ACTS 15 CHALLENGE BUILDING DOCTRINALLY SOUND BAPTIST CHURCHES

ACTS 15 CHALLENGE : BUILDING DOCTRINALLY SOUND BAPTIST CHURCHES, YET ETHNICALLY SENSITIVE

CULTURAL ISSUES - SAMPLING • STRONG EXTENDED FAMILIES (SAME HOUSEHOLD) • ANCESTRY WORSHIP • PAYMENT OF DOWRY • MATE SELECTION • PROFESSION SELECTION (EDUCATION HIGH PRIORITY) • MUSIC – TONES, MOVEMENT • LANGUAGE, ENGLISH READING SKILLS

JERUSALEM COUNCIL/COUNSEL • QUESTION # 1 – HOW GENTILES COULD BE SAVED? 15: 1, 5 • QUESTION # 2 – PROHIBITIONS, “KEEP THE LAW OF MOSES” 15: 5, 20 Ø ABSTAIN FROM CONTAMINATION OF IDOLS, Ø ABSTAIN FROM FORNICATION Ø ABSTAIN FROM THINGS STRANGLED Ø ABSTAIN FROM BLOOD

FOUNDATION FOR THE FAITH • HEAR THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST AND BELIEVE (IT), V. 7 • RECIPIENTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, V. 8 • SANCTIFICATION BY FAITH, V. 9 • THROUGH THE GRACE OF THE LORDJESUS CHRIST WE SHALL BE SAVED, V. 11 • DEMONSTRATION OF DIVINE POWER, V. 12

THE NATURE OF THE PROHIBITIONS • ETHICAL – MORAL STANDARDS TO BE KEPT BY GENTILE BELIEVERS • SOCIETAL – RITUAL PROHIBITIONS WHICH ENABLE THE JEWS TO LOVE TOGETHER WITH GENTILECHRISTIANS. (THEY ARE NOT THEOLOGICAL ISSUES) • CULTIC (WORSHIP) – PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES THAT EVEN RESEMBLED PAGAN RELIGIOUS PRACTICES.

THE NATURE OF THE PROHIBITIONS • ETHICAL – MORAL STANDARDS TO BE KEPT BY GENTILE BELIEVERS • SOCIETAL – RITUAL PROHIBITIONS WHICH ENABLE THE JEWS TO LOVE TOGETHER WITH GENTILECHRISTIANS. (THEY ARE NOT THEOLOGICAL ISSUES) • CULTIC (WORSHIP) – PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES THAT EVEN RESEMBLED PAGAN RELIGIOUS PRACTICES.

THE PURPOSE FOR THE PROHIBITIONS That the prohibitions should be spiritually and relationally beneficial. “… from which if you keep yourselves, you shall do well. ” v. 29

SIGNIFICANCE FACTORS FOR INSTITUTIONAL RULES • PROHIBITIONS SEEMS GOOD TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, V. 28 • PROHIBITIONS ARE NOT OVERTLY BURDENSOME, V. 28 • PROHIBITIONS ARE SPECIFIC AND LIMITED, NOT GENERAL AND OPEN-ENDED • PROHIBITIONS ARE ESSENTIAL OR MINIMAL REQUIREMENTS FOR COMMUNION BETWEEN ETHNIC GROUPS • PRODUCE JOY BECAUSE OF ITS ENCOURAGEMENT, V. 31

WHAT IS NECESSARY? • NOT THE CAUSE TROUBLE FOR BELIEVING GENTILE, VV. 19, 24 (WEIGH THOUGHTFULLY ALL ISSUES -COMPROMISE) • RECOMMEND NO GREAT OBLIGATION THAN NECESSARY, V. 28 • ADOPT PRACTICES THAT WILL ADVANCE THE CHURCH, V. 29 • COMPLETE, AND JOYOUSLY AGREEMENT, VV. 22, 25, 31

TEXTUAL DIFFERENCE VERSE 20 VERSE 29 • POLLUTION OF IDOLS • MEATS OFFERED TO IDOLS • FORNICATION • BLOOD • THINGS STRANGLED • • BLOOD FORNICATION