Same

Yesterday, we read and discussed Paul and Barnabas’ return from their missionary journey. Today, we are going to listen in on what has become known as “The Council at Jerusalem”. A debate had developed concerning the process of how non-Jews (Gentiles) became saved. Did they have to convert to Judaism first (specifically being circumcised and following the Mosaic law) and then “Christianity” to be considered a believer or could they just simply believe?


Acts 15
6 So the apostles and elders met together to resolve this issue. 7 At the meeting, after a long discussion, Peter stood and addressed them as follows: “Brothers, you all know that God chose me from among you some time ago to preach to the Gentiles so that they could hear the Good News and believe. 8 God knows people’s hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, for he cleansed their hearts through faith. 10 So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear? 11 We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.” 12 Everyone listened quietly as Barnabas and Paul told about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 When they had finished, James stood and said, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Peter has told you about the time God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people for himself. 15 And this conversion of Gentiles is exactly what the prophets predicted.“ ... (Check out Amos 9:11-12 including the footnotes) ... 19 “And so my judgment is that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from eating food offered to idols, from sexual immorality, from eating the meat of strangled animals, and from consuming blood. 21 For these laws of Moses have been preached in Jewish synagogues in every city on every Sabbath for many generations.”


Same. I love Peter’s simple statement of the obvious ... “we are all saved the same way”. We are all in the same place ... separated from God. We all need the same help ... a savior to reunite us with God. We are all offered the same gift ... grace. Why are we so quick to forget the depth of grace needed to save us? Why are we so quick to establish categories of “us” and “them” when the only difference is we have accepted a gift and they haven’t? Why are we so quick to create expectations around that gift, placing ourselves in an equation we don’t belong? Why are we so quick to forget that we were the same as they are ... separated from God, needing a savior, hoping for grace? The beautiful symmetry is that that same God is asking us to tell them about that same savior so they can experience that same grace?