ACTS 15
11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
Consider his dignity.
This comes in all cases with the strength of conscious power and security, and the sense of the lawfulness of supremacy. Men accustomed to power show it in measure, though they are but as the worm in their ephemerality, and have no right to authority. But here is one who is rooted in THE ETERNAL FATHER, and who is the same yesterday, today, and forever—one everlasting as God, and to whom it is commanded that every knee should bow; and one, therefore, mantled with the dignity of unapproachable and ineffable power.
He showed it all through his mortal days—creating astonishment and commanding obedience by the authority with which he spoke. What must it be now—in the strength of immortal life and power? What an unspeakable delight it will be to be permitted to observe the movements and wait upon the commands of such an august Master, to whom all power in heaven and earth has been accorded, and at whose beck glad legions of the angelic host wait submissive.
Realise, too, that this unspeakable kingliness of carriage is blended with a grace of purity and a sweetness of kindness never seen in the haunts of men. We get a glimpse occasionally of the beauty of goodness in man but how mixed with inferior elements! and even if approximating for a moment to the grace of the divine original, how incapable of continuance.
The human organism cannot long stand the combustion of the heavenly flame. The power of corruptible man soon burns out, and through sheer weakness of nature the divine phenomenon collapses. Understand here why royal courtesies are so brief, and the genialities of public men so transient and intermittent. But here is one in whom the springs of power and grace are inexhaustible: in whose wise kindness there is no flaw: and in the stream of which there is no check or failure from exhaustion or fatigue.
The perfection of the character of Christ is seen in every view we take of him. His kindness and sympathy are a healing ocean in which the world will yet bathe to the healing of all their woes; and this phase of his character is naturally attractive to everyone. But there is another side—a stern side—which might seem inconsistent with his meek and lowly side, and yet which is one of the chiefest glories of his character. How defective would that character be if it had not this other side. How lamentable if his kindness and sympathy were not counterpoised by the faithfulness and firmness essential to justice.
The Christadelphian, Jan 1889
18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
This was said in relation to a certain purpose not yet accomplished; but quoted by the apostle in justification of the admission of believers from among the Gentiles, to fellow-citizenship with the saints of the Commonwealth of Israel; upon the principle of "calling upon the Name of the Lord," without the observance of ordinances peculiar to the Jews. Amos 9:11, 12; Acts 15:18; Eph. 2:19.
Herald of the Kingdom and Age to Come, Feb 1855.
20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
As to shot pheasants and pigeons, you probably class them with "things strangled," and therefore have a scruple as to eating under Acts xv. 20. Well, there is no hardship in abstaining, though probably if Paul were alive he would say you might eat. The forbidding of blood had reference to blood drained out as a liquid—a common thing for the heathen to eat. Paul makes light of what we eat and drink, provided it all be done in wisdom and gratitude and to the glory of God.
TC 10/1894
28 For it seemed good to the holy spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
"Observations on the Sabbath"
If the observance of the Sabbath be a matter of so much importance as our Sabbatarian friends contend for, is it not incomprehensibly strange, that neither our Lord nor any of his Apostles ever said a word about it?
The New Testament is perfectly silent on the subject. Trace our Lord's teachings, as contained in the four gospels. Did he ever utter a word, from which even a fair inference might be drawn, that he intended his followers should observe the Sabbath?
Not one such word. But on the contrary, he does teach that his followers are no longer placed under the obligations of the Sabbath law, Matt. 12:1–8.
The hypocritical Pharisees had found fault with Jesus' disciples, because they had rubbed the ears of corn in their hands, and eaten it on the Sabbath day. What did our Lord say about it? "The Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath day," evidently implying that he had the power to abrogate the Sabbath law, and that he would do it. I would especially commend the entire story to the Pharisees of this generation. They may derive a great deal of instruction from it.
Not only has Christ given no command to his followers to observe the Sabbath;—but Paul,—the voluminous writer Paul,—is also equally silent. More than one-fourth of the New Testament is from his pen. Fourteen epistles were written by him, to various ecclesias and persons. Every doctrine and duty connected with Christ, is commented upon in one part or another of his writings.
If anything be omitted, surely it must be a matter of very small importance indeed. How then is it to be accounted for, that Paul says nothing whatever about the keeping the Sabbath? On the other hand, he does tell us that the Sabbath law is abrogated. See Col. 2:14–17.
But there is one part of the new Testament, to which I would especially call the attention of our Sabbatarian friends,—viz. the xv. chap. of the Acts. From the history recorded in this chapter, it appears that serious disturbance had occurred in the infant ecclesia at Antioch, in regard to Circumcision, and keeping the Law of Moses. The dissensions arising therefrom became so violent, that, in order to settle the question, it was deemed advisable to send Paul, Barnabas, and other brethren, as a delegation from the ecclesia, to the Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem, to take their opinions and instructions in the matter.
In this extremely interesting history there are several very noteworthy particulars. 1st. The Council convened at Jerusalem to discuss this subject, constituted the highest authority which then existed in the Christ[adelphian ecclesia]. This is evident from the deference paid to their decisions; as well as from the authority, with which these decisions were promulgated.
It was not composed of ordinary men. Its members were Apostles:—divinely inspired men:—and that their deliberations were guided by the Holy Spirit, is evident from the 28th verse.
"It seemed good to the HOLY SPIRIT, and to us, &c."
2nd. The 5th verse tells us distinctly the business for which the Council was convened.
"There rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees, which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, (the Gentile converts) and to command them to keep THE LAW OF MOSES."
This was the sum and substance of the whole matter. In the 6th verse we read,
"And the Apostles and Elders came together, for to consider of THIS MATTER."
From this it is impossible for us to mistake the subject of their discussions. It was simply this,—Is the Law of Moses, or any part of it, to be imposed on Gentile believers? Now, then, follow the minutes of the Council to the close,—and what was the result of their deliberations?
"For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well."
Now it must be evident to the merest child in intelligence, that, if ever God, or his Christ, or the Holy Apostles, ever designed or intended that christ[adelphians] should keep a Sabbath, this was, of all others, the proper time and place to make the announcement. And yet the record is silent as the grave on the subject.
3rd. This was undoubtedly intended to be a final settlement of the question, whether any of the Mosaic law is still in force under the Christian dispensation? That must be a bold man indeed, who will dare to affirm, that these men, acting under such inspiration, overlooked, or neglected to notice, any part of the law of Moses, which it was necessary or desirable for christ[adelphians] to observe.
In reviewing the history of this council, I would ask the advocates of Sabbatarianism, how they can account for such perfect silence on the subject. If keeping the Sabbath be a matter of such immense importance as is contended for in these days, how can it be accounted for that the Apostles neglected to inform the infant ecclesia at Antioch of the fact?
- Bro Dabb
Herald of the Kingdom and Age to Come, Jan 1859
29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
Prostitution, and eating the sacrifices offered to the idol-representations of the dead, whose souls were said to be alive, were institutions of Baal-Religion. When Israel were seduced by the Moabitish women to worship Baal, at the suggestion of Balaam, they committed whoredom with them, and ate the sacrifices of their gods. The Balaamite clergy were guilty of the same thing. They privily introduced idolatrous practices among christians. They taught them to eat of the sacrifices sold as holy meat, by which they became partakers of the idol-altars, and propitiated the heathen, for in so doing, they contributed to the support of the pagan priesthood. But Paul objected to this sort of compromise in toto.
His argument was, that the things the Gentiles sacrificed they sacrificed to demons, to the ghosts of dead men, and not to God; and that in eating of them knowingly, they had fellowship with their imaginary demons. He told them that when they went to the butcher's they should ask no question, but just buy whatever came to hand. They would then buy in ignorance, having no knowledge whether there was sacrificial meat or not. But if any one said, "this is offered in sacrifice to idols," he told them not to eat it, for the eating then involved a principle of fellowship with deified ghosts, in the judgment of him who invited to eat.
Paul's anxiety was that the Corinthian brethren should "not have fellowship with demons," or deified imaginary ghosts, called "immortal souls." These demons had a table and a cup, as well as the Lord; and Paul taught that they could not partake of both without sin. The same demons have a table and a cup now, modified, however, in this, that bread cut up into pieces, emblematic of the divisions of antichristendom, is substituted for meats offered to the demons.
The table spread by the clergy, and called by them "the sacrament," is the modern table of the demons. It is the table of those who believe in deified immortal souls, who are the gods of the clerical system. It is Jezebel's table, at which a saint cannot eat without having fellowship with the demons she funeralizes to glory, which is sin. Her ecclesias are a synagogue of unbaptized "miserable sinners," as they proclaim themselves to be in their prayers, and consequently, her table cannot be the Lord's, for his teaching has no place for such there -- the miserable patrons of demons belong to Jezebel, not to the spouse of Christ.
Eureka 2.4.3.
32 And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.
When a physican is successful in prolonging a patient's life, his services are regarded as invaluable. How far more important are the services of one who helps his neighbour to reach the life that knows no ending!
The kind word, the sympathetic shake of the hand, the quiet, patient, consistent walk, the homely but hearty exhortation, the sowing of the seed by means of word, tract or pamphlet, become when looked at in this way very weighty matters.
Let us ever keep the object of our work in view—the work of preparing ourselves and others for life eternal. If our intended word or action is not calculated to advance this end, let us repress it. If we cannot help, do not let us hinder. Let us beware of discouraging others by receiving their labours in a carping, fault-finding spirit.
Criticism is good if used kindly, wisely and justly. If by criticising, no laudable purpose is to be served, then let us refrain from it. Those who employ their time in condemning the work of their fellow-labourers are not the ones to do much towards building the temple of God.
The future will, unquestionably, open out wonderful revelations in regard to this. When the time comes for God to glorify His elect, we shall see to whose instrumentality their enlightenment, edification and success have been due—whether those whose constant endeavour it has been to unhinge everybody and everything, or of the feeble, unassuming, industrious, plodding, faithful servants of Christ.
Bro AT Jannaway
The Christadelphian, Oct 1887
39 And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;
Have regard more to the matter than the manner.
We do not say the latter is unimportant; but where the defence of the faith is in question, a little warmth will be excused when the sympathies of the onlooker are on that side. Paul against Barnabas (Acts 15:39), his words against Elymas (Acts 13:10), John against Diotrephes (3 Jno. 10), Jesus in condemnation of the Pharisees (Matt. 23:28–33), David concerning deceitful men (Ps 5:9, 10), are all examples of righteous indignation permissable to saints.
We admit having been exercised in this direction; but had you been in our situation, it is possible you might have gone beyond us in "the spirit" with which we write. Have compassion; do not chide. The position is difficult, and flesh and blood is weak.
The Christadelphian, July 1874