Year 1, Day 248: Acts 15

Humanity’s Need for Tradition

Okay, before I get into the theology of Acts 15, I need to point something out.  Sometimes the smarter person – or the correct person if they don’t happen to be the smarter person – doesn’t win the discussion.  Some folks come down from Jerusalem and Paul and Barnabas talk about what God is actually doing in the world. 

We know God is with Paul and Barnabas.  They should have won the discussion.  But we know that at the very least the discussion ends in a draw because they are sent off to Jerusalem.  The folks from Jerusalem just aren’t willing to listen to God’s revealed ministry in Paul.  For that matter, there are folks in Jerusalem who don’t want to listen, either.  There are always people who expect God to live up to human tradition rather than realizing that God is continuously “doing new things.”  It’s reality.

Now don’t get me wrong.  God doesn’t tear down and change the definition of “what used to be sin.”  Sin is sin and will always be abhorrent to God.  But cultures change.  People change.  To a God who can look into our hearts and judge us on motivation instead of simply looking at results, why do we need to base God’s hand of movement upon what we expect to happen rather than by looking for where the Holy Spirit is at work?  What needed to be true for one culture or person doesn’t always need to happen in another culture or person. 

God’s big enough to embrace that.  It is we who must change to keep up with God’s calling for us.

In Jerusalem

Now, let’s get to the theology.  Peter and James both stand up in the council and say (paraphrased, of course) “We know that God is going to the Gentiles and working among them whether they become Jews or not.  However, we have some small things you would do well to adhere to so that there is less conflict between you and the Jews who follow Christ.”  Essentially, this isn’t a letter telling them what it takes to become a Christian.  The letter from Jerusalem is a letter about how to get along with their fellow Jews who also follow Christ!  This letter from Jerusalem is not about dogma (or doctrine) but about religious practice.  It is not about good theology but rather about controlling behavior.

In many ways, this letter is about the same thing as Paul says when he tells his churches to not put a stumbling block in the way of someone else.  For example, there is nothing wrong with eating food sacrificed to idols.  Paul says as much in 1 Corinthians 8.  However, some followers of Christ might not be to the place of accepting that since there are no other true gods that sacrificing things to idols does nothing.  So if someone is troubled by my eating food sacrificed to an idol I should stop doing it in their presence.  It’s not about right or wrong, it is about preserving unity among the believers.

I think this is something that modern Christianity has gotten horribly wrong.  We have a right – and duty – to be divided over genuine heresy.  If someone is preaching a false Gospel then pay no heed to them!  Heresy is a dangerous thing and we should let it divide us if the heresy is unable to be corrected.  In many ways, that is precisely what the often quoted passage from Matthew 18 is about.

On the other hand, we as modern Christians are all too quick to let non-heresy issues divide us.  We allow things to separate us when we really should have an attitude of liberty.  We let Satan drive wedges between us because of differences in practice or style when what is really important is Christ and salvation by grace alone.  And I mourn this today.

Division over John Mark

Of course, this chapter ends with Paul and Barnabas splitting up the team.  They are divided over whether to let John Mark – who had left them on the prior trip – go with them.  I hate to say it, but this is a perfect example of what I am talking about.  Paul and Barnabas split up over John Mark!  Is there any question that John Mark is a believer?  Absolutely not!  Is there any question that if willing God can use him?  Absolutely not! 

Sure, Paul is afraid of him deserting the mission again and that fear is warranted.  Barnabas no doubt wants John Mark to have the opportunity to redeem himself and there are also good reasons for this argument.  What is sad is that the division divides them.  Rather than be willing to look for God to use people, Barnabas and Paul fight to have their own way.

I’m not saying God doesn’t use them.  Certainly God uses Paul and Silas.  No doubt God uses Barnabas and John Mark, too.  But wouldn’t it have been best to put their differences aside and follow God?  If God wanted them to separate, wouldn’t it have been better to separate because God actually called them apart rather than because they let their human pride about “getting their way” divide them?

We aren’t perfect.  We do have to be worried about heresy.  But in my opinion it is not our heresy that divides us as Christians as much as it is our pride and our desire to have things “my way.”  And that’s a shame.

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