Saint Peter and Saint Paul, 2008
Rev. Brian L. Kachelmeier
Acts 15:1-12
In the name of Jesus. Amen.
In today’s passage from the book of Acts, we are taught about an amazing event in the history of the church. This event has come to be known as the first Ecumenical church council in Jerusalem. Now we have heard of other such councils like the one in Nicaea in the year 325 or the one in Constantinople in the year 381, but this council was the first one to take place in about the year 50. At this council we are told about the united efforts of Peter and Paul in preaching the Gospel to all nations.
Now the gathering at Jerusalem in chapter fifteen has its roots in the debate that took place at Antioch in chapter fourteen. Antioch was the city where the disciples of Jesus were first called Christians. It is also the headquarters for Paul’s missionary journeys. In chapter fourteen, Paul had just returned from his first missionary journey in which he preached the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles. However, there were Christians who came from Jerusalem that were teaching that the Gentile converts must be circumcised in order to be saved. For them salvation was not by grace alone through faith alone. This was a different Gospel than the one that Paul was preaching.
To settle this issue, Paul and Barnabas were appointed by the church to go up to Jerusalem from which these teachers came. Verse four states, “When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.” (Acts 15:4-5 ESV) Again the debate broke out in Jerusalem. Now it is interesting to note at this point that there have always been those who have rejected the Word of God in the church. In our day, we hear of those who do not believe the Bible to be the Word of God. They reject the written word of the Apostles. Yet, even when the Apostles were alive, there were those who rejected the spoken word of the Apostles. In both cases, such people refuse to believe that the words of the Apostles are the words of God. Let us continue to learn to remain steadfast in the teaching of the Apostles as taught in the written word. Only in this way can we have a firm and sure faith.
Take note that it is Peter who stands up and reminds all that he spoke the Gospel to the house of Cornelius. Then in verse seven Peter says, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.” (Acts 15:6-7 ESV) God created faith in their hearts through the same Gospel that was being preached to the Jews. Through the Gospel the Lord creates faith in the heart and brings people into the church. There is one church which is neither Jew nor Gentile. The church is the new Israel. Both the Jews and the Gentiles needed to become Christians that is disciples of Christ.
Now there are those people since the days of the Reformation who have claimed that the teaching of justification through faith alone is an insignificant doctrine that is only spoken by Paul in a few places. Yet, here in our text we are taught by the Apostle Peter about this central teaching of the Christian Faith. Peter states in verses eight and nine, “And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.” (Acts 15:8-9 ESV) He doesn’t add anything to faith. It is not faith plus circumcision or faith plus any works that a man does. No, it is through faith alone in Christ alone through which God cleanses the human heart.
Salvation has always been by the grace of Jesus. Peter goes on to say in verse eleven, “But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” (Acts 15:11 ESV) Because of the sacrificial death of the Son, the Father is merciful toward us. The saints of all times have been made saints by God’s grace. There has never been a dispensation or special time period in which holiness was achieved by human effort. Even in the days of the Old Testament, those saints were made saints through faith in the promise of Christ.
In this text, Peter begins the teaching on justification through faith alone. Paul on the other hand, clarifies it and teaches the significance of keeping it as the central teaching of the Christian Faith. As Paul says in Romans chapter three, “We hold that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.” It is God who declares us righteous for the sake of Jesus. We do not have our own righteousness based upon what we have done. Instead, we are given the righteousness of Jesus based upon what He has done. He was circumcised for us to fulfill the Old Testament requirement.
It is oh so easy to lose focus and contradict this teaching. As soon as we emphasize our efforts at the expense of the merit of Jesus, we lose sight of this foundational teaching. For this reason, it has been called the doctrine upon which the church stands or falls.
Notice how those who were demanding circumcision were trying to be faithful to the text of the Old Testament. They were supporting their position from God’s Word. See how easy it is to fall into a false position. It is not as if they wore T-shirts that said, “Don’t listen to me, I disagree with God.” They actually thought they were rightly confessing the Word of God. From this we learn that personal convictions and interpretations can be detrimental to the revealed knowledge of God. The sincerity of the heart does not make the teaching right. The Gospel is kept pure when it is the same Gospel that the Apostles taught. The Apostles, such as Peter and Paul, were given as a gift to the church through which God spoke the Gospel. For this reason, the Apostle Paul warns us to remain in this Gospel.
In Galatians chapter one Paul states, “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:8-9 ESV) Now notice how those disciples with Pharisaical tendencies are told that in essence they are not arguing with just mere human opinion. Rather, they are arguing with God. In verse ten we are told by Peter, “Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?” (Acts 15:10 ESV) It was the Lord who sent the Apostles out to preach the Gospel to all nations. It was the Lord who told Peter not to call unclean what He declares clean. It is the Lord who knows the heart and who changes the heart. It is the Lord who confirmed the bestowal of the Holy Spirit upon the Gentile converts with miraculous signs.
It is the Lord who instituted the Old Testament to prepare the way for the New Testament. The Old has become obsolete. No longer are the people of God obligated to keep the ceremonial aspects of the Old Testament such as circumcision. These were shadows that found their fulfillment in Christ. If a Gentile we obligated to be circumcised, he would be obligated to fulfill all of the Old Testament. Yet, the New Testament is not about burdening consciences. Instead, it is all about comforting the over burdened consciences. To make the Gentile converts subject themselves to the law of Moses out of necessity would be to make the Gentiles void out the freedom that they have in Christ through faith.
In the liturgical calendar, we have various festivals set aside to honor the saints. On January 18 we remember the confession of St. Peter. Then on January 25 we rejoice in the conversion of St. Paul. Now today on June 29 we celebrate both Saint Peter and Saint Paul. Today we remember their martyrdom. According to Church tradition, both Apostles died a martyr’s death in Rome. Peter was crucified upside down while Paul was beheaded. Rather than celebrate their birthday on earth, we are celebrating their birthday into heaven. Those who have died in Christ are not dead but truly alive forever. They fought the good fight and now they are at rest in Christ. As we struggle in this life they shine in the presence of God.
These saints give to us the example of serving God in their specific callings and vocation in life. They served faithfully unto death. They were sent by God directly with His very Word placed upon their mouths and they were His instruments to record His word for posterities’ sake. Because of these saints we have the revealed knowledge of God. They were sent out to preach the Gospel by Christ Himself and they then wrote down this message for us. Amen
