Connect Acts 15:24 with other scriptures on guarding against false doctrine. The Immediate Concern in Acts 15:24 “Since we have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and unsettled you, troubling your minds by what they said…” (Acts 15:24) • Unsanctioned teachers had slipped in, insisting Gentile believers be circumcised and keep the Mosaic Law. • Their message disturbed, unsettled, and confused new Christians. • The Jerusalem elders therefore issued a clear, written correction to protect the churches. False Teaching: A Repeated New-Testament Warning • Acts 20:29-30 — “Savage wolves will come in among you… even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth.” • 2 Peter 2:1 — “There will also be false teachers among you… introducing destructive heresies.” • 1 John 4:1 — “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.” • 1 Timothy 4:1 — “In later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits.” • 2 Timothy 4:3-4 — “They will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires.” • Jude 3-4 — “Contend for the faith… certain men have crept in unnoticed.” • Galatians 1:6-9 — Any “gospel” differing from the apostles’ is accursed. • Hebrews 13:9 — “Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings.” Shared Themes Linking These Passages to Acts 15:24 1. Unauthorized Voices – Acts 15:24: “without our authorization.” – Galatians 1:7: “There are some who are disturbing you.” 2. Disturbance & Unsettling – Acts 15:24: “unsettled you, troubling your minds.” – 2 Timothy 2:17-18: false ideas “spread like gangrene… overthrow the faith of some.” 3. Added Requirements or Distorted Gospel – Acts 15:24: circumcision + law-keeping as salvation requirements. – Colossians 2:8, 16-17: “Let no one take you captive… let no one judge you” by externals. 4. Apostolic Clarification – Acts 15:25-29: a concise letter refuting error. – Titus 1:9: elders must “exhort with sound doctrine and refute those who contradict it.” Scripture’s Built-In Safeguards • Hold firmly to the original apostolic teaching (Acts 2:42; 2 Thessalonians 2:15). • Test every message by Scripture’s plain meaning (Isaiah 8:20; Acts 17:11). • Rely on the indwelling Spirit for discernment (John 16:13; 1 John 2:27). • Submit to qualified, Scripture-anchored leaders (Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 5:1-3). • Guard both life and doctrine with perseverance (1 Timothy 4:16). Practical Habits for Today • Daily Bible intake—reading entire books to grasp context. • Memorizing key passages that affirm core doctrines (John 1; Romans 3; 1 Corinthians 15). • Comparing every new teaching with the full counsel of God’s Word. • Watching for teaching that adds human effort to Christ’s finished work (Ephesians 2:8-9). • Staying accountable within a local, Bible-preaching church family. Anchored Assurance The Jerusalem church’s swift response in Acts 15:24 models how believers can recognize error, expose it, and rest in the unchanging gospel. With Scripture as final authority and the Spirit as guide, the church remains secure against every wind of false doctrine. |
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