How does Acts 15:5 address the necessity of following the Mosaic law today? Setting the Scene “ But some believers from the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, ‘It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the Law of Moses.’ ” (Acts 15:5) What the Verse Reveals • The speakers are “believers,” showing genuine faith yet clinging to old covenant requirements. • Their demand—circumcision plus observance of Moses’ Law—frames the central dispute: Is grace alone sufficient, or must Gentile converts adopt the full Mosaic code? • By surfacing the issue publicly, God uses Acts 15 to clarify doctrine for every generation. Council’s Resolution (Acts 15:6-11, 19-21, 24, 28-29) • Peter: “We believe it is through the grace of the Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” (v. 11) • James: “It is my judgment that we should not trouble those turning to God from among the Gentiles.” (v. 19) • Letter to the churches: “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond these essentials…” (vv. 28-29) • Essentials named: abstain from idolatry, sexual immorality, meat of strangled animals, and blood—practical fellowship guardrails, not a return to Mosaic ceremonial law. Implications for Followers of Jesus Today • Salvation is by grace through faith, independent of Mosaic ceremonial requirements (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:28). • Circumcision, dietary laws, feast observances, and ritual washings are fulfilled in Christ (Colossians 2:16-17; Hebrews 10:1). • Moral commands pre-dating and outlasting Sinai (e.g., prohibitions against idolatry, murder, adultery) remain binding (Matthew 5:17-19; Romans 13:8-10). • The Holy Spirit—not external code—now writes God’s law on believing hearts (Jeremiah 31:33; 2 Corinthians 3:3). Living Out Freedom Without License • Celebrate liberty from ceremonial obligations while pursuing holiness (Galatians 5:1, 13). • Evaluate traditions: helpful devotion or unnecessary yoke? (Colossians 2:20-23) • Show grace toward differing convictions on disputable matters (Romans 14:1-6). Guardrails Against Legalism • Adding any requirement for salvation beyond faith in Christ compromises the gospel (Galatians 1:6-9). • Spiritual vitality flows from union with Christ, not rule-keeping (John 15:4-5). • The Mosaic covenant served as “guardian” until Christ; clinging to it for righteousness is regression (Galatians 3:23-25). Summary Take-Home Acts 15:5 voices the question; the rest of the chapter answers it decisively: believers are saved and kept solely by God’s grace, and while the moral heart of God’s law still guides us, the ceremonial yoke of Moses is no longer a requirement for God’s people today. |
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