Part 15 - Trinity Fellowship - Raton, New Mexico

DEALING WITH THE UNCIRCUMCISED (The Acts of the Apostles – Part 15)

The Teaching Ministry of Rick Trice

October 2, 2005

Trinity Fellowship

Raton, NM

Acts 15:1-38

Galatians 1:6-8; 3: 1-15

ONLY ONE GOSPEL

(READ GAL. 1:6-8)

WE STUDIED LAST TIME THAT PAUL AND BARNABAS HAD COME BACK TO ANTIOCH, SYRIA, FOLLOWING THEIR 1^ST MISSION TRIP TO THE REGION KNOWN AS “GALATIA.” THERE, THE LORD HAD WORKED THROUGH THEM TO BRING MANY GENTILES, NON-JEWS, TO CHRIST. THEY HAD PLANTED MANY CHURCHES THROUGHOUT THE REGION.

NOW THEY ARE BACK IN THEIR “HOME CHURCH” IN ANTIOCH, RESTING UP, GETTING FED SPIRITUALLY, AND GETTING READY FOR THE NEXT THING GOD HAS FOR THEM.

BUT NOW, A CONTROVERSY HAS EVIDENTLY SPRUNG UP. SOME JEWISH CHRISTIANS FROM JERUSALEM HAVE GONE TO SOME OF THESE CHURCHES AND DEMANDED THAT THESE NEW, NON-JEWISH CONVERTS FOLLOW THE LAW OF MOSES.

SO, IN RESPONSE, PAUL HAS SEEN FIT TO WRITE THIS LETTER TO THE CHRISTIANS IN GALATIA (HIS FIRST LETTER, ALSO CALLED “EPISTLE” THAT IS CONTAINED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.)

AND HE HAS PRETTY STRONG LANGUAGE AGAINST THOSE FROM JERUSALEM WHO WOULD “PERVERT” THE PURE GOSPEL OF JESUS.

JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH

(READ GAL. 3: 1-15)

THE LAW BRINGS A CURSE; CHRIST HUNG ON A TREE TO BE OUR CURSE; SO THEREFORE, FAITH IN CHRIST BRINGS OUR JUSTIFICATION.

DEALING WITH THE UNCIRCUMCISED

SO WHAT WAS IT, EXACTLY, THAT THESE JEWISH CHRISTIANS WERE DEMANDING THE NON-JEWS TO DO?

(READ ACTS 15:1-5)

THEY WERE REQUIRING THEM TO BECOME JEWS!

IN OTHER WORDS, THEY WERE FORCING ISSUES OF DOCTRINE ONTO THESE NEW CHRISTIANS.

WHAT ARE ISSUES OF DOCTRINE?

THEY ARE THE RULES AND BY-LAWS THAT ONE ORGANIZATION REQUIRES BEFORE YOU CAN JOIN THEIR CLUB!

THEY ARE THE “DUES” YOU GOTTA PAY.

I WORKED FOR AN ORGANIZATION ONCE THAT HAD A “CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP” TO THE COUNTRY CLUB. THAT MEANT IF YOU WERE AN EMPLOYEE, YOU GOT TO USE THE SERVICES AND BENEFITS AT THE COUNTRY CLUB FOR FREE! MY FAMILY GOT TO GO PLAY GOLF, OR SWIM, OR GO OUT TO EAT, ANYTIME WE WANTED! FOR FREE! WELL, FREE TO US. THE COMPANY STILL HAD TO PAY THE BILL.

IT WAS GREAT.

BUT THEN, THE COMPANY DECIDED TO CUT SOME COSTS. GUESS WHAT COSTS THEY CUT FIRST? THE FREE COUNTRY CLUB MEMBERSHIP!

WE GET A FLYER IN THE MAIL THAT SAYS WE’RE WELCOME TO KEEP COMIN’ TO THE COUNTRY CLUB, BUT GUESS WHAT? HERE ARE THE DUES AND FEES WE HAVE TO NOW PAY TO KEEP COMING!

SEE, THERE WERE NOW “NEW RULES” WE HAD TO FOLLOW, TO STILL BE A MEMBER OF THE “CLUB”.

DENOMINATIONS

YOU SEE, I THINK THE JERUSALEM JEWISH CHRISTIANS IN PAUL’S TIMES HAD BECOME A “COUNTRY CLUB” MENTALITY. YOU COULD JOIN UP, BUT YOU HAD TO AGREE TO FOLLOW THEIR RULES AND PAY THEIR DUES (IE. CIRCUMCISION).

GOING ONE STEP FURTHER, I THINK SOME OF OUR CHURCHES TODAY HAVE DEVELOPED A “COUNTRY CLUB” MENTALITY. THEY HAVE MISTAKEN THEIR RULES AND BY-LAWS FOR THE PRICE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUSTIFICATION.

HOW MANY HAVE WE TURNED AWAY BECAUSE THEY DIDN’T HAVE THE RIGHT “PRICE OF ADMISSION?.”

HOW MANY HAVE, OVER TIME, LEFT CHURCH BECAUSE THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE DOCTRINES THAT THE CHURCH HAD CONSISTENTLY MADE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE CRUCIFIED JESUS CHRIST?

AGAIN,

THE LAW BRINGS A CURSE; CHRIST HUNG ON A TREE TO BE OUR CURSE; SO THEREFORE, FAITH IN CHRIST BRINGS OUR JUSTIFICATION, NOT ADHERENCE TO "SOME SET OF RULES." DOCTRINE IS IMPORTANT; BUT OUR CHURCHES NEED TO BE CAREFUL TO MAKE THIS DISTINCTION.