Bible Question: Why was the jerusalem council a decisive point in the formation of the earliest churches? What principals do we learn from this council on how to engage religious conflict? |
Bible Answer: This was the church's first major confrontation with a major issue. Remember the church had just been established just a short while previously and they were "winging it" on their own with the exception of the Holy Spirit. Also remember God and Jesus were expecting great things out of these gentlemen as cited in Matt 18:18 " I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. Imagine for a moment, you have lived your whole life, like your father and his father with the 600 plus rules and regulations as promulgated by the Law of Moses. Suddenly you're released from all that and are told you've been given all authority to "bind and loose" as you see fit for the whole church for all time till Christ comes again. Yeah, awesome, I know and incredibly humbling at the same time. Personally, I think these gentlemen did an outstanding job, especially considering their educational background. Also I think they followed Jesus plan for resolving conflict from Matt 18:15 "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. They gathered the facts from men they could trust would be unbiased and truthful. The considered their options, prayed carefully and issued a decision reflecting their maturity and love for all mankind for all time. Yes, I think we definitely see the Hand of God in these men and the way they managed the church through its initial development. Thanks be to God they were humble and just like you and me. God bless. --Rowdy |