Acts 15 Grace changes everything

From Moses until Acts 15, the Ten Commandments and the Law of Moses guided God’s people. But in Acts 15, everything changes through God’s grace in Jesus Christ. Early believers questioned whether Christians needed to follow the Law of Moses, like circumcision, to be saved. The apostles and elders met to discuss this issue. Peter explained that God knows our hearts and gives the Holy Spirit to all who believe, without distinction. He emphasized that salvation comes by grace through faith in Jesus, not by keeping the law. They decided that Gentile believers are not required to follow the old law but should avoid certain practices like idolatry and immorality. This decision freed Christians from the burden of the law, highlighting that grace changes everything. Now, we are called to live by the Spirit, bearing good fruit and embracing God’s unmerited favor in our lives.

The question in Acts 15 — do Christians have to keep the law?

In Acts 15, believers questioned if Christians must follow Moses’ Law, like circumcision, to be saved. This passage explores whether salvation comes through the law or faith in Jesus alone. Let’s see what the Bible teaches about this important issue.

Some men came down from Judea and taught the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised after the custom of Moses (Genesis 17:9-27; Leviticus 12:1-8; Joshua 5:1-9), you can’t be saved.” Therefore when Paul and Barnabas had no small discord and discussion with them, they appointed Paul and Barnabas, and some others of them, to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question. They, being sent on their way by the assembly, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles. They caused great joy to all the brothers. When they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the assembly and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all things that God had done with them. (Acts 15:1-4 WEB)

But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.” (Acts 15:5 WEB)

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The discussion in Acts 15 — is salvation by law or grace?

In this discussion, we’ll explore whether salvation comes through following the law or by God’s grace. By examining key Bible passages, we’ll see how faith in Jesus Christ brings salvation, understand the purpose of the law, and recognize the power of God’s grace in our lives.

The apostles and the elders were gathered together to see about this matter. When there had been much discussion, Peter rose up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that a good while ago God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the nations should hear the word of the Good News, and believe. God, who knows the heart, testified about them, giving them the Holy Spirit, just like he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. Now therefore why do you tempt God, that you should put a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they are.” (Acts 15:6-11 WEB)

The purpose of the law

For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who doesn’t continue in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them.” Now that no man is justified by the law before God is evident, for, “The righteous will live by faith.” The law is not of faith, but, “The man who does them will live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree,” that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.  (Galatians 3:10-14 WEB)

What then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the seed should come to whom the promise has been made. It was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not between one, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could make alive, most certainly righteousness would have been of the law. But the Scriptures imprisoned all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. (Galatians 3:19-22 WEB)

But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, confined for the faith which should afterwards be revealed. So that the law has become our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. (Galatians 3:23-25 WEB)

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The cross is the power of God

For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, but to us who are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, I will bring the discernment of the discerning to nothing.” Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the lawyer of this world? Hasn’t God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For seeing that in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom didn’t know God, it was God’s good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save those who believe. For Jews ask for signs, Greeks seek after wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified; a stumbling block to Jews, and foolishness to Greeks, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18-24 WEB)

• Living by the power of God
• The same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead

Dead in sins and now alive in Christ

Be careful that you don’t let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elements of the world, and not after Christ. For in him all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily, and in him you are made full, who is the head of all principality and power; in whom you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, wiping out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us; and he has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross; having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. (Colossians 2:8-15 WEB)

The decision in Acts 15 — set free from the burden of the law

In Acts 15, the early church leaders decide that Gentile believers are free from the heavy burden of the Jewish law. They need only avoid idolatry, sexual immorality, and certain forbidden foods. This shows God’s plan to save all people through faith in Christ.

All his works are known to God from eternity.’ “Therefore my judgment is that we don’t trouble those from among the Gentiles who turn to God, but that we write to them that they abstain from the pollution of idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood. For Moses from generations of old has in every city those who preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.” (Acts 15:18-21 WEB)

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The results of Acts 15 — released from the law

Through Christ’s death and resurrection, we are freed from the old law and called to live by the Spirit. This means turning away from sinful desires and bearing good fruits like love and kindness. Let’s explore how Acts 15 shows we’re released from the law.

Therefore, my brothers, you also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you would be joined to another, to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit to God. For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were through the law, worked in our members to bring forth fruit to death. But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that in which we were held; so that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter. (Romans 7:4-6 WEB)

Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and don’t be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. (Galatians 5:1 WEB)

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts. (Galatians 5:16-24 WEB)

The benefits of Acts 15 — grace changes everything

Acts 15 shows us how God’s grace changes everything. In this section, we’ll explore how grace strengthens our faith and frees us from the burden of legalism. By looking at Scripture and insights from trusted Christian authors, we’ll see how embracing God’s unmerited favor transforms our lives, roots us in His love, and fills us with His fullness.

For this cause, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that you may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know Christ’s love which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:14-19 WEB)

Be careful that you don’t let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elements of the world, and not after Christ. For in him all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily, and in him you are made full, who is the head of all principality and power; in whom you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, wiping out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us; and he has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross; having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. (Colossians 2:8-15 WEB)