel as a means for God to use to achieve His goal. They looked at the redeemed nation of Israel as Gods goal. The objective was to call Jews to fulfillment and divine reformation in the nation of Israel through the resurrected Jesus who was [is] the Messiah. The objective was to call gentiles to proselytism to Judaism and then to Christ.

It is simple to see how Jewish converts could hold this view of the Messiahs mission. (1) Israel was composed of Gods chosen people (Exodus 19:5, 6; Deuteronomy 7:6-8; 9:5) (2) Israel existed and was blessed by Gods powerful acts [performing ten miraculous deeds to release them from slavery; crossing the Red Sea; sustaining them in the wilderness; giving them Canaan as a homeland; etc.]. (3) God promised them the Messiah. (4) John called Israel to repentance to prepare them for the Christ. (5) Jesus earthly ministry was confined primarily to the Jewish people (Matthew 10:5-7; Mark 7:27).

The concept that all who place an obedient trust in Jesus as the resurrected Christ were accepted by God as citizens in the universal Israel [regardless of the believing persons ancestry] was an unthinkable concept to most Jewish Christians. Peters realization in Acts 10:34-35 was grasped with great personal difficulty. It certainly was not held by Jewish Christians in the Jerusalem congregation! (Consider Acts 11:2, 3, 16-18; 15:5.) It certainly was not held by the delegation of Jewish Christians sent from Jerusalem by James to the gentile congregations in Galatia! (Consider Galatians 1:6, 7; 2:11-14; 4:7; 4:21-31.) Yet, the Jewish Christians Peter (Acts 10:34, 35), Stephen (Acts 7:48), and Paul (Romans 11; Galatians 6:16) grasped the fact that Gods goal was much larger than physical Israel. Paul declared that Gods Israel is not a matter of ancestry but a matter of faith in Jesus as the Christ (Acts 13:42-49; Romans 9:6-8).

Many first century Jewish people including many Jewish Christians reacted against this understanding, some violently. Prior to conversion, Paul regarded Christianity as a grave threat to the nation of Israel and used violence in an effort to destroy this threat (Acts 8:1-3; 26:9-12; 1 Timothy 1:12-14). Some in the Jewish congregation in Jerusalem feared that accepting gentiles who were not proselytes into Christianity seriously threatened the future existence of Judaism (Acts 15:19-21). The book of Galatians documents the fact that the congregation in Jerusalem sent delegations to gentile congregations existing outside Jewish influence to impose Jewish practices on gentile converts.

The first problem

Pilgrim Jews who came to Jerusalem and became believers in the resurrected Jesus Christ had limited funds. Soon these pilgrim believers faced a crisis. Since their original plans did not include extending their Jerusalem visit past Pentecost, leaving was a necessity instead of a decision. Ordinarily in pilgrimages, remaining in Jerusalem past the planned departure time was not an option.

If these Jewish pilgrim converts were to remain in Jerusalem, local Jewish Christians must supply their physical needsand local Jewish Christians did! Properties and possessions were sold. Sharing was common. Needs were addressed. Each day, local Christians fed pilgrim Christians as all of them shared a spirit of joy. All of them focused existence in Jesus Christ with gladness. God was praised for all they received in Jesus Christ. Even those Jews who did not believe in Jesus regarded Christian Jews as an asset (Acts 2:47).

It is likely (see Leviticus 25:35-38; Deuteronomy 15:1-11) that a fund existed in Jerusalem to help Jews facing physical necessity. That such a fund existed in the Jerusalem congregation is verified by Acts 2:45, 4:36, 37; 5:1-11; 6:1. At first the fund was more than adequate for assisting relocated Jewish Christians and pilgrim Jewish Christians. With Christians selling possessions to address the physical needs of converts, the fund likely grew at first. However, the needs were continuous and the fund became stressed. In time, there was little more to sell. Yet, needs increased as the congregation grew.

As anyone experienced in benevolent activity understands, there must be criteria to determine (1) who is to receive help and (2) who is at the top of the list to be helped. Language is the primary vehicle of culture. Even today, it often is a primary means for establishing a line of distinction between us and them. Too often language is one of the gauges for determining who receives benevolent help.

The Jews who accepted Jesus as the Christ increased in number daily. Two things attracted Jewish people to those who accepted Jesus as the promised Christ: (1) Jesus resurrection and (2) the positive impact believing in Jesus Christ had on believer-believer relationships. This good development placed more stress on the benevolent fund.

Human flaws eventually prevailed. Acts 6 referred to the local Christians who for generations lived in the Palestine area as Hebrews. It referred to diaspora Jewish residents and pilgrim Christians as Hellenists. A dividing line separated Hebrew and Hellenist Christians! Though both groups were Jewish in ancestry, they significantly differed (1) in language and (2) in some synagogue procedures. While likely all [or most] of the Jews spoke common Greek [the almost universal language of market places], the regional language of Jews native to Palestine was Aramaic.

A human flaw frequently reveals itself when different primary languages and differences in religious procedures exist. The vehicle of this human flaw is favoritism. Virtually all humans prefer humans who are like them. Prejudice, even among Jewish Christians, eventually won!

In Acts 6 the congregation that began with opening homes and selling possessions to help needy believers found itself on the brink of major division. This Jewish congregation was accused of partiality by some of its own members! This problem was internal, not external! The Hebrew Jewish Christians were indicted for neglecting some Hellenist Jewish Christians in the distribution of food to needy widows.

Perhaps by this occasion many of the Jewish converts to Christ at Pentecost had relocated to Jerusalem to be part of the Jerusalem church. Such relocation truly would have stressed benevolent resources. The fact that the Messiah had come would have been a powerful draw to Jerusalem!

Please note the fact that this problem existed. The apostles had to address the problem in this first congregation composed only of Jews and proselytes. The problem constituted a serious threat to Christian fellowship in this first congregation. The problem could not be ignored! Please understand this is a problem among Jewish Christians in the first congregation at the center of Christianity prior to the existence of gentile believers in Jesus Christ who were converted from gentile idol worship.

The fact the problem existed declares uniformity did not exist among Christians when the church was only Jewish. Differences were real! Real differences easily escalated to the status of serious problem.

Glimpses of the Picture in the Puzzle

This section seeks to address an enormous challenge. Perhaps it is comparable to looking at the unassembled pieces of a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle. About two-thirds of the puzzle is unassembled on a table picture up. About a third of the puzzle is still jumbled together in the box. Were it not for the picture on the front of the box, one would have no idea of what the picture on the puzzle should look like.

In recent decades more and more pieces of puzzle revealing the picture of the first century Christian community have been identified or recognized. In the past, people often thought they had all the pieces and knew what the picture should be. To form that picture, people often forced pieces to fit together to conform to a predetermined, accepted picture. The procedure said, (1) This is what the first century Christian community looked like. (2) The puzzle pieces we possess must fit together to produce that picture. (3) If a piece must be forced to fit the picture, so be it. The picture determines the role of the pieces rather than properly fitting pieces forming the picture. With a little thought, it should be evident this is backwards thinking. The correct picture is formed when (1) all the pieces (2) fit together correctly (3) without having to be forced into places they do not fit.

When it comes to the first century Christian community, we still find and turn up pieces of the puzzle. Unfortunately, we do not have a picture on the box as a reference. The Bible is the box, but it has no picture of the first century Christian community on its lid. More and more, pieces long unrecognized or ignored are becoming evident.

The sole objective [it is the only objective!] of these observations is to note the complexities of the Jewish community when Christianity began in Jerusalem. The purpose is simple: to stress the fact that those complexities had a definite impact on the Christian community before first century Christianity became a movement among gentiles in the first century world.

Begin by considering the Hebraist. The area of the first century homeland of the Jewish people had numerous gentile peoples living in it. For centuries the Jewish homeland was located on a major land trade route connecting Egypt with the east. For hundreds of years this small country [smaller than many states in the United States of America] was invaded by foreign influences [through commerce and military campaigns] that intruded on their isolationist culture: such as the Assyrians, the Babylonians, Alexander the Great, the Ptolemies, the Seleucids, and the Romans. The Hebraist maintained an existence of isolation in a sea of foreign influences. They had as little contact as possible with foreign influences, yet expedience and necessity made some contact necessary. However, they maintained their own traditions, their own worship practices at their sacrificial worship site, and their own language to preserve [in their concept] the covenant God made with Abraham.

Generally, they had little social contact with gentile people (Matthew 10:5; 15:21-28; John 4:9; 8:48; 18:28; Acts 10:28; 11:3). It is that reality that makes statements found in Matthew 8:5-13 [the Roman centurion who asked Jesus to heal his servant], Luke 7:4, 5 [a Jewish plea to grant a gentiles request], and Matthew 5:41 [the instruction to carry a Roman soldiers pack a second mile] both insightful and fascinating.

There were also Hellenist Jews who resettled in or near Jerusalem as residents of the Jewish homeland. Aramaic was not their first language. Greek was. They established and attended a Hellenist synagogue in Jerusalem (Acts 6:9). They felt more comfortable studying, worshipping, and socializing with Jews like us. Because Hellenist Jews came from cities in countries where interaction between the Jewish community and the gentile residents of the place was more likely, they viewed gentiles a little differentlymany Hellenists were not as committed to isolation.

This does not imply that there was a discernible fault line based on differing theological views between Hebraists and Hellenists that threatened to produce an earthquake between the two groups in the Jerusalem community. The differences likely were subtle, but differences existed. Often people tolerate major differences more easily than subtle differences. When major differences exist, one is expected to be different. When subtle differences exist, one is expected to be just like me. Often, the more subtle the differences are, the greater the suspicions.

In the homeland, in the mix of Aramaic speaking Jews and Greek speaking Jews, there were numerous Jewish sects. Each sect attempted to define and defend the central issue confronting their homeland. The Essenes regarded Jewish society and the temple as so corrupt that they refused to interact with Jewish society or worship in the Jewish temple. They lived in a self-imposed exile in isolated communities. The Zealots believed that any rule over the Jewish homeland that was not Jewish defied God Himself as the genuine King of Israel. Thus assassination of Jews [like the tax collectors] who assisted non-Jewish people was an act of devotion to God. The Pharisees wanted Jewish society to return to the old paths that properly followed ancient Jewish traditions and practiced ritual purity [such as hand washing, eating authorized foods, and Sabbath practices]. The Sadducees believed that God rewarded people here and now in physical terms (see Acts 23:6-9).

As though things were not complex enough among the first century Jews, there was a group of Jews who advocated that the Jewish society become part of the now world by assimilating foreign practices into Jewish society. It is possible that the Pharisees gained their influence in Jewish society as a reaction to the influence of this faction.

Also, there was a group of Jews known as the sinners (Matthew 9:10-11, 13; 11:19; Mark 2:15-17; Luke 5:29-32; 6:32-34; 7:34; 13:1, 2; 15:1, 2: John 9:31). The Jewish community considered irreligious Jews to be sinners. Perhaps these Jews committed some moral offense. Perhaps they did not wish to be a part of Jewish institutions or felt unwelcome in Jewish institutions. Whatever their offense, they were regarded by acceptable Jewish society as undesirables and outcasts.

Then there was the unusual. Paul [a Jew] was born in Tarsus, Cilicia (Acts 22:3) far removed from Palestine. Yet, at an early age, he traveled to Jerusalem to study as a student under the well known rabbi, Gamaliel (Acts 22:3), as a devout Jewish traditionalist (Acts 22:3; Galatians 1:14). His father was a Pharisee, and he was a Pharisee (Acts 23:6). He spoke Aramaic (Acts 22:2), was a Roman citizen by birth (Acts 22:25-29), and originally regarded belief in Jesus as the Christ as treason against Israel. Thus he felt it appropriate to persecute and kill Jewish Christians (Acts 8:3; 26:9-11; 1 Timothy 1:13), and intended to carry his campaign to Jewish communities outside of Palestine (Acts 9:2). As unlikely as it would seem, after conversion this man became Gods appointed apostle to the gentiles (Acts 9:15, 16; Galatians 2:8, 9).

Conclusion

These are not all the pieces of the puzzle of first century Jewish society. However, they are some obvious pieces. Where and how do these fit into the picture? The Christian community began in a complex social and religious situation. The attitudes behind those social complexities definitely impacted the Christian community shortly after it came into existence.

Chapter 4 - The Jewish Temple

Two things seem to be at the core of faithfulness in the first century Jewish community when Christianity began: circumcision and the temple. One subtle difference existing in the first century Jewish community was the role of the Jewish temple. This was not a Hebraist or Hellenist issue. The book of Acts verifies both the Hellenist part of the Jewish community and the Hebraist part of the Jewish community defended their bond with the Jewish temple (Acts 6:9-14). Negative attitudes toward the temple are presented in Acts as individual understandings, not as an act of a group resistance. [Consider as examples Stephens statement in Acts 7:48 and the accusations against Paul in Acts 21:28.]

The concepts that follow are not given as a rejection of the existence of the Jewish temple as a God accepted and God seeking institution. They are given in regard to first century Jewish attitudes toward the temple, not the temples right to existence.

The Origin of the Jewish Temple

The first temple was built by King Solomon after King David gathered the building materials (2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 22:1-5; 1 Kings 6). It was rebuilt centuries later when a remnant of Jews returned to the Jerusalem area after the Babylonian captivity (Ezra 1:3, 4). It was restored a third time by Herod the Great (John 2:20). Herod paid for the renovation and expansion of the temple complex. Some regard this to be a renovation, not a restoration.

The origin of the temple began as a desire of King David. He wanted to make Jerusalem the royal city of Israel. In the process of doing that, he built himself a palace suitable for a royal residence (2 Samuel 7:1, 2). To King David, it seemed inappropriate for him to live in a fine, permanent residence while Gods ark of the covenant sat in a tent (2 Samuel 7:2). Thus, it became Davids intent to build God a magnificent temple.

Gods response to David is curious. (1) You are not the one to build me a house (2 Samuel 7:5). (2) Since Israel began as a nation, I have lived in a tent [a tabernacle] (2 Samuel 7:6). (3) I never asked Israel to build me a house (2 Samuel 7:7).

It is obvious that building God a temple was Davids desire, not Gods instruction or command. Yet, scripture declares God accepted the temple.

What followed was Gods declaration that He would make David a house [a continuing royal dynasty over Israel], not that David would make God a house. God would make Davids son king over Israel, establish Davids descendants as the royal lineage of Israel, and Davids son would build the temple David wished to build (2 Samuel 7:12-16).

After Solomon completed the Jewish temple (1 Kings 6), he dedicated it with a prayer that focused on the purposes of the temple as a place of prayer. Included was Solomons request for God to hear and answer gentile prayers when they came to pray at the Jewish temple (1 Kings 8:41-43).

God accepted the temple as the place for His presence and for sacrificial worship (1 Kings 8:10-13; 2 Chronicles 5:11-14; 7:11, 12).

The Jewish Temple and Problems

Significant trouble involving the temple began occurring when King Solomon sealed foreign alliances by marrying the daughters of foreign royal families (I Kings 11:1-8). The end result was this: an offended God took ten of Israels twelve tribes from the reign of King Rehoboam, King Solomons son (1 Kings 12:16, 17).

Those ten tribes made Jereboam their king (1 Kings 12:20). King Jereboam was afraid that a return to the Jerusalem temple would incite patriotic feelings and result in a return to King Rehoboams rule. In that fear, he built idolatrous shrines at Dan and Bethel. The idolatrous shrines were a deliberate substitute for the Jerusalem temple. These shrines made pilgrimages to the Jerusalem temple unnecessary (I Kings 12:25-33). Thus the temple Solomon built played a prominent role in King Jereoboams decision to turn the ten tribes toward idolatry.

In time the temple served a detrimental role in the thinking of the tribes that remained loyal to Davids descendants. These Jews placed their faith in the temples existence rather than in God. This was their reasoning: We have Gods temple in Jerusalem. The presence of Gods temple guarantees us that Jerusalem cannot be destroyed. God must protect His temple. Thus, safety was found in Gods obligation to protect His temple, not in their reverencing and obeying Him! To place their faith in the temples existence was a terrible mistake!

Listen to these prophetic statements:

Jeremiah 7:4, 8 Do not trust in deceptive words, saying, This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord. . . . Behold, you are trusting in deceptive words to no avail.

Micah 3:11 Her leaders pronounce judgment for a bribe, her priests instruct for a price and her prophets divine for money. Yet they lean on the Lord saying, Is not the Lord in our midst? Calamity will not come upon us.

The temple existed to allow Israel to honor God, not to serve as an insurance policy!

In the first century, the role of the temple among Jewish people is curiously interesting. More Jews lived outside of Palestine [the diaspora] than in Palestine. Only those who lived in Palestine had near access to the Jerusalem temple. In Palestine the core of devotion to God included temple worship, temple sacrifices [as the only site for sacrificial worshipDeuteronomy 12:1-14], temple prayers [offered three times daily by Jews with immediate access to the temple area], and national feasts. To the diaspora, the synagogue served as the core of devotionreadings, lessons, and prayersbecause they did not have near access to the temple. [The temple and the synagogues were not in competitionboth existed simultaneously in Jerusalem serving different roles.] However, this fact was true. The diaspora did not have easy access to the temple. Those in and near Jerusalem did.

The First Congregation and the Temple

Remember that the first congregation was a Jewish congregation composed of Jews native to their homeland, relocated Jews, diaspora pilgrims, and proselytes. Remember their view of Jesus as the Christ centered in God keeping a promise to Israel nationally, not Gods universal outreach. Most of the people in the first congregation did not share nor understand Gods universal intent in making Jesus the Christ. In those Christians understanding, the nation of Israel was poised to assume its rightful rolea role the nation should have assumed long before.

There is an obvious link/bond between the first Christian congregation and the Jewish temple. The Jewish temple played a key role not only in evangelistic outreach to Jews and proselytes, but also in expressing Christian devotion to the resurrected Christ. Christianity was the fulfillment of Judaism. To that first congregation, it was not a separate movement. It was the ultimate reform movement among Gods people, not an outreach to the world. It called the diaspora all over the Mediterranean world to repent and called God fearing gentiles to become proselytes.

The evidences of the link/bond between the first congregation and the temple are numerous. Those who were among the first to be baptized in the conviction that Jesus was the Christ expressed their single-minded devotion by making daily trips to the temple (Acts 2:46). The first recorded act of an apostle after the Jerusalem congregation existed was Peter and Johns trip to the temple at the afternoon hour of prayer (Acts 3:1, 3). They likely were going to pray. The evangelistic opportunity occurred as the result of a miracle and the mans reaction to the miracleit was spontaneous, not planned. While the temple courtyard and area around the temple obviously were sites of early Christian evangelistic activity, this was not an all-inclusive, universal outreach. It was a call to the Jewish people to realize what God was doing for the nation of Israel through the Messiah Jesus (Acts 3:19-26, particularly note verses 19 and 26). Remember Peter is, again, speaking to an audience of Jews and proselytes.

Peter and John were arrested by the temple guard [Jews] for their deed and words in Acts 3. They were presented at the Jewish court for trial (Acts 4:1-2, 5-6). After the incident involving Ananias and Sapphira, the apostles were located in the temple area (Acts 5:12). When all the apostles were arrested to be tried in the Jewish court, they were teaching in the temple (Acts 5:25). After their trial, they were daily in the temple area preaching and teaching that Jesus was the Christ (Acts 5:42). One effect of all this teaching and association in the temple area is that many priests obeyed the gospel (Acts 6:7). An accusation against Stephen was that he spoke against this holy place [the temple] and the law (Acts 6:13).

The link/bond between the Jerusalem congregation and the temple is obvious in Acts 21:19-26. Paul was in the temple area on this occasion at the request of the Jerusalem elders. Paul was arrested in the temple courtyard after his presence sparked a riot (Acts 21:27-28). The riot almost resulted in Pauls death. The people became an emotional, frenzied mob when Paul was openly accused of defiling the temple! Note Acts writer acknowledged why the people were upset with Paul. It was because they declared (1) Paul opposed the nation of Israel, the law, and this place, and (2) he defiled the temple by bringing a non-Jew to the wrong area.

Consider the Acknowledgement of the Hebraist and Hellenist Jewish Reality Beginning in Acts 6

You are challenged to focus on what occurred after the Jerusalem congregations problem was declared. Seven men of good reputation and filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:3) were selected by the congregation (Acts 6:2) to oversee the administration and distribution of the benevolent fund. All seven men had Greek names which may indicate they all were relocated Hellenist Jewish Christians or pilgrim Jewish Christians. This fact is not decisive proof they were Hellenist Jews because some Jews also had Greek names. One, Nicolas from Antioch, was a proselyte. The only other two about whom information was given are Stephen and Phillip.

If Stephen and Philip were among the Greek-speaking Jews Acts called Hellenist, some fascinating happenings come into focus. Stephen was a miracle worker (Acts 6:8) and a gifted speaker who confronted Greek speaking Jews who did not accept Jesus as the Christ (Acts 6:9, 10). He was so effective in his verification of Jesus identity as the Christ that those who opposed him could not cope with his wisdom or the Holy Spirit in him.

In an effort to diminish Stephens effectiveness and influence, these Greek-speaking Jewish opponents induced witnesses to accuse Stephen of blaspheming Moses, the law giver, and God. The end result: Stephen was tried before the Jewish Council. False witnesses declared Stephen constantly spoke against the law and the temple (Acts 6:11-14). At least part of the accusation before the Jewish Council was the same accusation made against Jesus before the same Council (see Matthew 26:61 in its full context). It was the accusation of opposition to the temple that guaranteed the death verdict for both men (see also Acts 7:48).

Stephen presented his defense in Acts 7, but his defense merely further antagonized his opponents. He said that (1) God did not dwell in the temple and cited the original temple builder as evidence (Acts 7:48-50; Isaiah 66:1; 1 Kings 8:27); (2) his opponents and the Council were stiff-necked people who were uncircumcised in heart (Acts 7:51; see Deuteronomy 10:16) because they resisted the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51); and (3) they were just like their ancestorsprophet persecutors and murderers (Acts 7:52).

The anger of the opponents and Council deepened to emotional resentment. When Stephen affirmed he saw Jesus at Gods right hand, his opponents became instantly violent (Acts 7:54-57). Shortly thereafter Stephen became the first Jewish Christian to die in a devotion to the resurrected Jesus (Acts 7:60). Perhaps a Hellenist Jew was the first Christian martyr.

Philip did the unthinkable. He went to the Samaritans declaring that Jesus was the Christ (Acts 8:5) and performing miracles (Acts 8:6-8). Why should it be so amazing that Philip taught Samaritans? Do you recall John 4:9, Matthew 10:5, or John 8:48? When Jesus talked to the Samaritan woman at the well just outside Sychar, the writer observed,

The Samaritan woman *said to Him, How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman? [For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.] (John 4:9).

The hate and enmity that existed between the Jews and Samaritans cannot be exaggerated! The Samaritans accepted the Pentateuch [the first five Old Testament books] as scripture, but they regarded Mount Gerizim as the site for sacrificial worship. The Jews destroyed the temple that the Samaritans built on Mount Gerizim. A Hellenist Jew took the gospel to and baptized people the Jews despised!

An angel directed Philip to a road that ran through an uninhabited area. On that road Philip met and baptized the eunuch from Ethiopia who had been to Jerusalem to worship (Acts 8:26-27). There are numerous questions about this man for which there are little but speculative answers. Deuteronomy 23:1 suggests a eunuch could not enter the temple courtyards even if he were a proselyte. Some declare from a historical perspective that the surgery that made him a eunuch involved removal of all male organs making it impossible for him to be circumcised, therefore making it impossible for him to be a proselyte. Whatever his physical status, he learned about Jesus Christ from Philip and was baptized. As far as we know, he immediately returned to his country without further instruction. Philip went to Azotus [in earlier times the Philistine city of Ashdod] preaching to all the cities in that region finally settling in the city of Caesarea, a port city which was the administrative capital in Palestine for the Roman government. This entire region had a significant gentile population at this time. A Hellenist Jew declared Jesus to be the Christ in an area with a known gentile population. As was the case with Cornelius in Acts 10, these people had an awareness of Jesus ministry and miracles (see Acts 10:36-39).

Increasingly, there was a sense among some Jewish converts that closeness to God was achieved through understanding Jesus Christ, not through praying and sacrificing at the Jewish temple. To many Jewish people, Christian or not, that was an unthinkable idea!

Chapter 5 - The Second Problem

This lack of uniformity in the first Jewish congregation created a MAJOR crisis when the good news of Jesus resurrection reached outside the Jewish community. A man who was gentile lived in the city of Caesarea. He was an officer in the Roman Empires occupation force stationed in Palestine. His name was Cornelius. His job was to assist in controlling the Jewish population in Palestine when Jewish loyalties threatened Roman authority.

As a result of being stationed in Palestine, Cornelius became a believer in the God the Jewish people worshipped. He was a person in a group known as God-fearers. God-fearers were people who believed in Jehovah God, but were not Jews and had not officially converted to Judaism [they were uncircumcised]. Cornelius was devout, reverenced God, was personally benevolent toward Jews, and prayed daily to the God of the Jews.

In order to teach this man about the resurrected Jesus, God sent Cornelius [a gentile] the apostle Peter [a Jewish Christian]. It took a lot to convince the Jewish Christian Peter to travel from Joppa to teach a gentile in Caesarea! (1) A hungry Peter saw a vision three times, each time concluding with this admonition: What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy (Acts 10:10-16). (2) A thoroughly confused Peter was told by the Spirit to accompany Cornelius men back to Caesarea (Acts 10:19, 20).

Peter went because God told him to go, not because he fully understood why God sent him. When he arrived, he told Cornelius and those assembled, You know Jewish law forbids me to be in your gentile home, but God showed me that I should not call any person unholy or unclean (Acts 10:28). His next question was quite revealing: Tell me why you sent for me? (Acts 10:29) Peter did not understand why he, a Jew, was in the home of this gentile!

The end result of Peters visit and teaching was the baptisms of Cornelius and many others. On that occasion, two things happened: (1) a Hebraist Jewish Christian understood people who were not Jews had the right to respond to Jesus Christ [see Acts 10:34-35]; (2) people who were not Jews or proselytes received the Holy Spirit and were baptized into Christ. That began a major problem that expressed itself in relationship problems existing between Jewish Christians and gentile Christians.

The Problem Escalates

Quickly word traveled back to the Jerusalem congregation that Peter had eaten with gentiles. Peters action traveled throughout Judea more quickly than Peter traveled to Jerusalem! (See Acts 11:1.) This was long before the age of telephones, radio news bulletins, or televisions! What Peter did truly was unthinkable in the understanding of the Palestinian Jewish community or the Jerusalem congregation.

When Peter returned to Jerusalem, Jewish Christians confronted him. The conversation was a serious, heart-to-heart confrontation. Paraphrased, God promised Israel the Christ. How dare you share him with someone who has not been circumcised? You had no right to be there! (See Acts 11:2, 3)

Note Acts 11:3: You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.

The group of Jewish Christians who confronted Peter finally were satisfied that God Himself granted the gentiles repentance that results in life (Acts 11:18). Yet, that merely began a major problem in the first century churchnot ended the conflict between Jewish Christians and gentile Christians.

In Acts 11:19-26 when the first known gentile congregation came into existence [as a result of Jewish evangelism!], the first congregation [Jewish] send Barnabas [Jewish] to observe what was happening. Though Barnabas rejoiced when he observed Gods grace at work among people who were not Jews (see Acts 11:23, 24), the problem would get worse, not better.

In Acts 15:1 Jewish Christians from Judea insisted gentile Christians in Antioch had to be circumcised [converted to Judaism] to be saved. These Jewish Christians created such a hostile atmosphere and disagreeable debate among gentile Christians that not even Paul and Barnabas could resolve the confusionimmediately after returning from a successful mission trip among the gentiles! (See Acts 15:2, 3)

The issue debated in Antioch was referred to the Jewish apostles and Jewish elders in the Jerusalem congregation. Some Jewish Christians insisted that gentile Christians must be circumcised and observe the law of Moses [convert to Jewish lifestyle] in order to be Christians (Acts 15:5). After all the evidence and testimony was presented, James [a Hebraist Jewish Christian and leader in the Jerusalem congregation] declared it was unnecessary for gentile Christians to become Jews in order to enter Christ. The apostles, elders, and whole church [Jewish Christians in Jerusalem] (Acts 15:22) sent a letter by devout Jewish Christians confirming this decision. Not even that decision ended the controversy! Obviously, the letter did not represent every Jewish Christians viewpoint!

Later Paul sent the letter of Galatians to gentile congregations in the Roman province of Galatia. This same problem produced destructive confusion in gentile congregations in that area. Paul was astounded that Jewish Christians had convinced gentile Christians that they were not saved unless they converted to Judaism (see Galatians 1:3-12). After providing evidences of Gods acceptance of gentiles without conversion to Judaism, Paul recounted an incident that involved the apostle Peter and himself. Peter came to the gentile congregation at Antioch and engaged in full fellowship [including eating gentile foods] with gentile Christians. However, when a delegation of Jewish Christians visited the congregation at Antioch, Peter broke off a complete fellowship [including eating] with gentile Christians because he was afraid of Jewish Christians (Galatians 2:11,12). In fear, Peter even convinced Barnabas to do the same thing! (Galatians 2:13) Paul called their action hypocrisy and confronted the apostle Peter face to face publicly about being in error in this matter.

Conclusion

Do these incidents give you a sense of the enormity of the Jew-gentile problem among Christians in the first century church? Does it challenge you to realize that from the beginning the central issue in God-defined unity in Jesus Christ was not uniformity?

Chapter 6 - Myth Number Two

In the Bibles terminology, most American Christians are gentiles. In fact, the majority of Christians are gentiles. At some moment in history after Acts 10, the majority of Christians in the last half of the first century were gentiles.

Consider the meaning of a fact. Many Christians in the New Testament were called gentiles by the Jews. What does that fact mean? Quite simply, its means Christians who were gentiles ethnically were not Jews. From a biblical Jewish perspective, people could be divided into two categories: those who descended from Abraham through Isaac [Israelites or Jews] and all other peoples [gentiles].

Even among the conservative Jews of today, those two primary divisions are typically recognized as a primary division of peoples in the world. A person is a Jew or he/she is not. If he/she is not, he/she is a gentile. To a conservative Jewish person, these terms are important for distinguishing between people who are Jews and people who are not. Jews were [are] persons descended from Abraham through Isaac. That was [is] either true of a persons physical ancestry, or it was [is] not.

Most gentile Christians worldwide [definitely including Americans] think in salvation terms without regard to ethnicity [who your ancestors are; what race of people accepts you as one of them]. To associate salvation through grace with ancestry in an ethnic group is not even a part of the religious thought process for many gentile Christians. To many gentile Christians, attempts to combine salvation concepts with ethnic concepts radiate suggestions of racism.

However, the conservative Jewish mindset thinks in ethnical-religious concepts as though the two concepts are an inseparable part of each other. To these people, the preservation of the Jewish people in a world often hostile to Jewish people cannot and must not be separated from religious concepts. The preservation of Israel as a nation is a fundamental expression of Judaism [the Jewish religion]. In conservative Jewish thinking, it is impossible to commit oneself to God and His teachings and be unconcerned about the preservation of the Jewish people and the nation of Israel.

Why?

Even in the first century, why was it essential to defend a strong bond between ethnically being Jewish and being a follower of God? Why was maintaining and preserving Jewish tradition and custom an essential religious expression? Understanding the answers to these questions is critical to an understanding of the New Testament concept of unity in Jesus Christ.

First, combining (1) ethnic identity and (2) religious commitment to God began in Gods promises to Abraham about two thousand years before Jesus birth. Among the promises God made to Abraham early in their relationship was this: And I will make you a great nation (Genesis 12:2). A blessing would come to all people through Abrahams descendants (Genesis 12:3). Abraham followed God by becoming a nomad in Canaan. Later God confirmed His promise [covenant] with Abraham by declaring in Genesis 15:18, To your descendants I have given this land . . . [speaking of Canaan].

When Abraham was 99, God reaffirmed His promise [covenant] to Abraham with this statement: I am God Almighty [El Shaddai, the God who is strong enough to help and sensitive enough to care]; walk before me, and be blameless [be a person of integrity]. And I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly (Genesis 17:1, 2). Then God made this statement to Abraham: And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you (Genesis 17:7). In the same conversation, God told Abraham that Canaan would be his descendants everlasting possession (Genesis 17:8) and specified the descendants who came through Isaac (Genesis 17:21). The sign that signified Abraham and his descendants through Isaac honored this covenant was circumcision [practiced as a religious rite] (Genesis 17:9-14).

Hundreds of years later, God delivered Abrahams descendants from their slavery in Egypt. Within months after their deliverance, after the plagues in Egypt, after crossing the Red Sea, after the quail and manna, after the water at Meribah, God instructed Moses to deliver this message to the people of Israel: You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I bore you on eagles wings, and brought you to Myself. Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:4-6). After this statement, God gave the people of Israel [by speaking to them] the ten commandments.

Deuteronomy repeatedly emphasized the unique relationship between God and the people of Israel. But the Lord has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, from Egypt, to be a people for His own possession, as today (Deuteronomy 4:20). For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth (Deuteronomy 7:6). Do not say in your heart when the Lord your God has driven them out before you, Because of my righteousness the Lord has brought me in to possess this land, but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is dispossessing them before you. It is not for your righteousness or for the uprightness of your heart that you are going to possess their land, but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord your God is driving them out before you, in order to confirm the oath which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Deuteronomy 9:4, 5). For you are a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth (Deuteronomy 14:2). The Lord has today declared you to be His people, a treasured possession, as He promised you, and that you should keep all His commandments . . . (Deuteronomy 26:18). so it shall be when all of these things have come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind in all nations where the Lord your God has banished you, and you return to the Lord your God and obey Him with all your heart and soul according to all that I command you today, you and your sons, then the Lord your God will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you. If your outcasts are at the ends of the earth, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you back. The Lord your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers. Moreover the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live (Deuteronomy 30:1-6).

Though Israel frequently forgot what it meant to be the Holy Gods people [consider the incidents in Judges and the situation in Isaiah 1], they clearly understood God had chosen them as His people. Frequently they placed more confidence in who we are than in the God who chose them because of Abrahams great faith. Gods redemptive purposes were even greater than His covenant to Abraham. His covenant with Abraham was merely a piece of the puzzle. The divine redemption of all people was the puzzle.

Myth Two

The second myth that is frequently unquestioned is this: Jewish Christians were elated that gentiles accepted Jesus Christ through grace. That was not the situation. Most Jewish Christians (1) regarded the baptism of gentile Christians with skepticism; (2) were certain gentile Christians must yield to Jewish covenant signs, Jewish morality, and Jewish traditions/customs, and (3) were convinced gentile Christians could not be saved just through an obedient surrender to Jesus Christ.

The Jewish Christians who were thrilled with the gentiles acceptance of Jesus Christ as Savior were relatively few. Peter was. Yet, it took Gods powerful acts and the outpouring of the Spirit to convince Peter that gentiles could be saved (read Acts 10). Long after his realization in Acts 10:34-35, Peter feared Jewish Christians who did not understand God could forgive gentiles aside from their being proselytes. Peter feared these Jewish Christians so much that he disassociated himself from gentile Christians at Antioch of Syriaand successfully convinced other Jewish Christians who had accepted gentiles to follow his example! (See Galatians 2:11-14.) Barnabas was one of the first Jewish Christians to rejoice in gentile acceptance of Jesus Christ (Acts 11:22-24). Yet, he was influenced by Peter to sever [at least part] of his relationship with gentiles (Galatians 2:13). Paul, after conversion to Christ, became the apostle to the gentiles (Galatians 2:7-10). However, he endured numerous problems because he dared convert gentiles to Christ (consider Acts 15:1, 2 and 28:17-28 as examples). Other Jewish Christians who rejoiced in the conversions of gentiles included Silas, John Mark, Timothy, Priscilla and Aquila, Apollos, and the elders of the Jerusalem congregation in Acts 21:18-21. The Jewish Christians opposing the salvation of gentiles through grace likely outnumbered [considerably!] the Jewish Christians who championed the salvation of gentiles through grace.

The biblical evidences of Jewish Christians opposition to gentile conversions to Jesus Christ through grace are numerous. Even though Peter was sent to Cornelius in Caesarea by the Lord and the Spirit, he took Jewish Christians with him to be witnesses (Acts 10:45-48). Why? Just entering a gentile home was a highly objectionable act for a Jew of good standing in the Jewish community. In Peters words, You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him . . . (Acts 10:28).

When Peter returned to Jerusalem, Jewish Christians in the Jerusalem congregation and throughout Judea expressed opposition to his actions (Acts 11:1-3). Note the issue was much more fundamental than Peter baptizing Cornelius and others. He ate with them. He had table fellowship with them. He violated basic Jewish tradition and custom by eating unclean food [food not prepared according to Jewish regulations] with unclean people [uncircumcised people outside Gods covenant with Abraham]. The problem: they were unclean because they had not been circumcised (see Genesis 17:14 and Exodus 12:48 to note the significance of circumcision to Jewish people). Peters act in Acts 10 was much more than a baptism issue. It was a Jew-gentile issue. The fact that Jewish Christians finally quieted down and glorified God when they heard about Gods outpouring of the Holy Spirit on gentiles (Acts 11:18) did not resolve the Jewish Christian-gentile Christian crisis.

When Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch of Syria after their first missionary journey [in which they converted both Jews and gentiles], they arrived in the midst of a local emotional confrontation. Some Jews [likely Jewish Christians since they confronted gentile Christians] told gentile Christians that unless they were circumcised according to Moses custom they could not be saved (Acts 15:1). Conversion to Jesus Christ was not enough! Paul and Barnabas entered the confrontationthey had recently converted gentiles to Jesus Christ!

The confrontation was so serious and emotional, it is described as no small dissention and disputation [KJV], great dissention and debate [NASV], no small dissention and debate [RSV], sharp dissention and debate [NIV], a long argument [JB], fierce dissention and controversy [NEB], and no small dissention and dispute [NKJV] (Acts 15:2). This was a serious, emotional question/problem/matter! The disagreement was of such intensity that not even Paul and Barnabas could resolve it [even though they just had returned from converting gentiles to Christ!]. The issue at stake was of such significance that it had to be referred to the apostles [Jewish] and elders [Jewish] in Jerusalem! Not even Peters instructions from God in his Acts 10 experience resolved the fundamental question of the correct manner for converting gentiles to Jesus Christ. Must gentiles convert to Jewish traditions and customs in a manner sanctioned by Jews before they converted to Jesus Christ?

When they arrived in Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabas gave a report to the apostles and elders on Gods work among the gentiles through them (Acts 15:4). However, some Pharisaic Jewish Christians took issue with the evidence provided by Paul and Barnabas. They declared it was not only necessary to circumcise gentile converts [a religious rite], but also to instruct them to observe the Law of Moses (Acts 15:5). Note the apostles and elders allowed all who wished to express themselves to do so.

After hearing all the evidences, James declared that gentiles did not have to accept and follow Jewish practices in order to have salvation in Jesus Christ. His statement goes to the heart of the issue: For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath (Acts 15:21). A huge fear in the Jewish Christian community was this: including gentiles in the church without requiring conversion to Judaism eventually would destroy the distinctiveness of Israel. James, a Jewish Christian leader in the Jerusalem congregation, said this would not happen. Salvation of gentiles in Christ would not destroy Jewish identity!

This Jewish Christian who is a leader in the Jerusalem church declared Jewish traditions and practices were guaranteed a secure position because synagogues would teach these traditions and practices every Saturday. The conversion of gentiles to Jesus Christ through grace was not a threat to Jewish tradition or practice. A Jewish leader in the Jerusalem church was defending (1) the right of gentiles to be Christians without first becoming proselytes and (2) the continuation of Jewish tradition and teaching through the functioning of the synagogue.

Conclusion

The Acts 15 letter was circulated among the gentile congregations in Syria and Cilicia by the agreement of apostles, elders, and whole church in Jerusalem (Acts 15:22-29). It confirmed gentiles did not have to become Jewish proselytes before conversion to Jesus Christ. However, this Jerusalem church decision and this letter from the Jerusalem church did not resolve the Jewish Christian-gentile Christian issue. This issue was a definite factor in Pauls arrest in Acts 21:20-28. It was definitely part of the controversy that plagued Christians in Rome (Romans 14). It was the primary reason for the letter of Galatians, a letter to gentile Christians concerning the message and evaluations of Judaizing teachers. It was a factor in the warnings found in 1 Timothy 1:4 with 6:3-5; 2 Timothy 2:23-26; and Titus 1:10-14 with Titus 3:9 regarding questions, genealogies, arguments about words, etc. This controversy was enormous among first century Christians.

Chapter 7 - To Be An Israelite

The religious perspective of a first century Israelite and the religious perspective of most 21st century American Christians are completely different. The American churchs religious perspectives have deep roots in a long history of protestant denominationalism. Though the American religious scene has experienced [and continues to experience] some basic changes in recent decades, there still are Americans in churches whose thinking is based on denominational models. When the denominational perspective forms a persons primary religious thought pattern, he/she typically views Jewish sects within first century Judaism as Jewish denominations. When such people read of the Pharisees, or the Sadducees, or the Zealots, or the Essenes, they typically think, Jewish denominational groups!

However, that is not true. One could be a part of Israel even though he does not endorse my theological perspective in Judaisms concerns. The disagreements among Jewish sects were commonly emotional, often intense, and frequently confrontational. That situation is comparable to a situation in congregations of the Church of Christ who champion the one cup theology, the no class theology, the opposition to congregational cooperation theology, or the appropriate use of church buildings theology. Though first century Israelites often disagreed over what they regarded to be fundamental theological questions in Judaism, they did not reject each other as a part of the nation of Israel. The sects might strongly disagree on what was regarded as critical theological questions in Judaism, but they still were part of the nation of Israel.

A first century Jew did not choose to be an Israelite. He was an Israelite by birth. He chose his religious sect, but not his nationality.

That situation demands that an important question be asked: in the first century, what were the essentials for being an Israelite [not a convert]? Whom did first century Jews recognize as Jews [excluding proselytes]?

Genealogy

Gods promise to or covenant with Abraham was the promise of a great nation coming from him (Genesis 12:2). The nation would come from the promised son, Isaac (Genesis 17:15-19) who was born to Abraham through Sarah when Abraham was 100 years old (Genesis 21:1-5).

Israel is not the only nation to descend from Abraham. The descendants of Ishmael also became a nation (Genesis 21:13, 18; 25:12-16). Lots son/grandson, Moab, became a nation with a land provided to them by God (Genesis 19:30-38; Deuteronomy 2:9) as was also the case with Ben-Ammi, father of the nation of Ammon (Genesis 19:30-38; Deuteronomy 2:19). The sons of Esau also become the nation of Edom (Genesis 32:3; Numbers 20:14-21) with a land provided them by God.

Being able to trace genealogy back to Abraham through Isaac and Jacob was an important aspect of being an Israelite. Early evidence is seen from the time Israel left Egypt. The last occurrence prior to Israel leaving Egypt was establishing and observing the Passover meal. No non-Israelite was to share in the meal (Exodus 12:43). Exceptions were made, but only with specific instructions. Slaves to Israelites [who were purchased with money] must be circumcised prior to taking the Passover meal (Exodus 12:44). No uncircumcised person was to be permitted to eat the meal (Exodus 12:48). Otherwise, all Israelites must eat the meal (Exodus 12:47).

Much later, the exiles [Israelites] who returned from Babylonian captivity intermarried with and had children by women who were foreign women [of the people of the area, not of Israelite descent]. Though these women frequently were the wives of some prominent men in Israel, Israelite men were required to divorce them. The separation was to be total (Ezra 10:3-4)Israelite men were no longer to continue their marriages with foreign wives. They were not to keep children produced by those marriages.

Ezras distress regarding this situation is reflected in Ezra 9:3 when he tore his clothing and pulled some hair from his head and beard. It is also reflected in Ezra 9:5-15 and 10:1 which note his intense prayerfulness about this matter. Nehemiahs distress regarding such marriages is reflected in Nehemiah 13:25 when he extracted a pledge from Israelites not to give their daughters as wives to gentile people or take wives for their sons from gentile people. Nehemiah contended with them, cursed them, struck them, pulled their hair out, and made them take a oath to God. Though God hated divorce and was offended by Israelites who dealt treacherously with the wives of their youth (Malachi 2:14-16), in this instance genealogy was more important than divorce.

The importance of genealogy in first century Israel is evidenced by Jesus genealogy in Matthew 1:2-16 and Luke 3:23-38. It is also noted that the prophetess Anna was from the tribe of Asher (Luke 2:36). Paul knew he was from the tribe of Benjamin (Philippians 3:5).

John the baptizers declaration that repentance and its fruits were more important than ancestry (Matthew 3:7-9) was a shocking statement to be made concerning Israel! Though we gentile Christians often focus on the importance of repentance, this statement verified the confidence many Israelites placed in ancestry/genealogy.

If one was to be an Israelite, he or she must be a descendant of Abraham through Isaac.

Circumcision

Again, circumcision as a religious rite in Israel began with God, Abraham, and the promised future existence of the nation of Israel. To confirm the acceptance of the promise/covenant between God and Abraham, circumcision served as the continuing sign of this foundational promise/covenant (Genesis 17:9-14). Every Israelite male was to be circumcised (verse 10) to verify confidence in this ancient promise/covenant God extended to Abraham (verse 11). This circumcision was to occur eight days after the Israelite male was born (verse 12) and included servants born into the household or purchased (verse 13). Failure to be circumcised and thereby to become a part of the promise/covenant between God and Abraham meant the uncircumcised Israelite male was excluded from the nation of Israel (verse 14).

The importance of circumcision as a religious rite in Israel was verified from its beginning. Genesis 17:26-27 states that on the day God gave Abraham this responsibility, Abraham, Ishmael, and all male servants were circumcised immediately.

Isaac, the son God promised Abraham, was circumcised eight days after his birth (Genesis 21:4).

On the evening that the Israelite slaves prepared to leave Egypt, instructions were given defining future people who could eat the Passover meal. The Passover memorial meal was the most important occasion of worship in Israel. In that meal, Israelites acknowledged they existed as a nation because of an act of God (Exodus 12:26-27). The purpose of Israels sacred feasts was to remind Israel they existed as a nation because of Gods acts (see Deuteronomy 16:1-17 and 26:1-11). As essential as the Passover memorial feast was [and is] to an Israelite, no uncircumcised Israelite should be permitted to eat that meal. Joshua 5:2-12 declares this progression after the wandering Israelites left the wilderness: (1) all the men of Israel were circumcised; then (2) Israel as a nation observed Passover.

It is important for us gentile Christians to realize that circumcision in ancient Israel was far more significant than an arbitrary physical hygiene practice. It was a religious rite filled with relationship to God significance. It was to be a physical expression of internal commitment to God: So circumcise your heart, and stiffen your neck no longer (Deuteronomy 10:16).

Deuteronomy predicted Israel would experience captivity and divine redemption from captivity. The return of Israelites from the predicted captivity was described in these words: Moreover the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live (Deuteronomy 30:6).

Failure to understand that circumcision was to be both external and internal produced dire consequences. Generations later, Jeremiah wrote this: Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, that I will punish all who are circumcised and yet uncircumcisedEgypt and Judah, and Edom and the sons of Ammon, and Moab and all those inhabiting the desert who clip the hair on their temples; for all the nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised of heart (Jeremiah 9:25-26).

Circumcision was as important among Israelites in the first century [even among Jewish Christians] as it was among Israelites previously. When Peter was sent to Cornelius by the Lord (Acts 10:9-20), he took with him six circumcised believers to serve in the role of witnesses (Acts 10:45). Peter needed these witnesses to confirm his story when circumcised believers confronted Peter condemning him, not for baptizing Cornelius, but for going into a gentiles home and eating with him (Acts 11:1-18, note especially verse 12).

Jewish believers in Christ told the gentile converts at Antioch this: Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved (Acts 15:1). According to these Jews, a faith in Christ response of penitent baptism could not save unless it was preceded by circumcision. This position was declared by Jerusalem Pharisees who were converted to Christ: But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, It is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses (Acts 15:5). The incident occurring in Jerusalem in Acts 21:18-24 happened because Paul was falsely accused of teaching Jewish people not to circumcise their childrenobviously a serious accusation among Israelites!

The significance of circumcision to the Jewish community [including Jewish Christians] was evidenced in additional ways in New Testament books. Jesus was circumcised on the eighth day (Luke 2:21). Paul had Timothy [who had a Jewish mother] circumcised to enhance his credibility with Jewish audiences (Acts 16:1-3). Peter was known as the apostle to the circumcised while Paul was known as the apostle to the uncircumcised (Galatians 2:7-9). In the Jewish community, circumcision was critically important to forming a continuing bond with God.

Food

From the nations origin, Israel understood there was a direct connection between ritual purity and what a person ate. Leviticus 11 declares what Israelites could and could not eat. The delineation between clean and unclean creatures that may or may not be used for food concludes with this statement: This is the law regarding the animal and the bird, and every living thing that moves in the waters and everything that swarms on the earth, to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean, and between the edible creature and the creature which is not to be eaten. (Leviticus 11:46, 47). Deuteronomy 14:1-21 also stresses the link between the Israelites diet and their purity.

The diet to be eaten in Israel included both what was eaten and the manner in which the food was prepared. The Yiddish word used to declare a food was sanctioned by Jewish law is kosher. Kosher food is ritually appropriate for Jewish consumption.

The association of ritual purity with food is noted in Mark 7:1-4. Some religious leaders from Jerusalem chastised Jesus for allowing his disciples to eat without performing the ritual task of washing [purifying] their hands. The writer noted that it was common practice among the Jews to purify their hands prior to eating. Not only did they purify their hands prior to eating, but they also practiced purification rituals when they returned from the market. They also purified the preparation and serving vessels. Again, this observation is not about practicing good hygiene. It is a religious matter, not a health matter. Impure hands made food impure. Ingesting impure food made the body impure. Worshipping God with an impure body insulted God.

A sacrifice offered to a false god was impure. In Romans 14 some Jewish Christians in Rome were vegetarians (Romans 14:1-3). They had no way to be certain that the meat sold at the market had not been part of an idolatrous sacrifice. To be safe religiously, they ate no meat. The fact that 1 Corinthians 8:4-13 discussed basically the same problem indicates this dilemma was a common problem in Jewish communities, even among Jewish Christians. In Judaism, food did commend Israel to God, but no longer could food serve in that role (1 Corinthians 8:8).

The same dilemma is addressed in 1 Corinthians 10:23-33. Pauls instruction is thought-provoking. When you buy meat at the market, do not ask questions. When you are invited for a meal in the home of a person who is not a Christian, do not ask questions. Give thanks to God who is the true source of your food. Eat what you are served unless your host tells you your meat was sacrificed to his god. Then abstain from eating for your hosts sakeonly your God should be honored by your gratitude.

The stress that Jewish dietary laws brought into the Christian community is evident in Galatians 2:11-14. This illustrates the importance of Jewish dietary laws to the Jewish community.

An important mark of being an Israelite was eating only those things Israel had been instructed to eat for hundreds of years.

Jewish Tradition

In most religious movements and perspectives, major digressions occur when people confuse the what with the how. Judaism was no exception. At times in Israel, the how was of such importance that if the how was incorrect, the what was so polluted that it became meaningless.

Consider an illustration. When God gave Israel the ten commandments, He said, Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy (Exodus 20:8). Following was this clear emphasis: no work was to occur on the Sabbath. Yet, one could not obey that instruction unless work was defined. The instruction contained no comprehensive definition of work. Was it to be considered work to feed and water your livestock? Was it to be considered work to cook a meal? Was it to be considered work to tie your sandal? Was it to be considered work to offer a sacrifice? Before an Israelite could keep the Sabbath holy by not working, he/she had to have a definition of work.

Consequently, Jewish leadership defined work for Israelites. The first century understanding of work is likely found in the Mishnah, Shabbath 7:2. Thirty-nine classifications of work are given. A Jew living by Gods law must abstain [on the Sabbath] from doing any act under those thirty-nine classifications. The intent was to make the command to keep the Sabbath day holy a command that could be obeyed. However, the how was elevated to a level of importance that made correct procedure as important as intent.

In an attempt to make the instructions of the law applicable to all current situations, Judaism recognized two sources of authority [just as do most Christians]. Those two sources of authority were the written law [scripture] and the oral law [tradition]. The primary function of the written law was to declare the what. The primary function of the oral law was to apply the written law to current situations. They, as we, believed scripture was alive and could be applied to all existing situations and circumstances.

The written law came from God. The oral law came from ancient men of God who handed down applications through the generations. Thus, the what came from God and the how came from ancient men whose hearts belonged to God.

Aspects of the problem then and now are similar in many respects. What men concluded [the how] became as authoritative as what God said [the what]. Consider an example. In Matthew 12:1-8 Jesus and his disciples are walking along the edges of grain fields [wheat or barley] on a Sabbath. A part of this group were Pharisees. The disciples became hungry, stripped some of the grain from the stalks along the pathway, and ate the raw grain.

What the disciples did is a familiar, common act to people who grew up in rural circumstances. They merely reached out as they walked by, stripped some ripened heads of grain, and ate the ripe, raw grain. It was a casual act, not a labor intensive deed. In no way was it an attempt to work.

Immediately the Pharisees accused the men of violating the Sabbath [Jesus frequently was part of intense discussions on Sabbath violations]. The accusation: the disciples violated the law. By the definition of work that the Pharisees recognized, the disciples were in violation of the category of reaping or harvesting. Note: violating the Pharisees accepted definition was violating the law. Jesus defended the disciples act by using scripture and making an observation.

Obediently following the tradition was critical to faithfulness! Consider Mark 7:3-4 and 7:10-13. Prior to becoming a Christian, Paul said he was extremely zealous in keeping the ancestral traditions (Galatians 1:14).

Numerous warnings were given gentile Christians about the circumcisions dogmatic insistence that gentile Christians associate faithfulness to God with observing Jewish traditions. Paul warned Titus of rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision (Titus 1:10). Crete was notorious for its ungodly people. Yet, Paul considered the Jewish influence on that island such a great threat to the Christian community that he specifically warned against that Jewish influence. Such people were to be reproved severely to challenge them to be sound in the faith [sounds like Jewish Christians!] (Titus 1:13). Specific direction was given to ignore Jewish myths and commandments of men (Titus 1:14). Because such people said something was impure did not make it impure (Titus 1:15). Paul said such people claimed to know God, but their behavior made it evident they were detestable, disobedient, and worthless for any good deed (Titus 1:16). Despite their claims, they did not represent Gods intent! Additional warnings are found in 2 Corinthians 11:13, 1 Timothy l:5-7, and 2 Timothy 4:3-4.

Idolatry

For hundreds of years, Israel frequently brought spiritual disaster upon themselves through their continuing love affair with idols. When Israel left Egypt, they left a country steeped in idol worship. For over four hundred years they lived in a nation devoted to idolatry. For much of that period they were slaves to the Egyptians! Those circumstances produced a powerful spiritual influence on Israel.

For example, after God delivered them from Egypt through powerful acts, after God provided them food and water in the wilderness, after God spoke to them the ten commandments, Moses went up onto the mountain to receive guidance from God. Moses was gone for over a month (Exodus 32). Israel grew restless for leadership. Their solution: Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him [idolatry!] (Exodus 32:1).

They prevailed upon Aaron to make them a golden idol. What was said when Aaron presented the idol to Israel? This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt (Exodus 32:4). What an incredible insult to God!

Idolatry plagued Israel for hundreds of years! Listen to the opening of Judges: Then the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals, and they forsook the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed themselves down to them; thus they provoked the Lord to anger (Judges 2:11, 12). Idolatry was a major problem in Israel in Judges!

Consider King Solomons failure: Now King Solomon loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the sons of Israel, You shall not associate with them, nor shall they associate with you, for they will surely turn your heart away after their gods. Solomon held fast to these in love. He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines, and his wives turned his heart away. For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been (1 Kings 11:1-4). Solomon even went so far as to build temples near Jerusalem for his wives gods! (1 Kings 11:7-8)

As a result of Solomons idolatrous deeds, ten of the twelve tribes of Israel followed Jereboams leadership when Solomon died. In fear that the ten tribes would turn away from him when they went to sacrifice in Jerusalem, Jereboam lead them into idolatry (read 1 Kings 12:25-33). This nation was destroyed by the Assyrian captivity generations later. Not once did they leave idolatry.

The two tribes that remained loyal to Davids descendants spent most of their years in love affairs with idols. Only the Babylonian captivity [from which a remnant returned to Jerusalem] convinced them to forsake all forms of idolatry. By the first century, Israel wanted to do nothing that even had the appearance of idol worship.

Conclusion

The basics for being an Israelite in the first century included heritage, circumcision, eating appropriate food and observing appropriate food rituals, keeping Jewish traditions, and avoiding even the appearance of idolatry.

Chapter 8 - Gentiles Are Dangerous!

The world of the first century was an extremely complex place, just as is our world of today. For example, it cannot be accurately viewed as simply a world of Jews [descendants of Abraham through Isaac] and gentiles [people of all other backgrounds]. Consider the Jewish people. They were composed of two distinct sections: the Jews who lived in Palestine and the Jews known as the diaspora [Jews who lived outside Palestine]. Not all Jews, for example, who were descendants of those exiled to Babylon [in the Old Testament period] returned to Palestine. More Jews remained out of Palestine than returned to Palestine. Those who did not return were the origin of the diaspora [dispersed ones].

Though most major cities/population areas of the first century gentile world had a Jewish community, though Jews in Palestine and Jews outside of Palestine shared numerous things in common [circumcision, the law, synagogue worship, etc.], there also were basic differences between Jews in Palestine and Jews in the diaspora. A verification of those differences is acknowledged in Acts 6:1. The Jews in Palestine spoke Aramaic and were culturally different from the Hellenistic [diaspora] Jews. The differences created a problem in the first congregation. The worldwide Jewish community made some striking distinctions among themselves!

To illustrate the complexity of the Jewish community, consider an incident related by Josephus in Antiquities [book xx; chapter 2; verses 2,3,4]. Queen Helenas son, Izates [the king over Adiabene] wished to convert to Judaism as had the Queen. He wished to submit to the circumcision rite in his conversion. In his personal understanding, he could not be thoroughly a Jewish proselyte unless he was circumcised. His initial teaching came from Ananias, a diaspora Jew, committed to making converts to Judaism.

However, both Queen Helena and Ananias urged Izates not to be circumcised because this act might incite a rebellion of his subjects against his rule. Ananias convinced Izates that God would not withhold forgiveness from him because he was not circumcised. Izates was assured by Ananias that God would receive his worship.

Later, a Jew from Palestine [Eleazar from Galilee] urged Izates be circumcised, and Izates willingly complied.

This is cited as an illustration. Even among some Jews from Palestine and some Jews among the diaspora, there was basic disagreement over matters as fundamental as conversion to Judaism.

Beware of oversimplifying the situation in that world!

To Be a Proselyte

A proselyte was a gentile who through the conversion process became a part of the Jewish community. This was not a casual decision. It was not what Christians today might refer as a spur of the moment decision in which a gentile was motivated by a Jew to walk down the aisle to reject his gentile culture and adopt Jewish ways.

Gentiles were welcome to attend Jewish synagogues and learn about God. See Acts 13:16. Note this occurred in a synagogue. Note the men of Israel were Jews. Note those who fear God were gentiles. Note the author of Acts acknowledged the presence of both. Also read Acts 13:44-52. Observe the author of Acts acknowledged (1) Jews and gentiles came to that synagogue, and (2) each group reacted quite differently to Pauls message.

Before a gentile became a proselyte, he or she must be attracted to the God of the Jews. Becoming a part of the Jewish community [leaving your gentile culture and adopting Jewish ways] required a period of learning and understanding. Today we might refer to that process as indoctrination. Everett Ferguson notes in Backgrounds of Early Christianity [second edition, page 512] that numerous things attracted gentiles to Judaism including monotheism, high ethical standards, philosophical worship in synagogues, an ancient and inspired revelation, and the social cohesiveness of the Jewish community [dwc--though Jewish differences existed among themselves, Judaism was not nearly as fragmented as was a gentile community with its many forms of idolatry]. Typically, what was required to be a proselyte was circumcision of males, baptism [a cleansing by immersion] for males or females, and an offering at the temple [prior to the temples destruction in AD 70].

Some Jews, a minority, did not approve of accepting gentiles into the Jewish community. These Jews regarded even converted gentiles to be a dangerous influence who could corrupt the devotion of the Jewish people to ethical and moral standards. Remember, there was a genuine fear of idolatry in the Jewish community! The Jews who feared accepting proselytes into the Jewish community believed gentiles were so ingrained in immoral conduct and idol worship that it was unlikely that gentiles completely could be separated from such past influences. Therefore, even without consideration of Christian influence, part of the Jewish community was seriously skeptical that gentiles could come from the influences of idolatry and adjust to the Jewish environment without exerting a negative influence in the Jewish community.

To Be A Christian

When the Jewish Christian Peter went to an uncircumcised gentiles home and ate with gentiles [had table fellowship with them], circumcised Jewish Christians were upset with Peter (Acts 11:2-3, 17-18). After Paul was converted to Christ (Acts 9:1-19), this Jewish Christian man became an apostle to the gentiles (Galatians 2:8). Much of this Jewish Christians work involved efforts to teach gentiles about Jesus Christ [as examples, consider Acts 9:15; 13:13-52; 14:1; 15:1-3; 26:20; etc.].

Among the majority of the Jewish people, the issue was not can gentiles belong to God, but what must gentiles do to belong to God. Most Jews were comfortable bringing gentiles to God (Matthew 23:15), but they were comfortable only if it was done in the right way. When the Jewish Christian Paul declared gentiles could belong to God through grace in Jesus Christ without first becoming proselytes, many Jewish Christians as well as Jews who followed God rebelled. They rejected the concept that grace in Christ without proselytism could make a gentile a person who belonged to God.

From the common Jewish perspective [even among most in the Jewish church], the path for gentiles becoming Christians was this:

idolatry to Jewish teaching/indoctrination; to proselytism rites; to faith in Christ

For the Jewish Christians such as Paul, Barnabas [at times], Silas, Timothy, John Mark, Aquila and Priscilla, Apollos, and Peter [at times], the route for gentiles coming to God was quite different:

idolatry to Christ through grace administered by Jesus Christ

In these Jewish Christians understanding, the route to God for gentiles did not involve the Jewish community, Jewish teachings, Jewish traditions, or Jewish culture. Many Jewish Christians and the Jewish community said the route of grace through Jesus Christ simply would not work. It was too easy! There were too few prices to be paid! Or, We are the experts when it comes to getting paganism out of the pagans. We can redirect their lifestyle. We know how to do it. We were doing it before Christianity existed! The way of grace in Christ simply will not work. Instead of grace in Christ turning gentiles to a godly lifestyle, it will provide them the door of opportunity to bring idolatry and immoral behavior into Gods community. The grace path you people suggest will ruin the kingdom of God!

The work of the Judaizing teachers [some of the Jewish Christians from the Judea/Jerusalem area] reflected in the letter from Paul to Galatian congregations provides this picture: We came to inform you of essential things Paul did not tell you. If you are not circumcised and do not know and keep Jewish traditions, your baptism is ineffective. It cannot save you. [To see this Jewish Christian view, consider Acts 15:1, 5; Galatians 1:6-7].

Remember, the basic issues involved in faith in Jesus Christ were quite different in the Jewish community and in gentile communities. The fundamental issue among the Jews was this: Is the man Jesus the Christ [Messiah] God promised Israel? To see this issue addressed, consider Acts 2:36 and 3:18-21. Both these remarks were addressed to Jewish audiences.

The fundamental issue among the gentile idol worshippers was this: Was there a resurrection? To see this issue addressed, consider Acts 17:30-32. This thought was addressed to a gentile, idol worshiping audience. Note the groups response.

Pauls Perspective or Gods Perspective?

Paul did not create or fabricate Gods interest in gentiles. Paul understood Gods interest in gentiles. From the beginning, God was interested in making it possible for gentiles to be reconciled to Him. Before Israel existed, when God made the initial covenant with Abraham, Genesis 12:3 states, And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed. Again, God promised Abraham, In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice (Genesis 22:18). God renewed the promise/covenant to Isaac: I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven, and will give your descendants all these lands; and by your descendants all the nations of the earth shall be blessed. . . (Genesis 26:4). Centuries later, God said through Isaiah, Thus says God the Lord, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread out the earth and its offspring, Who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it, I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I will also hold you by the hand and watch over you, and I will appoint you as a covenant to the people, As a light to the nations. . .(Isaiah 42:5-6). God also said to Israel [Judah], He says, It is too small a thing that you should be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make you a light of the nations so that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth (Isaiah 49:6). Simeon said upon seeing the infant Jesus, Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, A Light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel (Luke 2:29-32).

After conversion to Jesus Christ, Paul grasped Gods ancient plan and present intent. He declared to the Jews in Iconium, For so the Lord has commanded us, I have placed You as a light for the Gentiles, That You may bring salvation to the end of the earth (Acts 13:47). To King Agrippa, he declared, So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place; that the Christ was to suffer, and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He would be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles (Acts 26:22-23). Before Pauls conversion, he did not understand Gods intent, but after conversion, he grasped Gods ancient intent.

The Issue

This was the major question regarding the gentiles and Gods kingdom: will the conversion of gentiles to the Living God through grace administered by Jesus Christ become a serious threat to the kingdom of God? The Jewish community and many Jewish Christians said, Yes! The few Jewish Christians who understood that Gods intent was older than the nation of Israel said, No! That disagreement was a major issue in the first century church.

Chapter 9 - To Be Happy When God Is Happy

A common challenge in following God: take your lead from God. Too often a follower of God decides for God what His will is. Too often a follower of God decides for God what His purposes and intents are. Too often a follower of God decides for God what His priorities are. Too often a follower of God is certain that he or she knows exactly how God thinks. Therefore, he or she is qualified to serve as Gods judge in numerous matters if not all matters.

A common temptation among many Christians is the temptation to make all things fit my system. A Christians system is composed of his or her approach to and understanding of the foundation objective of the Bible. He or she is certain that his or her system is Gods system. If unknown information fits within and supports the persons accepted system, the previously unknown information is good information. If the previously unknown information does NOT fit within and support the persons accepted system, it is bad or incorrect information. As bad or incorrect information, it must be attacked and rejected. Even if the foundation of the unknown information is directly from scriptures revelation, its origin is insignificant.

Too often the primary question is not, Does this come from God? The reaction is, That cannot be right! If that is correct, it means . . . And we know that cannot be correct. If it suggests that the accepted system must be examined, the reaction is almost automatically rejection.

Long ago, Isaiah called for Judah to return to God (Isaiah 55). He made it quite evident from the beginning that Judah (1) was far from what God intended and (2) had deeply offended God in unjust behavior and idolatry (consider Isaiah 1:4-15). Isaiah stressed Gods compassion. Though Judah had offended God grievously, Isaiah declared Gods compassion. It was not too late to return to God! Listen to Isaiahs pleading. Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near (Isaiah 55:6). Let the wicked forsake his way. . . and . . . return to the Lord, and He will have compassion on him . . . for He will abundantly pardon (Isaiah 55:7).

Both in Judah and the church, the reaction of those certain they know the way God thinks is this: No, God will not pardon! Their wickedness is too great! Their sins are too many! The rebellions are too horrible! Human perspective suggested if Judah had offended God so deeply, pardon was impossible. It is time for inescapable justice, not abundant pardon!

Isaiah declared in Gods voice. For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). Paraphrased: You might not extend pardon in these circumstances, but I [God] do. People do not think and act like I do.

Consider two illustrations of the fact that God does not think or behave as human beings do. The first illustration is centered in the prophet Habakkuks reaction to Gods plan to use the Babylonians to punish Judah. To say that the prophet Habakkuk was confused by Gods plan is putting it mildly. One of the questions Habakkuk asks in 1:12-17 is this: how can a God in whom there is no evil allow Judah to be captives of people who are less righteous than Judah? Clearly, God did not view the situation from the human perspective and from the human concept of defining what is just [righteous].

The second illustration is centered in the Jewish prophet Jonahs reaction to a mission God gave him to the gentile people of Assyria. First, Jonah tried to reject and evade the mission God gave him (Jonah 1, 2). When God refused to allow him to evade the mission, Jonah went to Nineveh as instructed. He was a horrible missionary! Though God sent him, he offered the Assyrians no hope! He gave them no call to repentance! His message was simple: Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown (Jonah 3:4). He wanted these ungodly, cruel people to face justice!

The call to repentance came from the wicked, not the prophet of God. When the people of Nineveh believed in God (Jonah 3:5), it was they who said, Who knows, God may turn and relent, and withdraw His burning anger so that we shall not perish? (Jonah 3:9) God did relent (Jonah 3:10). The result: a furious Jonah was filled with anger toward God (Jonah 4:1).

Jonahs reaction is insightful. I knew it! I knew you would not destroy them! Take me out of my miserykill me! (Jonah 4:2, 3) God asked, Do you have good reason to be angry? (Jonah 4:4) In Jonahs act of going out of the city to observe what would happen, there was an implied ultimatum: If You love them, destroy me. If You love me, destroy them. Choosebecause You cannot love both of us!

One day God shaded Jonah with a plant Jonah did not cultivate. The next day God destroyed the plant with a worm. Jonah begged with all his soul to die declaring, Death is better than life (Jonah 4:8). He even dared tell God that he had good reason to be angry! (Jonah 4:9)

God replied, You are angry enough to want death because a plant you did not plant died. Why should I not have compassion on the people of this great city? (Jonah 4:10, 11)

Clearly, a man who was supposedly a godly person did not think as God thought.

Centuries later Paul also addressed the issue of Gods love for both Jew and gentile in his letter to the Christians in Rome. After discussing the basis of Gods actions in salvation, He closed his opening section with these words:

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen (Romans 11:33-36).

To people, it may become an us or thembut not both of us proposition in regard to Gods love. Yet, to God, it is not a matter of choosing. Anyone who has an obedient faith is welcome to live in Gods love. Because of Gods mercy and grace declared in Jesus death and resurrection, Jews and gentiles can be part of Gods family. Happy is the person who can rejoice in Gods ways and thoughtseven when Gods ways and thoughts are not his or her ways and thoughts.

Conclusion

Gods inclusive love is a difficult understanding to accept for those who see themselves as indispensable to Gods purposes; who have a high opinion of their faith when it is compared to other Christians faith; and who have a high opinion of themselves as Gods people. Even if Christians exclude each other, God does not have to choose. Even if a Christian decides he/she disapproves of Gods actions or does not like Gods actions, God can and will save both. Gentiles did not have to become Jews to be saved, and Jews did not have to become gentiles to be saved. That truth likely displeased the majority of both Jewish and gentile Christians!

God accomplished what He intended to accomplish. Jews and gentiles simply needed to understand what God accomplished in Jesus death and resurrection. The challenge was [and is!] to grasp Gods achievements in Jesus Christ, and to trust Gods achievements in Jesus Christ. The challenge was NOT [and is not!] to deny Gods achievements in Jesus Christ. To declare, God would not do that! as the basis of a rejection of Gods achievements in Jesus Christ is to declare ones view of and understanding of Gods nature and priorities are inadequate. Most Christians direly need an improved understanding of atonement, reconciliation, justification, sanctification, and redemption.

Chapter 10 - Here We Go Again

Please accept the challenge to view Pauls circumstances and experiences through Pauls eyes! The issue is not, How do you look at what happened to Paul? The issue is, How did Paul see what happened to him?

In his pre-Christian life, this man absolutely was convinced he was right. He correctly understood religious teaching. He correctly understood the spiritual thrust of faithfulness. He knew Gods intent in the Messiah. He had the correct focus on Gods will in his personal understanding and commitment. It was right to learn and defend ancient Jewish traditions (Galatians 1:14). It was right to kill Stephen for his views about Israel, the Messiah, and the temple (Acts 8:1). It was right to despise, humiliate, and imprison Jews who accepted Jesus as the Messiah that God promised Israel (Acts 8:3). It was right to use physical force in synagogues against Christian Jewish men and women in his attempt to get them to declare Jesus was not the Christ (Acts 26:9-11). It was right to go to Damascus, Syria to arrest Christian Jewish men and women in the synagogues and return them to Palestine for trial (Acts 9:1, 2). It was so right, so true to Gods will, so true to Gods intent in the nation of Israel, and so protective of what God revealed about Israel in scripture that he willingly arrested Christian Jews, he willingly imprisoned Christian Jews, and he willingly voted for the death of Christian Jews. When a person believes he is right with such conviction that he kills for his beliefs, he is totally devoted to the rightness of his convictions with zero doubt!

In the midst of carrying out the logical conclusion of his conviction, in a blinding instant, in a sudden flash, he knew beyond doubt that he was wrong (Acts 9:5). The person he said could not possibly be the Messiah was the Messiah! The resurrection he declared to be a fraud actually happened! Jesus was Gods son! Every Christian Jewish man and woman who suffered because of Pauls zeal, every family who suffered as a result of Pauls zeal wrongfully experienced persecution and pain!

As a result, this successful man who was certain he was right about Judaism [he was powerful and successful though his views were erroneous!] endured ineffectiveness when he actually was right about Jesus identity. When he wrongly declared Jesus to be a fraud, he was powerful. When he correctly declared that Jesus truly was the Christ, he was ineffective among Jewish people. Though he cared for his people deeply, he could not lead them to Christ (Romans 10:1-3). In his opposition to Jesus as the Messiah, his people found him quite credible. In championing Jesus as the Messiah, his people viewed him as a despised traitor.

Pauls Failure Multiplied

Consider how Pauls life seemed to go from one failure to another. He was wrong when he concluded Jesus was a fraud. Yet, when he correctly understood that Jesus was the Christ, the Jewish people who celebrated his commitment began to curse his existence. The Jews who rejected Jesus as the Messiah were horrified when Paul stopped opposing Jesus and began defending Jesus. They did not view him as better informed! They classified him as a traitor to Israel! As a traitor, they wanted to kill him, and they made serious attempts to kill him (Acts 9:23-25).

When Paul returned to Jerusalem on his first visit as a Christian, Jewish Christians reacted to his presence with fear or with contempt. Christian Jews were afraid of him. Before Paul was a Christian, some Jewish Christians suffered some horrible things as a result of Pauls actions. Therefore, the majority of Jewish Christians did not believe Paul was Jesus disciple. With Pauls past in the Jerusalem area, his following Jesus seemed unbelievable and impossible! Perhaps he simply was trying to penetrate the Jewish Christian community as a spy! Had it not been for Barnabas taking Paul to the apostles and vouching for Pauls conversion, Paul may have been shunned by Jewish Christians (Acts 9:27).

The Jewish community that rejected Jesus as the Messiah resented Paul. Paul was bold as he talked and argued with the Hellenistic Jews about the identity of Jesus. These Jews held such resentment toward Paul that they wanted to kill him [they succeeded in having Stephen executed]. When Jewish Christians learned of their plot, they sent Paul home to Tarsus (Acts 9:29-30). Thus the man who came to Jerusalem as a youth (Acts 26:4-5) and became a leading student in Judaism (Galatians 1:14) returned home as a rejected Jew, not a prominent Israelite.

The Road Forked

Later, it was Barnabas [the man who introduced Paul to the apostles and affirmed the genuineness of Pauls conversion] who realized Paul would be effective and useful in the gentile work at Antioch, Syria (Acts 11:25, 26). There Paul and Barnabas worked together for a year. He and Barnabas also served as trusted emissaries for the Antioch congregation [predominantly gentile Christians]. This congregation sent a gift to the elders to financially assist Jewish Christians in Judea who suffered from the worldwide famine (Acts 11:28-30). It was from the Antioch congregation that Paul and Barnabas, at the Spirits request, launched their team mission effort into the gentile world (Acts 13:2-3).

Pauls Shock Continued

When Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch from their thrust into the gentile world, they found Jewish Christians telling gentile Christians that gentile Christians could not be saved unless they were circumcised (Acts 15:1). In our words, unless gentile Christians became Jewish proselytes, they could not be Christians. Faith in and baptism into Jesus in the confidence that Jesus was [is] the resurrected Christ were not enough! Paul and Barnabas vehemently opposed this view! (Acts 15:2) They just returned from calling gentiles to Christ! However, once again, Paul lost! Though Paul and Barnabas just had returned from converting gentiles, though Antioch was primarily a gentile congregation, though the Spirit sent Paul and Barnabas to convert gentiles, Paul and Barnabas declarations and affirmations were regarded inadequate. The matter must be referred to the apostles and elders at Jerusalem, not settled by Paul and Barnabas! The reports Paul and Barnabas made in route to Jerusalem as they passed through gentile areas [Phoenicia and Samaria] were not an attempt to exalt themselves for what they had done, but were about exalting God for His work among the gentiles (Acts 15:3).

The apostles and elders at Jerusalem declared that gentile converts in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia did not have to be circumcised to be saved. However, this apparent victory was short lived. At some point Paul evangelized in the area of Galatia and established several gentile congregations. [If you wish to study whether Galatia is an ethnic or geographical term, the precise date that the letter to the Galatians was written, etc., consult an introduction to the New Testament.]

After Paul departed from the Galatian congregations and was no longer in the area, some Judaizing teachers [Jewish Christians] came to these gentile congregations saying, We have come to teach what Paul failed to teach you. Their message contained the same perspective declared in Acts 11:1-3; 15:1; and 15:5.

Some of the gentile Christians in these Galatian congregations accepted the Judaizing teachers declarations. These teachers could make a convincing argument: (1) God Himself established circumcision with our forefather, Abraham, as the continuing sign of His covenant with His people. (2) If you gentile Christians are to be saved, you must be part of Gods covenant people. (3) The Messiah was promised to us, the Jewish people. (4) The Messiah was Jewish. (5) The scriptures were given to us. (6) We are the authorities who come from Palestine; we are not some diaspora Jew from Tarsus. (7) You better listen to us; we know what the scriptures declare.

[The issue between Pauls outreach to gentiles and the Judaizing teachers outreach to gentiles was intense. The issue was NOT may gentiles be evangelized. In Judaism, evangelization of gentiles was older than Jesus ministry (Matthew 23:15). The issue was how do gentiles get in, and how to gentiles stay in. Paul responded by appealing basically to Genesis. The Judaizing teachers responded by appealing basically to Deuteronomy. Paul declared gentiles got in by faith in Jesus death and resurrection, just as faith placed Abraham in (see Romans 4:1-12). Gentiles stayed in by faith in Jesus, just as faith allowed Abraham to show his confidence in God (see Genesis 22:1-19). The Judaizing teachers said gentiles got in by circumcision and stayed in by obeying the teachings of the law. Both affirmed that responding to God by doing was necessary, but their disagreements on the hows of responding were vast. Their differences in their concepts of how to get in and how to stay in were extremely emotional and deeply intense.]

Sometime after the Judaizing teachers visit, Paul learned what they did in the gentile congregations of Galatia. Shortly after he received the report of what happened, he wrote Galatian Christians the letter of Galatians. The letter was sent to more than one congregation. It is the earliest letter we have from Paul. To say Paul was upset is to put it mildly. There was no statement of encouragement typically found in the opening of Pauls letters. He quickly moved to and focused on the problem. He quickly declared his amazement at these gentile Christians actions.

It is as if we can hear Paul say, I lost in Damascus when the Jews who rejected Jesus tried to kill me. I lost in Jerusalem and was sent home for my own safety. I lost in Antioch when they referred this same question to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. Though the church in Jerusalem ruled in the gentiles favor, there still are Jewish Christians who refuse to let this matter die. Now they invade my gentile congregations with the same insidious teaching. Here we go again! Is there no end to this problem?

Pauls Frustration Continued

In Galatians, the continuing problem was the core question: do gentiles have to convert to Judaism [be circumcised] in order to be Christians? It was a Jewish Christian versus a gentile Christian problem. To Paul, it was a frustrating matter in the Christian community that simply would not go away.

Paul as a Jewish Christian teacher to the gentiles was at a distinct disadvantage in functioning as an authoritative voice. It is bad [and quite frustrating] when a teacher presents a different message which some of his own people regard unthinkable. It is worse [a compounded, vulnerable disaster] when those who are accepted as the authorities declare the teacher lacks the credentials to be trusted.

The best way to neutralize Pauls credibility was to minimize his spiritual credentials. (1) Numerous Jews declared Pauls message was unthinkable. Salvation to idolaters could not be extended through Gods grace made available in His resurrection of Jesus! Gentiles certainly could be saved through Jesus Christ, but only if they came to Christ through coming to Israel. (2) Paul arrived late on the Christian scene. (3) Paul did not see the resurrected Jesus prior to Jesus ascension. (4) Paul was not one of the twelve. (5) Paul was not a disciple during Jesus earthly ministry. (6) Paul did not meet the qualifications declared by Peter when Matthias was selected to replace Judas (Acts 1:21-22). The Judaizing teachers convincing argument: You gentile Christians are going to take his word over ours? We come from the first congregation! We represent James, the Lords brother! [Note Acts 15:24the problem was produced and sustained by Jewish Christians who claimed to represent the leadership in the Jerusalem congregation.]

Paul Stated The Incredible Problem

In Galatians 1:6-10 Paul declared his amazement. I cannot believe that you gentile Christians moved quickly to a distorted gospel. These disturbers have deceived you! You heard the genuine good news from me! Anyone who teaches you a different message does not represent or speak for God!

The word gospel means good news. To be taught that a person, regardless of ancestry or past, could come to God directly through the resurrected Jesus who was [is] the Christ was good news. A Christian was not called to abandon culture or ethnic identity, but to abandon evil. A Christian was not called to grieve over the fact he did not have the right ancestors; he was called to be a member of Gods family. A Christian was not called to a physical circumcision, but to a circumcision of the heart. (See Romans 2:26-29.)

A gentile Christian was called out of idolatry, out of an immoral and unethical lifestyle to worship the living God and live a godly lifestyle. For this to happen, all that was necessary was (1) to trust what God accomplished in Jesus death and resurrection and (2) to submit ones existence to Jesus Christ. That was good news! The abandonment of ones culture and his submission to circumcision [that involved social and physical ordeals] were unnecessary for Gods acceptancethat was good news!

The Jewish Christians who came to them with increased requirements did not bring them good news! They did not bring them a different good news! The savior was the sameJesus Christ! The resurrection was the same! The God and the son of God were the same. The forgiveness was the same. The hope was the same. All the Judaizing teachers did was nullify the gentile Christians place in Gods family unless gentile Christians converted to Judaism.

How could these gentile Christians accept the message of Judaizing teachers as good news? How was a forfeiture of salvation and becoming enslaved to previously unknown requirements and traditions good news? Why would these gentile Christians give up freedom in Christ for enslavement to Judaisms ways? Pauls frustration was enormous! It was one thing to make his life miserable, but it was quite another for Judaizing Christians to invade and distress gentile congregations Paul brought to Jesus Christ!

The following material is not a detailed study of Galatians. The intent is to focus your attention on some things Paul did in this letter.

Paul Verified His Right To Teach

Because the Judaizing teachers called Pauls credentials into question as an authoritative spokesman for Christ and God, it was necessary for Paul to affirm his credentials that gave him the right to present the gentiles the gospel. Paul devoted the first part of the letter to affirming his credentials.

Note the elements of Pauls affirmation:

My message is God revealed, not human taught. (Galatians 1:11-12)

My past as an opponent of Christianity destroyed [in that period] any opportunity to learn [correctly] the gospel. (Galatians l:13-14)

I turned because of Gods act, not because of a human teacher. (Galatians 1:15-16)

I received no indoctrination, no preparatory teaching when I turned to Christ. (Galatians 1:16-17)

My first visit to Jerusalem was an introduction visit, not an instruct me visit. (Galatians 1:18-20)

My early work was in Syria and Cilicia. Christians in the Jerusalem area did not know me by sight. They merely were happy to learn I turned to Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1:20-24)

When Titus [a gentile] visited the Jerusalem church with me, (a) we went by revelation (Galatians 2:1-2). (b) On that visit I shared with the Jerusalem leaders the gospel I presented to the gentiles (Galatians 2:2). (c) The Jerusalem church leaders did not insist that Titus be circumcised (Galatians 2:3). (d) The Judaizing teachers assaulted my message (Galatians 2:4-6). (e) In spite of their assault on my message, the leaders of the Jerusalem church validated my message (Galatians 2:7-10).

I publicly confronted Peter in Antioch, Syria for his hypocrisy in this question [the relationship between Jewish Christians and gentile Christians] (Galatians 2:11-14).

Please take special note of three things: (1) the apostles confirmed Pauls message to gentiles without changing his message. (2) The Jerusalem leaders of Jewish Christians did not compel Titus, a gentile, to be circumcised. (3) Paul publicly confronted and condemned an apostle.

Paul Stressed Gentile Christians Should Not Consider Themselves To Be Second Class Christians

Among the most revealing information in Galatians was Pauls affirmation of how uncircumcised gentile Christians should view themselves. Often the critical concern is not how others look at us, but how we look at ourselves. For any Christian, the primary issue is, How does my mercy filled God look at me? Paul was more concerned with how these gentile Christians looked at themselves than how the Judaizing teachers looked at them. Only when they looked at themselves as God looked at them would they be free from the Judaizing teachers condemnation.

Consider Pauls declarations regarding how these gentile Christians should see themselves.

Jesus Christ is Gods intent (Galatians 3:16-18). Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of Gods promise to Abraham. God gave that promise to Abraham long before God revealed the law through Moses. The law does not define Gods intent. Gods promise defines Gods intent. The question is not where do you gentile Christians stand in regard to the law. The question is where you gentiles stand in regard to the promise. The promise brought a blessing to all families of the earth (Genesis 12:3).

The purpose of the law was to lead people to Christ (Galatians 3:23-25). Thus Gods promise revealed Gods intent, and the law served that intent. The law served the promise, not the promise served the law. These gentile Christian needed to focus on the promise, not the law.

Galatian gentile Christians are sons of God, not inferior members of Gods household to be tolerated (Galatians 3:25-26).

Galatian gentile Christian are heirs of Abraham (Galatians 3:29). They rightfully inherit the blessing of Gods promise to Abraham! God had gentiles in mind when He promised the gift of the blessing!

Galatian gentile Christians were full sons of God (Galatians 4:1-7). They were not Gods afterthought who were merely tolerated in Jesus Christ. Jewish Christians had no spiritual advantages over them in a relationship with God! God did [does] no more for Jewish Christians than He did [does] for gentile Christians!

There was a time when they were slaves and did not know it. Coming to Christ released them from that slavery. Following the demands of the Judaizing teachers merely returned them to another form of slavery (Galatians 4:8-11).

Gentile Christians were the true descendants of Isaac (Galatians 4:21-31). Judaizing teachers were the descendants of Hagar. Gentile Christians were the descendants of Sarah. The true descendants of Sarah were [are] those who exist as a result of Gods promise.

Do not abandon the freedom granted gentile Christians in Christ (Galatians 5:1-6). If you turn to circumcision as a religious rite to validate your salvation, you abandon your freedom. Freedom was found and accepted by trusting what Christ does for you, not by being proselytes.

Given the emotional content of this matter and given the magnitude of this matter to most Jewish Christians, these are incredible declarations from a Jew to gentiles. They also were costly views to hold!

Do not view this letter as Pauls victory over Judaizing teachers. The letter was a plea for the gentile Christians in Galatia to (1) realize the blessings granted gentiles in Christ, and to (2) cherish and preserve their freedom in Christ. The fact that fear placed Peter in a situation to invite Pauls public censor illustrates that this was a deep, emotional question with powerful overtones. Even Barnabas, the Christian who introduced Paul to the apostles, the Christian who traveled to Tarsus to invite Paul to be part of the work in Antioch, the Christian who converted gentiles to Christ as a team member, the Christian who opposed the Judaizing teachers in Acts 15:2, even this man who was Pauls companion for years was caught up in Peters hypocrisy (Galatians 2:13).

Conclusion

Paul paid enormous personal prices for declaring Jesus Christs total adequacy for gentile believers. It is unlikely that many 21st century American Christians are able to identify with Pauls heartache and pain. The heartache and pain were the result of understanding Gods purposes in Jesus Christ! He was correct, and he suffered for being correct. In this matter, being correct in the first century church was painful!

Chapter 11 - The Window

Romans continues to occupy an important role in understanding the core of Christian existence. It has been [and likely will continue to be] approached in a variety of ways. The view suggested to the reader for consideration was not created by the author. He takes no credit for the information. The view/approach presented in this chapter is consistent with the focus of this writing.

Christianity began in Jerusalem as a Jewish movement [Jews and proselytes] (Acts 2). In its early days, it remained a Jewish movement (Acts 2-8:3). Even when Christianity was exclusively a Jews/proselyte movement, there were serious problems (Acts 6:1-6).

Christianity grew numerically at a rapid rate in the beginning (Acts 5:14; 6:7). As it grew, problems increased. Its message found receptivity among peoples who were not Jewish [the Samaritans, the Ethiopian eunuch (?), Cornelius]. Even in this initial receptivity among people not considered to be part of the Jewish community, Christianity was overwhelmingly Jewish in membershipso much so that the gentile world at this time made no distinction between Jews and Christians.

The Messiah was promised to Israel. The Christian gospel declared the Messiah was a Jew called Jesus. The movement that honored Jesus as the Messiah began in Jerusalem, the earthly spiritual center of Judaism. If a person wished to learn about Jesus the Messiah, go to a synagogue [gentiles were welcome to attend Israelite Sabbath meetings at the synagogue (Acts 13:16, 44)]. Consult an Israelite who believed Jesus was the Christ.

Remember, Paul had permission from Jewish authority to go to Damascus synagogues to arrest men and women who believed Jesus was the Christ, bind them, and bring them to Jerusalem for trial before the Jewish council (Acts 9:2). When Paul and Barnabas shared the gospel on the island of Cyprus, they began by sharing their message in synagogues (Acts 13:5). Even when Paul and Barnabas taught in gentile areas, they began their efforts in an area by going to synagogues (Acts 13:15-17).

The Edict Given By Claudius

In the reign of Emperor Claudius, some riots broke out in Romes Jewish community. Suetonius in Lives of the Caesars said the cause of the riots was the preaching of Chrestus. Many believe this was a Jewish disagreement concerning the identity of the Christ. In response to the riots, Claudius issued an Imperial decree expelling all Jews from Rome. Acts 18:2 referred to that decree and declared the decree was the reason for Aquila and Priscillas presence in Corinth. The indication of Acts 18:2 was that the decree was recent. When Claudius issued the decree, he did not distinguish between Christians and Jews who did not believe Jesus was the Christ. To Claudius, it was a Jewish problem. Expel the Jews and eliminate the problem. Because Claudius expelled only Jews does not mean there were no gentile converts. It may indicate how emotional the issue concerning Jesus identity was among the Jews.

An Imperial edict was in force only as long as the emperor who issued it lived. When Claudius died in 54 AD, the decree ended. After Claudius death, Jews [including Jewish Christians] migrated back to the city of Rome, the economic heart of the Roman Empire. By the time Paul wrote Romans, Aquila and Priscilla had returned to Rome (Romans 16:3).

This evidence serves as the basis for these conclusions. (1) Before the expulsion, the controlling impetus of the Christian movement in Rome was Jewish. The riots were the result of disagreements among Jews in Jewish synagogues about considering Jesus the Messiah. (2) During the period of the expulsion, Christianity continued to exist and grow in Rome as a result of the faith of gentile Christians. (3) Many Jewish Christians returned to Rome expecting to assume their primary role of leadership in the Christian community. (4) Jewish Christians expected Christianity to be primarily Jewish in expression and form as it was before they were expelled from Rome. (5) However, gentile Christians did not extend to them the leadership role in gentile congregations. Gentile congregations were stable and growing. They enjoyed Christianity having a gentile expression and form instead of a Jewish expression and form. (6) Thus Pauls letter to the Romans provides 21st century Christians a unique window into the first century church. It is unique because it was directed to a specific situation when a sudden ethnic shift occurred from the Christian Jewish expression/form to Christian gentile expression/form.

Please note the abundant evidence that Jewish Christians expected gentile congregations to exist under their influence or umbrella. When a gentile congregation came into existence in Samaria, the apostles sent two apostles, Peter and John, to visit that congregation (Acts 8:14). When a gentile congregation came into existence in Antioch, Syria, the Jerusalem church sent Barnabas to visit that church (Acts 11:20-22). When the same gentile congregation needed a ruling on the highly controversial subject of gentile salvation, it asked for a ruling from the Jerusalem church (Acts 15:2). Judaizing teachers traveled to the Galatian gentile congregations to convince them to accept Jewish circumcision and Jewish ways. Most Jewish Christians expected gentile congregations to accept and follow basic Jewish forms.

The letter to Christians in Rome provides opportunity to see gentile Christians when they were not required to follow Jewish forms. Romans 16:4 spoke of gentile churches in Rome. These congregations knew their indebtedness to Aquila and Priscilla, Jewish Christians who [like Paul] did not impose Jewish forms on gentile Christians. They did not expect gentiles to be proselytes in order to be Christians. It also mentions the church that is in their [Aquila and Priscillas] house. Gentile congregations no longer needed to be centered in synagogues in the Jewish community. Churches could be centered in gentile houses.

Pauls Golden Opportunity

In as far as Pauls existing letters are concerned, Pauls letter to Christians in Rome provided him a unique opportunity to address the issue of the salvation of gentiles who believe Jesus is the Christ. He could affirm the basic elements of the gospel he took to the gentiles. (1) Salvation was a universal need, a need that included Israel. (2) Gods intent always included the salvation of the gentiles. (3) Saving the gentiles did not mean God categorically rejected the Jews. (4) Gods love for Abrahams descendants remained. (5) Conversion to Christ looks and functions like this. In short, Paul could present the theological basis of the good news he presented to the gentiles and affirm what gentile acceptance of Christ should look like in Rome.

Remember, Paul wrote to them, not us. The more accurately we understand Pauls message to them, the more accurately we will apply his message to us. Todays Christians must be concerned about understanding Pauls message, not about making Pauls message conform to our focus

It is affirmed that Romans 1-11 and Romans 12-15 are a single message, interlinked with each other, and must not be separated. Simply stated, this was Pauls message to Christians [Jewish and gentile] in Rome: (1) according to the scriptures given to Israel, this is the reason gentiles can be saved by placing their faith in Christ; (2) this is what salvation looks like in Romes environment when a person follows Christ. Paul used the opportunity produced by a unique situation and set of circumstances (1) to present the gospel he declared to gentiles and (2) to affirm what acceptance of the gospel looked like in the circumstances of the Christian community in Rome.

Note The Emphasis In The Application Section

Regardless of your reaction to previous material, for a moment accept a challenge. Seek to place yourself in a specific mindset prior to considering the information in Pauls application section in Romans [beginning in chapter 12]. Instead of immediately asking yourself, What does this mean to me? ask instead, What did Pauls words mean to them? Each of us must seek to understand the meaning to them before we determine the application of Pauls words to us.

Realize Pauls instructions created major conceptual struggles for them in their circumstances as those instructions often do for us as we live in our 21st century world. The conflict over who can be saved and the mechanics of how raged. Many Jewish Christians [and Jewish people in general] said, Unless gentiles submit to the religious rite of circumcision, they have no hope of salvation. Many gentiles said, We do not like Jews, and we do not like them telling us we have to adopt their ways and follow their rules to place faith in Jesus as the Christ. It was not a one sided matter! All groups concerned about (1) the identity of Jesus as the Messiah and (2) the salvation of people who were not Jewish in ancestry had emotional opinions and reactions to core issues in those two matters.

In this letter, Paul wrote to Jewish Christians and gentile Christians in Rome. He responded to powerful issues and strong feelings in a way that many of them [Jew and gentile] considered unthinkable. We must see how unthinkable Pauls concepts were to them if we seriously hope to make application of those concepts to us. In Pauls message, the only winners are Jesus Christ and God!

Neither Jewish Christians nor gentile Christians would like Pauls concepts! Jesus Christ was not about some group winning! Jesus Christ was about understanding Gods intent! When Paul made application of theological understandings [chapters 1-11] to life in the Christian community in Rome, neither Jewish Christians nor gentile Christian would say, Aha! We told you so! The reaction was more likely, Paul, do you really mean that? Are you serious about those concepts?

Romans 12

Pauls transformation statement in the first two verses of Romans 12 is among the most recognized statements Paul wrote. As a reminder, do not forget this was a letter when Paul wrote it. There were no chapters and verses [they primarily were added to aid people in locating material]. When Paul wrote the letter, the material in chapter 12 would logically and immediately been connected to the material in chapter 11. Chapter 11 stressed the inter-relationship and inter-dependence of Jewish believers in Christ and gentile believers in Christ. Immediately after stressing inter-relationship and inter-dependence, Paul reminded both of their commitment to transformation.

To most of those Christians, the concepts of chapter 11 were mind boggling! The Christian community in Rome: We as Christians are supposed to recognize our inter-relationship and inter-dependence? Paul: Yes! And when you recognize your inter-relationship and inter-dependence, you will understand a reality that is even deeperthe significance of transformation!

The focus of transformation was Gods will, not defending their turf. For Jewish Christians, they must realize transformation involved Gods universal concern for all people. They must recognize the scope of Gods intent was much, much larger than merely the nation of Israel. Gentile Christians must realize an entirely new concept of deity. This new understanding would result in profound changes in (1) their lifestyle and (2) the way they looked at others. Gods mercy was to be the source of motivation for each group. Spirituality was to be focused in physical reality. The focus was to determine Gods will. Neither fully had determined Gods will!

If they (1) were transformed (2) by Gods mercy and (3) determined Gods will, what would they understand? They would understand that even though they were profoundly different, their diversity did not destroy Jesus Christs unity. Though they were different in many ways, both Jewish Christians and gentile Christians were part of the same body (verses 3-8). Though the groups [and sub-groups] were quite different, they all served in the best interests of the entire body. Therefore, instead of defending your uniqueness in an effort to ostracize and exclude, learn your gift and use it well to serve Gods will.

Stop tormenting and excluding each other! Focus on the proper treatment of all who are in Jesus Christ! It is being in Jesus Christ that makes people part of Christs body. Your conflict sends the wrong message to people in Rome! Christians are not to be identified with hostility and fighting among themselves within their own community! Christians are to be known for doing goodeven to those who are truly enemies! Stop treating each other in an unchristian manner as if people in the same body consider each other enemies!

Romans 13

Did all of you not learn anything from the expulsion? (verses 1-7) If hostility and rejection had dire, bad consequences then, are you deceived into thinking that hostility and rejection are the route to winning respect and acceptance in Rome now? How can you possibly think that attitudes and behavior that wearied Claudius will now win Neros tolerance and respect? You must demonstrate that you are an asset to Rome, not a source of trouble!

Jewish and gentile Christians, you must understand that being in Christ is not a matter of ancestry OR past idolatry (verses 8-10). Gentile Christians are not spiritually inferior! Everyone, allowing God to teach you how to love will fulfill every moral, ethical teaching of the ten commandments. The Christian who loves according to Gods will separates himself/herself from adultery, murder, stealing, greed, and kindred emotions and acts. Learning from God how to love fulfills Gods will.

All of you, wake up! [verses 11-14] Jewish Christians, do not place your confidence in your ancestry and rites! Gentile Christians, do not feel inferior because of your former lifestyle in idolatry! Focus on behavior and a lifestyle that reflects the Lord Jesus Christ, not a lifestyle that focuses on ungodly behaviors and desires.

Romans 14

As the context is examined regarding the Jewish Christian versus the gentile Christian controversy in this chapter, approach the information with these basic insights. (1) The context does not focus on feelings. It focuses on relationship with God. The context is not about deferring to the feelings of weaker Christians. The context is about not destroying any Christians relationship with God. Galatians 6:1-5 focuses on being considerate of another Christians feelings. Romans 14 focuses on destroying another Christians relationship with God.

(2) The majority of weak Christians passed judgment on the behavior of strong Christians. The majority of strong Christians looked upon weak Christians with contempt. The weak Christians were Jewish Christians [including proselytes] who rejected any Christian who did not live by Judaisms forms and rituals. The strong Christians were gentile [non-proselyte] believers and Jewish believers who had abandoned Judaisms forms and rituals. These Christians understood the significance of Gods accomplishments in Jesus Christ.

(3) The focus of the three issues was on (a) what food could be eaten [consult Leviticus 11]; (b) observing holy days; and (c) drinking wine. In these matters weak Christians condemned strong Christians, and strong Christians looked with contempt on weak Christians. A significant spiritual flaw existed in both the weak and the strong Christians. The flaw was evident in the arrogance of both groups.

When we use our convictions to reduce everything to black-and-white views that stand in stark contrast to each other AND (2) when we use our convictions to exclude other believers in Jesus Christ from God, we need to read and think about Pauls instructions to Jewish and gentile Christians in Romans 14.

Consider the contrasting characteristics of both the strong and the weak. The strong (1) ate meat from Romes meat markets without asking questions; (2) considered every day alikeacknowledged no holy days, and (3) drank wine. The weak (1) were vegetarians; (2) observed holy days, and (3) did not drink wine. The strong lived a life based on confidence in Gods accomplishments in Jesus death and resurrection. The weak lived a life based on worry. The strong lived in gratitude for what God did in Jesus. The weak lived in terror of their concept of Gods nature.

To be safe the weak ate no meat [who could tell if the meat was offered to an idol?]. They observed holy days [had not Israel observed such days in all the centuries they were faithful?] They drank no wine [Roman citizens used wine is a means of honoring idolatrous gods!]

In an understanding of Gods accomplishments in Jesus, the strong ate meat without questioning, considered each day alike, and drank wine because it had no spiritual significance.

Paul clearly addressed two distinct groups of Christians in this chapter. Paul classified the two groups as weak Christians and strong Christians. His designation of weak and strong is opposite of 21st Century Christian designations. Today it is often a matter of faith to declare those Paul called weak to be conscientious, sacrificial, devout Christians who dare live by their commitment.

Note Pauls statements and observations:

(1) They are to accept each other without passing judgment on each other (verse 1).

(2) God accepts each of them (verse 2-3).

(3) God can make Jewish Christians and gentile Christians who radically differ in behavior stand (verse 4).

(4) Each should live gratefully as he or she considers what is appropriate to Christian behavior (verses 5-6).

(5) Neither must ever forget that Jesus Christ made both groups a part of the body (verses 7-9).

(6) God saved none of them for the purpose of passing judgment on or holding in contempt others who were in Christ (verses 10-12).

(7) The challenge Christians faced: refuse to cause Christians who are not like me to fall away from God (verse 13).

(8) It is true that no food is unclean of itself [radical thinking for Jewish Christians!] (see Acts 10:10-16, 28; 11:1-3)

(9) However, there are higher Christian principles involved (verse 14).

a. A Christian must not violate his conscience (verse 14).

b. Love will not destroy a person for whom Christ died (verse 15).

c. Even if something is right, a Christian will not use it for evil purposes. Causing a Christian to leave God is evil (verse 15-16).

(10) Gods kingdom is focused on righteousness, peace and joy, not on eating and drinking [festival meals in Judaism and idolatry?] (verse 17)

a. God honors the commitment to create peace among Christians (verse 18).

b. Jewish Christians and gentile Christians, pursue peace! (verse 19).

c. Seek to build each other up rather than seeking to change each other! (verse 19)

d. Understand Gods work! Do not destroy Gods work! Do not make things a matter of right and wrong that God does not make a matter of right and wrong (verse 20).

e. Jewish Christians and gentile Christians, value a brother in Christ! (verses 20-22)

(11) Allow each Christian to honor his or her own conscience in his or her Christian lifestyle! (verse 23)

Romans 15

This is Gods intention and priority: the strong do not exist to please themselves, but to bear the weakness of those without strength. A dedication to what is right never excuses causing a person without strength to abandon his or her relationship with God. If this commitment seems unreasonable, remember two things. (1) Remember the sacrificial example of Jesus Christ. (2) Remember Gods ultimate objective: Jewish Christians and gentile Christians glorifying God with one accord (verses l-6).

The application: Jewish Christians and gentile Christians, accept each other. Celebrate Gods promise keeping and Gods mercyall of you benefited from both! Experience the joy of believing so that all of you may grow in hope (verses 7-13).

Verses 14-21 focused on Pauls commission to teach gentiles. Verse 22 began a declaration of Pauls personal plans to continue his commission. Those plans included taking a gift from gentile Christians to Jewish Christians to promote the inter-relationship of the two groups. In verses 30-33, Paul requested their prayers and personal concern for his work.

Conclusion

Jewish Christians and gentile Christians must realize both their existences fulfilled Gods intent. Even though each group was significantly different, through Gods work the body remained intact. Unity was not uniformity.

Chapter 12 - A Look at Paul

Paul was a first century Jew. While he was born in Tarsus (Acts 21:39), from his youth he lived in Jerusalem (Acts 22:3). He classified himself as a Hebrew of Hebrews (Philippians 3:5). Though he was not born in Palestine, he did not wish to be known as a Hellenist Jew. The designation Hebrew of Hebrews likely signifies he was an Aramaic speaking Jew rather than a Jew who did not speak the language of Palestine. He was circumcised the eighth day of his life (Genesis 17:9-14) and born into the tribe of Benjamin (Philippians 3:5). He became a member of a Jewish family with devout, conservative parents (Acts 22:3; 26:4-5). Not only was Paul a Pharisee, but also his father was a Pharisee (Acts 23:6). His personal religious background was rooted in and nourished by Jewish strictness, orthodoxy, and a deep respect for Jewish traditions. This devotion continued into his adult life: he lived in Jerusalem; he was a student under Gamaliel [the leading Pharisee and rabbi of Pauls time] (Acts 22:3); and he, as a leading student, honored Jewish tradition (Galatians 1:14).

A concept often accepted and too rarely examined is the concept that Paul was a Jews Jew prior to Acts 9, but had nearly nothing to do with Jewish perspective, Jewish practices, or Jewish tradition after becoming a Christian. In this view, Paul ceased being Jewish culturally. He became gentile in lifestyle when he accepted salvation in Jesus Christ. Thus most of us gentile Christians of today look upon Paul as one of us culturally. Scriptural evidences indicate this accepted transition from Jewishness to a gentile Christian lifestyle is more our creation than revelation. However, these evidences are frequently ignored because they do not fit our common [or convenient] views of first century Christianity.

Begin with this understanding: Jesus was a Jew who came as Gods Messiah to fulfill [bring to completion] Gods purposes in the nation of Israel. Jesus did not come to destroy the nation of Israel. He did not come to destroy Gods revelation of righteousness through those who were faithful in the nation of Israel. He did not come to destroy Deuteronomys plea or the prophets message. Jesus came to bring to completion Gods revelation of righteousness. See Jesus statement in Matthew 5:17-18. The nation of Israel existed through Gods work and intent. The law existed through Gods work and intent. Jesus existed through Gods work and intent. None of these three revelations are Gods enemy or enemies to each other. Each complements the other two. A failure to understand any of the three is a failure of human understanding, not a failure of Gods work or Gods revelation.

To challenge you to recognize Gods work in the nation of Israel, Gods revelation in the law, and Gods revelation in Jesus Christ, read and consider some scriptures. Read statements such as Deuteronomy 6:4, 5 and 10:16. Note the priority for Israel as a nation was focused on establishing a relationship with God based on love. Following the rules has meaning only if a relationship of love exists. Circumcision was more than an external religious ritual. It was an internal reality reflecting an in depth appreciation for God. It declared faith in the fact that God intervened in human history to produce deliverance.

Consider Isaiah 1:10-15. Israelites did all the right things in their worship. God commanded them to do everything they did in their worship. Yet, their correct worship deeply offended God. It offended God so much that He declared He would hide his eyes and refuse to see their correct acts. He would close His ears and refuse to listen to their prayers. Why? They had no relationship with God! Though they worshipped correctly, their correct worship did not express loving appreciation for God. Though their worship acts were correct, the focus of their lives was distinctly ungodly. Their lack of relationship with God deceived only themselves!

Jesus ministry and death were the living and dying example of relationship with God. He moved relationship with God to higher levels, declared Gods priorities in relationship, and made it possible for all Christians [regardless of ancestry] to relate to God as cherished family members.

Belonging to God is focused on more than merely keeping the rules. Rules lose their meaning and significance if there is no relationship. Just as in any successful marriage or family, if there is no love relationship, rules are meaningless and become oppressive. The same reality is true in association with God. If there is no love relationship with God, rules are meaningless and become oppressive.

In Christ, Paul grasped this truth. He understood the significance of Gods act in giving Jesus because he understood God always stressed and wanted relationship. People, not God, changed the religious focus in Judaism! People, not God, change the religious focus in Christianity!

Paul and Jewish Existence

Paul did not see Jewishness as an enemy of God or Christ. He used his Jewishness to (a) illustrate Gods purposes in the nation of Israel reached completion in Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:2-11) and to (b) illustrate that God had not abandoned Jews (Romans 11:1). The problem was not that people born to Jewish parents were citizens in the nation of Israel. The problem was that Israel did not understand Gods priorities and intents for their nation (Romans 10:1-3). They substituted their priorities for Gods. The problem did not lie in Gods work in Israel, but in Israels expectations.

When Paul discussed his becoming all things to all people, fifty per cent of his personal adaptations focused on Jewish ancestry and the Jewish belief system (1 Corinthians 9:19-23). His challenge to the Jews was not (a) to abandon who they were by ancestry and culture, but (b) to find the completion of Gods work in accepting Jesus [a Jew] as the promised Messiah.

The initial issue in presenting the gospel to Jews and to gentiles was basically different. God gave the Jewish nation a basic responsibility to gentile peoples (see Isaiah 42:6; 49:6; 51:4; Luke 2:32). Paul frequently reminded Israel of their mission to the gentiles (see Acts 13:46, 47; 18:5-6; 19:8-9; 22:21; 26:20; 28:28). God wished to work through Israel to bring all people to Him. Israel was to be a light in a darkened world. Israel was to lead everyone to God. Again, Israel was not the goal but a means to Gods goal.

Acts Emphasis and Christian Pauls Jewishness

Paul interrupted his planned mission travels with a determined return to Jerusalem. He had additional mission travels plannedto Rome and to destinations west of Italy (Romans 15:24-25). However, first he must go to Jerusalem. He had a personal dreamby encouraging gentile Christians to make a contribution to needy Jewish Christians, he would make a breach in the wall that often separated Jewish and gentile Christians. (See 1 Corinthians 16:1-3 and 2 Corinthians 8, 9.) With this gift from gentile Christians, Paul was convinced he would promote spiritual inter-dependence between Jewish and gentile Christians. The gift from gentile Christians would challenge Jewish Christians to acknowledge gentile Christians benevolent generosity. Had not the Christian leaders in the Jerusalem church stressed giving to the poor was an essential part of the gospel message? (See Galatians 2:10.)

The author of Acts stressed the Jewishness of the Christian Paul as he completed his third mission journey by returning to Jerusalem. In Acts 18:4, while at Corinth, Paul spoke in the synagogue persuading Jews and Greeks every Sabbath. In Acts 18:18 Paul took a vow that involved cutting his hair. [This likely was the Nazarite vow, a common Jewish vow requiring cutting the hair and burning the hair at the Jewish temple. It was a voluntary vow often used to express gratitude to God.] In Acts 19:8 Paul spent three months in the synagogue of Ephesus reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. Acts 19:21 acknowledged Pauls determination to go to Jerusalem. Acts 20:3 acknowledged a Jewish plot against Paul during his return trip. Acts 20:6 indicated the time of the trip by referring to the days of unleavened bread. Acts 20:16 speaks of Pauls determination to be in Jerusalem on the Jewish festival of Pentecost. Acts 21:4 speaks of Pauls commitment to return to Jerusalem in spite of Christian discouragement.

Certainly Paul wanted to take the gentile Christians gift to the Jerusalem Christians. However, his determination to take the gift had nothing to do with denying his own Jewishness. In fact, when things did not occur in Jerusalem as he intended, Paul used his Jewishness as a defense against the charges against him (see Acts 21:39-40; 23:6; 24:10-12; 25:8; 26:2-7). Being a Christian did not involve Pauls abandoning his Jewishness. This is a critical understanding if todays Christian is to grasp the happenings of Acts 21:20-30.

Paul and Acts 21:20-30

Pauls return to Jerusalem immediately presented a problem. Paul first reported to the leadership of the Jerusalem church (Act 21:17-19). These leaders were thankful and grateful to God for the success of Pauls work among the gentiles (Acts 21:20). However, these leaders [and Paul] faced a problem. The problem was the false report from gentile areas spread by Jewish enemies of Paul. To the leaders, the problem was not Pauls work with the gentiles, but the false rumor declared against Paul. Many Jewish Christians still followed Jewish practices and rituals. If these Jewish Christians perceived Pauls mission to the gentiles as the destruction of Judaism, there would be significant harm to the work of Jewish Christians in Jerusalem.

The problem the churchs leadership confronted was disproving the false rumor against Paul. Paul did not teach the Jews in gentile areas to abandon Jewish ritual and Jewish culture. He did not declare, Do not circumcise your children. Do not meet in synagogues. Do not make pilgrimages to the temple. Make no distinction between clean and unclean food. He declared gentiles did not have to adopt Jewish practices in order to become Christians. He did not demand Jews abandon their rituals and culture, nor did he bind Jewish rituals and culture on gentiles.

The problem: Paul, how do we prove the accusations against you are false?

The solution: demonstrate you have not abandoned your Jewishness by helping some men make their Jewish vow. Paul, take the four men ready to make a vow. Purify yourself with them [a Jewish act]. Take them to the temple [a Jewish place]. Pay their expenses [finance their sacrifices, a Jewish obligation]. In doing these things, the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem will know the accusations against you are false. They will know that you live as a Jew and keep the law. Paul did as these Jewish leaders requested (Acts 21:26).

The problem that occurred was caused by the Jews from Asia, not Jerusalem Jewish Christians (Acts 21:27). His accusers caused the crisis by again accusing Paul of something he did not dobringing gentiles into an area of the temple compound off-limits to gentiles.

The incident reveals the enormous emotion and pressure contained in the Jew-gentile question. The Jerusalem church leaders understood Gods will in extending salvation to gentiles without gentiles becoming proselytes. However, the emotional climate among Jews [including Jewish Christians] was so tense that it produced an emotional reaction rather than an understanding of Gods will. The pressure was enormous!

Surely todays church leaders understand the pressure! With all the concerns emotionally swirling in todays congregations [questions concerning the role of women; questions concerning worship styles; questions concerning singing; etc.], todays leaders are much aware of matters too hot to handle. They know often the pressure of inflamed emotions make open investigation a virtual impossibility. Even today, well intentioned efforts often solve nothing!

If your initial reaction is to disregard the previous evidences by declaring, That cannot be true! consider an illustration. Paul met Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman, on a mission trip (Acts 16:1-3). Paul was a Jewish Christian doing Christian mission work. Timothys mother was a Jewish Christian. Timothy was an uncircumcised Christian. His father was a gentile, but his mother was a Jew. By Jewish standards and customs, Timothy should have been circumcised eight days after birth because his mother was Jewish. Paul wanted Timothy to be part of his mission team and assist in teaching [primarily] gentiles. What did the Christian Paul do with this man who had a Jewish mother? He took Timothy and circumcised him. If Timothy had not had a Jewish mother, Paul never would have circumcised Timothy!

The same Jewish Christian Paul had the uncircumcised Titus with him in Jerusalem. Things would have been much easier for Paul on his visit had he circumcised Titus. Yet, he did not take Titus and circumcise him as he did Timothy. Paul used that fact to prove the Jewish leaders did not require gentile Christians to be circumcised (Galatians 2:3).

The same Christian man did exactly opposite things regarding Jewish circumcision. Was Paul inconsistent? No! He was consistent with his emphasis in sharing the gospel with gentiles. He had the Jew circumcised and left the gentile uncircumcised. Jewish Christians followed Jewish practices. Gentile Christians did not.

In Conclusion

Jewish Christians did not continue Jewish sacrifices which Jesus satisfied in his sacrifice by producing a permanent solution. An element of faith in Jesus being the Messiah was trusting Gods atonement in Jesus. For example, Leviticus 16 presented the appropriate procedures for the nation of Israel to follow on their day of atonement. Jesus death provided perpetual atonement for every person who enters him. Through Jesus crucifixion, divine forgiveness is assured. Through that forgiveness, the person receiving atonement through Jesus sacrifice is sanctified permanently by the offering of Jesus body. The Jewish Christian no longer needed to offer animal sacrifices for atonement because Jesus is the perpetual, totally effective sacrifice for atonement (Hebrews 10:1-10).

Chapter 13 - Romans 14, Unity, And Uniformity

In Romans chapter 14 Paul discussed in specific, practical terms the clash between Jewish Christians and gentile Christians in Rome. Pauls statement provides some specific insights into the nature of those differences. His instructions regarding their clash within the Christian community in Rome followed an approach rarely seen among Christians today. The animosity in Romes Christian community was deep, emotional, and real. The statement in Romans 14 and the first half of Romans l5 made it evident that the groups had little if any respect for each other. The weak group passed judgment on the strong group. The strong group held the weak group in contempt.

Paul named each group. They were not named by using words popular in the 21st century Christian communityconservative, progressive, liberal, etc. Pauls opinion did not determine the groups names. Each groups understanding of Gods purposes in Jesus Christ determined its name. The group that restricted Gods purposes in Christ to procedures and rites were weak. The group who grasped that Gods mercy and grace [expressed in the forgiveness extended through Jesus Christ] were bigger than methodology, rites, and religious festival food were strong.

That is opposite the thinking of many of todays Christians. Many of todays Christians consider those who honor procedures and rites as strong. They consider those who trust the forgiveness of mercy and grace in Jesus Christ as weak.

The two groups of Christians were strikingly different. One group was deeply fearful that they would eat meat sacrificed to an idol. [Remember, typical sacrificial worship in both idolatry and Judaism involved (a) offering a sacrifice and (b) eating part of the sacrifice. To read about this practice, refer to 1 Samuel 1:1-5 and 1 Samuel 2:12-17.] Since neither canning nor freezing existed, meat sold at the public meat markets was fresh or recently slaughtered meat [by their standards]. The primary source of meat for the meat markets was the excess meat coming from sacrifices in Romes idolatrous temples [this was the priests portion of sacrifices]. To eat meat sacrificed to an idol was considered by many as the act of worshipping the idol. To be certain he/she did not honor an idol, this concerned Christian was a vegetarian.

This group of Christians in previous generations had honored sacred days [for example, Sabbaths, Passovers, Pentecosts, new moons {the beginning of the Jewish month}, etc.]. From their first memories, their family honored God, the Father of Jesus Christ, by structuring their lives around those days and the religious happenings occurring on those days. As Christians, they continued honoring God by recognizing those sacred days. To them, honoring God and celebrating holy days were synonymous.

Dionysus [Greek name] or Bacchus [Roman name], the god of vegetation and fertility, had widespread influence as an idolatrous deity and was honored by drinking wine. Dionysus was so associated with drinking wine and the pursuit of pleasure that this god still is often referred to as the wine god. Wine was associated with many idolatrous practices, including the libations accompanying sacrifice. This Christian group did not drink wine.

The other group honored the Creator God, the Father of Jesus Christ, as the Source of everything. They ate meat from anywhere without asking questions (1 Timothy 4:4; 1 Corinthians 10:25-26). They considered every day the same. No day was considered to be a holy day (Romans 14:5). They drank wine (Romans 14:17, 21; 1 Corinthians 8:8). By todays standards, this group radically disagreed with the other group on basic lifestyle issues and basic concepts of honoring God.

Note the principles Paul stressed that both groups were to honor:

Accept the weak in faith (verse 1).

Do not use your opinions to pass judgment on another Christian (verse 1). [Today most Christians do not consider recognizing holy days or drinking alcohol matters of opinion.]

Do not hold in contempt another Christian who devotes his/her convictions and behavior to God (verse 3).

Do not judge [declare condemned] another Christian who devotes his/her convictions and behavior to God (verse 3).

God can and will make both groups standboth groups are Gods servants, not the servants of other Christians (verse 4).

Each Christian must be fully convinced about his/her convictions and practices, but must not bind his/her convictions or practices on other Christians who disagree with him/her (verse 5).

Realize each group seeks to honor God in convictions and practices (verse 6).

Live for Gods purposes [which precludes destroying other Christians], not for ones own purposes (verses 7-9).

Note the Christian goals Paul endorsed:

Make it your Christian goal not to be an obstacle or stumbling block to another Christian who placed life and confidence in Jesus Christ (verse 13).

Make it your Christian goal to honor your own conscience in your conduct (verse 14).

Make it your Christian goal to function on the basis of love (verse 15) [just as God does].

Make it your Christian goal to seek righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (verse 17).

Make it your Christian goal to be an encourager who builds up Gods work (verses 19, 20).

Make it your Christian goal to refuse to allow your convictions to destroy another Christian (verse 22).

Note the responsibilities Paul gave them:

Help weak Christians endure (Romans 15:1).

Extend acceptance to other Christians (Romans 15:7). [It is evident in verses 9-12 Paul focused these principles, goals, and responsibilities on the Jewish Christian-gentile Christian struggle in Rome.]

Show your faith in God and His son Jesus Christ by demonstrating joy, peace, and hope (Romans 15:13).

Obviously, these groups were not unified because they were uniform. They were not uniform! They were unified because each group of Christians was in Christ. Note they were unified even though they failed miserably to recognize their unity. They both worshipped God, the Father of Jesus Christ, not an idol! The eternal, living God was the focus of their lives and faith, not some lifeless pagan deity.

Paul wrote about this same reality in Ephesians 2:11-22. A highly similar situation existed. (1) There were two groupsthe circumcised Christian and the uncircumcised Christian. (2) The uncircumcised was considered inferior by the circumcised. (3) Jesus Christ died to eliminate feelings of inferiority and to establish peace between the two groups of ChristiansJesus Christ removed the barrier separating them! He abolished the enmity separating the two groups by eliminating ordinances in order to reconcile both groups in one body through the cross.

Though they considered themselves two groups, God unified them in Christ. Though they previously neither understood nor accepted Gods unification in Christ, they all were in Christ. Though they were quite different, God through Christ made them one body. A body is not composed of parts that are alike (uniform), but of parts that are very much unlike. The fact that the body parts are unalike does not prove a body part is not in the body, devoted to the function and well being of that body. Paul commonly made that point in his writings [for examples, see 1 Corinthians 12:19-30 and Romans 12:3-8].

Please note the Christians who received Ephesians did not fully comprehend what God did in Jesus Christ and his cross. Yet, their lack of understanding did not nullify Gods accomplishment. Both circumcised and uncircumcised believers in Christ were in one body by an act of God. They needed to understand they were one body by an act of God. They needed to treat each other as those who were in the same body.

Surely, they needed to understand what God did in Jesus death. However, God made them both one body in Christ when they entered Christ, even if they failed to grasp fully what God did in Jesus death. Gods accomplishments in Jesus death and resurrection are not nearly as fragile as some Christians suggest!

Conclusion

The objective of life in Christ is not the sameness of uniformity but the diversity of a single body. Unity is not uniformity. Unity is allowing God through Christ to make us one body.

Chapter 14 - Peter Was Just Being Peter

Astoundingly, it was Peters letter we call 1 Peter that compared gentile Christians to the Jewish temple (1 Peter 2:1-10). He declared gentile Christians were living stones in Gods temple. He declared gentile Christians to be a holy priesthood existing to offer holy sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ.

Peter described gentile Christians with words and terms that Jewish people used only to describe the nation of Israela chosen race, a royal priesthood [in Israel, the office of king and priest were not to be combined], a holy nation, a people for Gods own possession, the people of God who had received His mercy. They who had not been a people now were Gods people with a specific objective: to declare Gods excellencies, to call attention to the One Who called them out of darkness into His marvelous light. That entire declaration is more than remarkable. It is down right astounding!

Paul used the imagery of a temple in his letters [consider 1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19-20; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 2:21-22]. However, Pauls uses of temple imagery were not as specific as were Peters. That is astounding when Galatians 2:7 declared Paul was entrusted [by God] with the gospel to the uncircumcised [gentiles] and Peter with the gospel to the circumcised [Jews].

Consider a parallel in Peters life as one of the twelve and as a Christian spokesman. In both instances he received a special revelation from God, and in both instances he discovered the responsibility of the special revelation to be heavy, extremely heavy. Neither revelation fulfilled Peters personal expectations. In the case of each revelation, Peter after the revelation became a disappointment because his actions were deplorable. In each case, Peter had the faith to recover and yield.

Consider the first of Gods remarkable revelations to Peter. This one occurred in the time of Jesus earthly ministry. In Matthew 16:17 Jesus confirmed Peter correctly understood Jesus identity to be that of the Christ [Messiah]. Jesus declared this truth was revealed to Peter by God.

That was a heady affirmation! Of all the twelve, Peter realized an essential truth the other eleven did not comprehend. He comprehended this truth because God enabled him to comprehend it. In this instance, an act of God enabled Peter to know what he knew.

Peter had specific personal expectations concerning Jesus being the Christ, the son of the living God. Those personal expectations did NOT include Jesus dying! When Jesus informed the twelve of his coming death in Jerusalem, Peter dared take Jesus aside and rebuke him for saying such things (Matthew 16:21-23).

On his last night as an earthly human, Jesus told the twelve they all would desert him that evening. Peter found Jesus prediction preposterous! The past week was quite successful. Jesus enemies could not touch him. He appeared openly and publicly in Jerusalem as he taught, and his enemies could not stop him. His enemies efforts to discredit him backfired. Jesus was the most popular man in Jerusalem. How could the man who raised Lazarus from the dead be killed? How could the man welcomed into Jerusalem as was Jesus be deserted? Was Jesus not more powerful than all who opposed him? A confident, sincere Peter responded, The others might run, but I will not! Jesus responded, Yes you will! Before the roster crows announcing the dawn, you will deny me three times (Matthew 26:34). Peter replied, I will never do thateven if it means dying with you! (Matthew 26:35)

If Peter could have died the way he wished to die, he would have fought for Jesus to his death. When a fisherman fights trained military guards, he is ready to die. Peters ineptitude in sword fighting was revealed by the fact that all he managed to do as he used violence to defend Jesus was to cut off a slaves ear (Matthew 26:51). It was one thing to die defending Jesus. It was quite another to die by surrendering without a fight (Matthew 26:50-56). Jesus not only told Peter to put up his sword, but Jesus also healed the slave!

A distraught, fear filled Peter put up his sword and fled into the night.

Later, just as Jesus said, before the rooster crowed at dawn, Peter with increasing intensity denied ever knowing Jesus (Matthew 26:69-74).

When Peter heard the rooster crow, he remembered Jesus prediction. He left Jesus and the scene of his denials as he bitterly wept (Matthew 26:75). Events simply did not happen as Peter expected!

Yet, this same man in this same city publicly affirmed without hesitation or shame that Jesus was the resurrected Messiah God promised Israel (Acts 2:14-36). He did this just a few days less than two months later!

Consider the parallel. As the church began in Jerusalem, Peter was the unquestionable leader in the Jerusalem congregation. He was a powerful, popular man! He migrated from the depths of failure in his denials to the heights of popularity in his affirmation that Jesus was Lord and Christ.

Peter was the principle spokesman on Pentecost (Acts 2:14, 38-41). Peter was the principle spokesman at the temple (Acts 3:12). Peter was the principle spokesman before the Sanhedrin (Acts 4:8). At the word of Peters condemnation, the Christian Ananias fell dead (Acts 5:1-5). At the word of Peters condemnation, the Christian Sapphira fell dead (Acts 5:7-10). People carried the sick into the streets hoping Peters shadow would fall on the sick person (Acts 5:15). Peter healed the paralyzed Aeneas at Lydda resulting in extensive conversions (Acts 9:34-35). Peter resurrected Dorcas from the dead in Joppa resulting in numerous conversions (Acts 9:36-42).

Again, that was heady stuff! Once again, Peter was prominent, influential, and powerful [just as he was during Jesus ministry]. The Peter who could not see himself denying Jesus also could not see himself lacking influence among Jewish Christians in Jerusalem.

Once again, Peter received a perplexing revelation from God in Acts 10. God told him three times not to regard that which God cleansed as common or unclean. The Spirit instructed Peter to accompany three gentiles calling for himand to do so without asking questions (Acts 10:19-20). A thoroughly confused, bewildered Peter did as God directed. He followed the three men to a gentiles home, but he did not understand why he was there (Acts 10:28-29). A little later he understood another truth guaranteed to evoke an emotional reactionGod loved gentiles as much as He loved Jews (Acts 10:34-35).

Peter knew how controversial his actions were. He took six Jewish Christians with him to be witnesses (Acts 11:12). He acquired confirmation from his witnesses prior to administering baptism (Acts 10:47-48). How much more confident could an influential Christian be? Peter had quite a support arsenalhis position in the church at Jerusalem; his impressive deeds; a revelation from God; a communication/directive from Gods Spirit; a clear understanding of Gods will; the coming of the Spirit on the gentiles; six Jewish Christian witnesses; and human support for his decision.

However, Peter quickly learned he crossed a highly emotional line that bankrupted his credibility in the Jewish Christian community in Jerusalem. All the impressive credentials, acts, and prestige Peter had in his recent past meant nothing. The line he crossed was not about the baptism of gentiles, but about his social association with gentilesspecifically about eating with gentiles (Acts 11:1-3).

Peter told his Jewish Christian confronters about the vision; they were unmoved. Peter told them the message of the vision; they were unmoved. Peter told them about the message from the Spirit; they were unmoved. Peter referred to his Jewish Christian witnesses; they were unmoved. He told them about Cornelius instruction from the angel; they were unmoved. Only when they heard about the Holy Spirit coming upon the gentiles did they quieten down (Acts 11:18). That resolved the furor concerning the Cornelius event, but in no way did it defuse the crisis.

Perhaps it was coincidence. Perhaps it was the fact that the author of Acts was selective in the information he used [this does not imply his information was incorrect, but that it was not always comprehensive]. Whatever the reason, Peter was not again mentioned as the leader of the Jerusalem church. In the future, James was in that role. In Acts 15 when discussion concerning Jew-gentile Christian association reached another crisis point, Peter was a witness. James was in charge of the meeting.

Once again, a revelation from God was costly to Peter because it placed him in controversial circumstances leading to highly emotional situations. To Peter, the entire matter was devastating. His word could not solve a crisis in the Jewish Christian community. Some regarded his actions as suspicious, and some regarded his actions as detestable. The independent man who was influential, powerful, and prestigious became distrusted. Regardless of Peters revelation, his Jewish Christian brothers were certain they held a superior understanding of Gods purposes.

Pauls letter to the Galatian congregations made Peters predicament quite clear. At some point Peter visited the gentile congregation in Antioch. In the early part of his visit, he had full fellowship with gentile Christians [including table fellowship]. However, when he learned that James was sending a delegation of Jewish Christians from the Jerusalem congregation to Antioch, Peter withdrew from his association with gentile Christians (Galatians 2:12).

Why? Paul said Peter was afraid of the party of the circumcision. Paul told Peter to his face that his actions were hypocritical. Yet, Peter was quite forceful and influential in his hypocritical act. He convinced several Jewish Christians, including Barnabas (!!!), to participate in this withdrawal from gentile Christians. [Barnabas was a good man who was glad then he witnessed Gods work among the gentiles at Antioch! (Acts 11:23-24) Barnabas was hand picked by God to be one of the first missionaries to gentiles! (Acts 13:1-3)]

Peters motive: fear! Why? He knew the price of associating with gentiles Christians!

Later Peter wrote 1 Peter to encourage gentile Christians. It was in this letter that he declared gentile Christians were living stones in Gods temple. At last, again, Peter had a renewed understanding of Gods intent and the courage to accept Gods intent.

The focus should not be on Peters weakness. He was no weaker than most of us! The focus should be on the emotional, controversial nature of the Jewish Christian-gentile Christian conflict. The pressure this matter placed on many Christians, including Paul as well as Peter, was enormous.

Conclusion

Peters cycle was consistent: revelation from God, personal expectation, disillusionment, horrible behavior, and recovery in the faith of understanding. If we are honest, many of us identify with his journey. If we are honest, we realize too often our actions fail to honor Gods intent. If we are honest, we know that we flee from emotional pressure far too frequently.

Chapter 15 - Myth Number Three

Myth number three has been a prominent teaching in many evangelistic movements in America for decades. Myth number three could be called the two movement concept. In this concept, Christianity from its beginning separated believers in Christ from Jewish culture and Jewish tradition. The concept declares Jews who became Christians abandoned all expressions of Judaism in order to be Christians.

Acts plainly revealed that abandonment did not occur. In Acts 3, two apostles were going to the temple to pray. Peters plea in his sermon was for the Jews at the temple to allow Gods promised seasons of refreshing to come upon Israel (Acts 3:19-20). To the three thousand converts in Acts 2:41 were added daily additions in Jerusalem. In Acts 4:33 abundant grace expressed itself through the benevolence of the congregation in Jerusalem. In Acts 5:14 multitudes of men and women were added to the number of Christians in Jerusalem. Acts 5:42 indicated continued growth with teaching and preaching occurring at numerous sites including the temple. Acts 6:1 declared the disciples were increasing in number. Acts 6:7 declared the number of disciples increased greatly in Jerusalem and included many Jewish priests. By the time of Acts 21:20, Jewish Christians numbered in the thousands [literally, the tens of thousands] and these Christians were very much Jewish in custom, tradition, and temple worship (Acts 21:21). It was their Jewishness that formed the basis of the false accusation against Paul!

Hopefully this study encourages the consideration of scripture from a fresh perspective in order to see two things. One, from the Pentecost in Acts 2, Jewish people converting to Christ saw the fulfillment of Gods promises to Israel in Jesus. They did not see a religious movement opposing Judaism. Two, Jewish Christians did not feel a religious imperative to abandon Jewish culture, tradition, and religious forms [such as temple worship] in order to be Christians.

This WAS NOT the great controversy in the first century church: can Jewish people continue Jewish ways and be Christians? This WAS the great controversy in the first century church: must gentiles adopt Jewish ways in order to be Christians? Gods answer: Jewish Christians can be Jewish, and gentile Christians can be gentile.

The common ground for these groups was Jesus Christ. When both groups placed themselves in Jesus Christ with confidence and trust, God made them one body. In fact, God made them one bodyeven if they were ignorant of Gods action! In Ephesians 2:11-16, Paul declared God made both groups to be one body before they understood this divine action occurred. Paul informed them that the one body action taken by God already occurred. The recipients of Pauls declaration needed to understand what God already did in Jesus Christ!

The foundation of their oneness was not uniformity. The foundation was allowing Jesus Christ to be the core of (a) who they were as persons, (b) how they behaved in all of life, and (c) how they treated other people. A proper understanding of Gods emphasis in Judaisms laws, prophetic statements, and writings was consistent with Gods emphasis in Jesus Christ. Idolatry was inconsistent with Gods emphasis in Jesus Christ. Both groups had to see Jesus Christ as the revelation of Gods purposes.

Questions Are Easy to Ask; Answers Are Difficult

It is easy to ask questions. What happened to this huge congregation of Christians in Jerusalem? What happened to a significant early Christian movement in Judaism? With earliest Christianity being predominantly Jewish, why did Christianity fade among Jewish people as it grew among gentile people? The bulk of the New Testament is composed of writings to gentile Christians. What happened to the letters written to Jewish congregations outside Palestine?

Though more is understood now than fifty years ago, many questions remain. [Yes, it is okay to ask questions! Enduring faith is the product of understanding.] For example, scripture notes there were at least three types of Christians in Jewish Christianity. (a) There were Jewish Christians who were thoroughly zealous for the law (Acts 15:5; 21:20). (b) There was the party of the circumcision which this writer identifies with Judaizing teachers (Galatians 2:12). [Paul regarded these Christians to be insincere mutilators of the physical body (Galatians 5:12), motivated by self interest rather than concern for gentiles or Gods will (Galatians 6:12-13), and false brethren (Galatians 2:4) who practiced false circumcision [literally, mutilation] (Philippians 3:2).] (c) There were Jewish Christians like Paul, Silas, Barnabas [sometimes], Timothy, Apollos, Aquila and Priscilla who did not impose Jewish lifestyle, customs, and traditions on gentile Christians (Acts 15:1, 2; 18:24-28; Romans 16:4).

It is a mistake to consider all idolatrous gentiles alike or highly similar because they worshipped idols. Some forms of idolatry subscribed to demanding ethics and a notable morality. Some forms of idolatry encouraged indulging physical desires. The gods of idolatrous worship were diverse in individual emphases and concerns. Gentiles who converted to Jesus Christ from different religious backgrounds faced differing adjustments in conversion. Commonly, local forms of idolatry were entwined in every aspect of local life including business and politics. For gentiles, conversion to Christ definitely opposed prevailing local lifestyles and prevailing local customs.

Gods Rule

The understandings of Israels first century world and the understandings of the world in the 21st century United States of America are significantly different. All the first century world [including the nation of Israel] understood the realities of the concept of a kingdom. Most Americans do not understand those realities. The primary form of government in the first century world was a kingdom. Even an empire was composed of kingdoms who gave allegiance to the ruler of the empire. Most Americans never have lived in a kingdom. The only kings or queens they know are likely figureheads rather than persons with governmental control.

For example, a kingdom was governed by a king who had authority over his subjects [the citizens in his kingdom]. In the first century, a kingdom was synonymous with rule. To ask, Who is the king in this area? or To what kingdom does this area belong? was to ask, Who rules this area? Consequently, the phrase kingdom of God produced a significantly different primary question in the first century world than it does in America. Their primary question: Over whom does God rule? Religious Americans primary question: What is the kingdom of God? They primarily were concerned about who could be subjects under Gods rule. We primarily are concerned with identifying Gods kingdom. Consequently, we often feel confidence if we make a correct identification of Gods kingdom even if we are in rebellion against Gods rule.

For a Jew or proselyte devoted to the nation of Israel, the big issue was this: Do you mean uncircumcised gentiles will be under Gods rule? Jesus affirmed Gods rule would extend beyond the nation of Israel. Gods rule would exclude Israelites who rejected Gods rule.

John 10:16 I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.

Matthew 8:11-12 I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Luke 13:29 And they will come from east and west and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God.

Just as promised to Abraham in Genesis 12:3, Gods vision for those blessed by His rule included the entire earth. Israelites certainly could be part of Gods kingdom [when they accepted Gods rule], but Israelites could not be the entirety of Gods kingdom. It would not be a matter of ancestry, culture, customs, or tradition. It would be a personal matter of yielding to Gods rule.

Again, Israel was Gods vehicle to Gods goal. Gods goal was vastly bigger than the nation of Israel. The nation of Israel was a stepping stone to Gods kingdom. Certainly, Israelites had opportunity to be part of Gods kingdom, but only if they submitted to Gods rule. Paul referred to this understanding in his letters.

Philippians 3:3 for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh,

Romans 2:25-26 For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. So if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?

Romans 2:28-29 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.

Romans 9:6-8 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; nor are they all children because they are Abrahams descendants, but: through Isaac your descendants will be named. That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants.

Galatians 6:15 For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.

Colossians 2:9-11 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;

The basic Christian issue is not, What is your background? but Do you submit to Gods rule? He or she who submits to Gods rule is the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16), the Israel composed of citizens of Gods kingdom.

Chapter 16 - The Challenge

The Christian challenge is the challenge to move continually in the direction of Gods purposes in Christ. That is what Jewish Christians did in the first century. That is what gentile Christians did in the first century. Often, many Jewish Christians did not understand that God could save even people who were not circumcised. Often, many gentile Christians suffered the consequences of a spiritual inferiority complex. Both needed to grow beyond national or personal concerns. Both had to grow! Were both groups Christians? Yes! Did both groups need to grow? Yes! Was anyone totally correct in his or her understanding? No! For every Christian it was a growth process.

God is vastly bigger than believing humansindividually or collectively. Gods purposes are beyond believing humans comprehension [not beyond a trusting faith, but beyond human comprehension]. Paul concluded a discussion of Jew-gentile realities with these words:

Romans 11:33-36 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.

Peter was in a saved relationship with God when he did not know or comprehend the realities of Gods purposes in Christ that were revealed to him in Acts 10. God in Christ maintained Peters salvation! Jewish Christians were in a saved relationship with God when they did not understand Gods purposes in Christ to uncircumcised gentiles. God in Christ maintained their salvation! Gentile Christians were in a saved relationship with God as they struggled to abandon the lifestyle idolatry encouraged and accept the lifestyle Christ encouraged. Read Ephesians 4:17-32 and note gentile Christians struggle. God in Christ maintained their salvation!

God through the grace provided in Jesus Christ can grant and maintain salvation to any human who places trust in Jesus Christ! The human quality that must complement faith in Christ is growth in an understanding of Gods purposes. God will not maintain salvation in a person who rebels against Christ or rebels against Gods purposes. This rebellion is the defiant rejection of an understanding of Gods purposes in Christ. God will maintain salvation in a believer who is far less than completely correct but is growing in awareness and understanding of His purposes in Christ. That describes every person in Christ!

Does that mean God can [and will] extend forgiveness to one person and withhold forgiveness from another person when each person struggles with an identical problem? Yes! How can that be? The first believer is growing. The second believer is rebelling. As important as pursuing correctness is, correctness is not the primary responsibility of faith in Christ. Growth is the primary responsibility of faith in Christ.

Because Christians are never at the same point of understanding and development at any given moment, unity or oneness in Christ is never based on uniformity! Uniformity is a human accomplishment. Grace is a divine accomplishment. Christians are one in Christ because of Gods achievements in Jesus death!

Gods administration of grace to believers who accept Christs rule is not a license to be irresponsible. Grace in Christ is Gods expression of patience with responsible believers in Christ that permits Him to grant believers time to grow. Because of Gods patience reflected in His grace, Christians never stop growing toward correctness! No Christian is ever totally correct, but all Christians are growing toward correctness.

Christians are not one in Christ with every believer who is correct or agrees with them. Christians are one in Christ with every believer who is growing toward correctness. Correctness is not some form of human approval or human acceptance. Correctness is determined by Gods purposes in Christ. Faith in Christ is expressed when a believer has the personal courage to accept and apply a previously unknown understanding of Gods purposes in Christ.

The Christian Challenge

The man or woman who places confidence and trust in Gods accomplishments in Jesus death has the following responsibilities.

Grow in an understanding of Gods accomplishments in Jesus death.

Grow in an understanding of the meaning of Jesus resurrection.

Grow in trust of Gods accomplishments. Reflect this growth in attitudes, emotions, relationships, behavior, and personal values.

Grow in making it evident through your lifestyle that Jesus Christ is Lord of your life.

Grow in your struggle against evil in your life.

Grow in your willingness to resist and confront evil in the world by doing good (see Romans 12:21).

Grow as you increasingly transform yourself using the image of Christ as your standard.

Grow in your ability to encourage others.

Grow in your ability to reflect the peace and joy of relationship with God in life.

Grow in your willingness to be responsible as one who trusts Christ.

Grow in your awareness that you are never totally correct, but you are always growing in your grasp of Gods purposes in Christ.

Refuse to allow the human concept of correctness to be your standard for measuring a Christians faith when the Christian lives by a believing trust in Jesus Christ.

Refuse to accept uniformity as the biblical definition of unity in Christ.

Romans 12:3-5 For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

Allow Gods purposes in Christ to determine who you are and how you live.