Reflection Questions 

Acts 15.1-22

In each time, in each place, we are  tempted to add our contribution to the saving work of God in Christ. ‘Yes, Jesus is Lord. He lived and died to redeem us. But unless you can pray in tongues of angels, we’re not sure if you’re saved,’ some are misled to believe.

For others the extra factor added to the work of Christ might be:

• being respectable, well mannered
• adhering to Prayer Book worship 
• or adhering to contemporary worship style 
• being baptised in a certain way (eg. full immersion as an adult) 
• supporting a certain political ideology 
• having a certain ethnic or social background, or wealth level

The ways we try to add to the completed, saving, work of Jesus, are endless. 

This is not to say that a life that pursues the moral will of God is unnecessary. Of course, a saved person wants to, and is called to, pursue such a life. The problem is when we reckon that something we do somehow completes the sacrifice of Jesus, as if the sacrifice of Christ is not enough to save us from sin, death and evil. This adding to the work of Christ completely obscures the free grace of God in Jesus.

1. Can you share a time when you have struggled with a temptation to make a contribution to the saving work of Jesus?

2. What was the particular human contribution that the Jewish legalists wanted to require of the new Gentile disciples, in Antioch and the first church Council (Acts 15.1, 5)? 

3. In Paul’s letters, we observe him contend firmly for central Gospel truths and the lifestyle that aligns with the same. Here in Antioch and at the Jerusalem Council, he argues with the Jewish legalist sect (Acts 15.1-2, 12). What is at stake when the complete & once-for-all sacrifice of Christ in the true Gospel, is obscured? (Read 1 Corinthians 15.1-5 for clues). 

4. Compare and contrast Peter’s argument at the Council (Acts 15.6-11) to James’ argument (Acts 15.13-21). In what ways do they make the same basic point? 

5. Who is James? What stands out to you in the following? (From IVP New Bible Dictionary).

James is: ‘The brother of Jesus who, along with his brothers Joses, Simon and Judas (Mt. 13:55), apparently did not accept the authority of Jesus before the resurrection (see Mk. 3:21 and Jn. 7:5). After the risen Jesus had appeared to him (1 Cor. 15:7), he became a leader of the Jewish-Christian church at Jerusalem (Gal. 1:19; 2:9; Acts 12:17). Tradition stated that he was appointed first bishop of Jerusalem by the Lord himself (Eusebius, EH 7. 19). He presided at the first Council of Jerusalem, which considered the terms of admission of Gentiles into the church, formulated the decree which was promulgated to the churches of Antioch, Syria and Cilicia (Acts 15:19–23), and remained as sole leader of the Jerusalem church, working to maintain its unity with Paul and his mission when Paul visited Jerusalem for the last time (Acts 21:18ff.). A few years later James suffered martyrdom by stoning at the instigation of the high priest Ananus during the interregnum after the death of the procurator Festus in AD 61 (Josephus, Ant. 20.9). Hegesippus’ largely legendary tradition claims that James was known as ‘the Just’ because of his (Jewish) piety (Eusebius, EH 2. 23). Jerome (De viris illustribus 2) records a fragment from the lost apocryphal Gospel according to the Hebrews (*New Testament Apocrypha) containing a brief and probably unhistorical account of the appearance of the risen Jesus to James. James is the traditional author of the canonical Epistle of James, where he describes himself as ‘a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ’ (Jas. 1:1).’

6. James fully supported the moral commands of the Lord, as shown by his many ethical exhortations in his letter to the churches (the book ‘James’ in your New Testament). His instructions to the new Gentile churches, then (Acts 15.19-21) did not remove these commands as a guide for life. But they are removed as a source of self salvation. He agreed with Peter, Barnabas’ and Paul that salvation was a free gift to Jew and Gentile, received by faith. This inclusion of the Gentiles was always God’s plan, James says. And once this was settled, he included some practical advice: that the Gentiles should show a sensitivity to Jewish sensibilities to aid fellowship (not in order to be saved). Clearly, James’ wisdom was inspired. 

How can we protect our explicit witness to the grace of God in Jesus, yet also show a sensitivity to those weaker brothers and sisters who might feel anxious about certain factors (see introduction above for factors).