Sunday, March 12, 2023

Not Saved without Circumcision? - Acts 15:1

Luke the beloved physician shared how Paul and Barnabas, “abode long time with the disciples” in Antioch of Syria, and in chapter fifteen and verse one of the book of Acts Luke shared how, “certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except you be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved”, where we read:

And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except you be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved.

The verse begins, “And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, ... Luke began with the words, “and certain men” which means “and particular male human beings” “which came down from Judaea” or “who descended and came forth apart from Judaea whose name means he shall be praised and was the southern portion of Palestine lying on this side of the Jordan and the Dead Sea, to distinguish it from Samaria, Galilee, Peraea, and Idumaea” “taught the brethren” which means “held discourses, imparted instruction and instilled doctrine within the fellow believers who were united to each other by the bond of affection”, “and said” or “and uttered, declared and proclaimed” the following words. Luke shared how “particular men” descended from the region of “Judaea” and instructed the fellow believers by declaring the following words.

The verse continues, “... Except you be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved.” Luke added the words, “except you be circumcised” or “unless you have the prepuce cut off and thereby exercise the rite of circumcision whereby a man was separated from the unclean world and dedicated to God” “after the manner of Moses” which means “following and being led by the way and usage prescribed by law and instituted by Moses whose name means drawing out and the legislator of the Jewish people and in a certain sense the founder of the Jewish religion”, “you cannot be saved” or “you, fellow believers, are unable and incapable of being rescued from the danger and destruction of sin”. Luke shared how the “men” who came from “Judaea” told the fellow believers in Antioch of Syria that they could not be “saved from their sins” unless they were physically “circumcised” according to “Moses' law”.

When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn about “men from Judaea” who heard about the believers in “Antioch of Syria” and decided to visit them so they could give them further instruction. However, their teaching included following the Jewish law handed down by Moses that every “male” was to be “circumcised”, and they told them without “circumcision” there was no way for them to be “saved”. God sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross to pay the price for “sins”. The rite of “circumcision” was instituted to demonstrate a “cutting away of the flesh” or sinful nature within the Jewish people, and it was only truly effective if there was an inward change in a person. (See Romans 2:25-3:1) We shall see how contentious this issue became for the church, and Acts chapter fifteen is known as the “First Church Council”. God loves everyone, and His desire is to have a loving personal relationship with every person who yields to His Son Jesus. When they submit to Him, God will forgive their sins and grant them everlasting life which represents the greatest “circumcision” of all – the “circumcision” of the heart.

Next time Luke shares how, “Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".







 

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