The Jerusalem Council
There was an argument as to whether the gentiles could worship with them as the gentiles were not circumcised. The disciples didn't seem to care because God didn't seem to care. Barnabas and Paul related everything that God had done through them and the council was amazed.
So why do Christians get circumcised then?
The Council's Letter to Gentile Believers
The council sent a letter welcoming the gentiles into the fold, and also told them to "abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality."
Seems like a strange list to me.
Paul and Barnabas Separate
They decided to revisit the cities they had been to recently and talk again to their new brothers, but they disagreed on where they should go and who they should bring so they split up.
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Note: I am out of town for about a week. There will not be a disruption is posts as I have front-loaded enough content to fill the void while I am gone, however, I will most likely not be responding to any comments until I get back. If any comments do come from me this week please excuse typos as it means I am posting from my phone.
Verses 30 and 31 crack me up. "So when they were sent away, they went down to Antioch and having gathered the congregation together, the delivered the letter. When they read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement." I just picture a congregation of guys who let out a collective sigh of relief that they don't have to take a knife and cut off part of their penises. "Oh thank God!"
ReplyDeleteThat is pretty funny :)
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