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The Lord is awe-inspiring, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in Acts 21:20-24,
“You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everybody will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law.”
Following his missionary efforts, when Paul got to Jerusalem he met with James and the elders of the church and gave them a detailed account of his successful ministry among the Gentiles. After they praised God on the accounts Paul provided they made this statement to Paul. As we read the rest of the story we see that Paul complied the very next day. Paul apparently continued to live out his Jewish heritage when and where possible.
Paul wrote to the Galatian believers, “All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.’ Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, ‘The righteous will live by faith.’ The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, ‘The man who does these things will live by them.’ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.’ He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.” Galatians 3:10-14.
Keep the law or not keep the law? Clearly Paul taught that righteousness is not obtained by keeping the law. The mission to the Jews was very active and highly successful as “many thousands” of Jews had believed in Jesus Christ. Jewish identity and culture was built around the law and the leaders of the early church wisely observed that the issue in coming to Christ for potential converts needed to be Jesus Christ himself, not in challenging cultural distinctives, including those of the Jews themselves.
The message of Jesus Christ is too important to be squandered over peripheral issues. How wonderful it would be today if we observed the wisdom of the early church!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your theme of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We’d love to hear from you!
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