The rebuke of the "legalism" presented by the Pharisees Acts 15:7-19

Good morning all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good. How is your day going?  May it be God filled, joyful, and productive.  Make the LORD proud today by an action, a kind word, or just a nod and smile.

  Okay, the Pharisees want the Gentiles to be circumcised and they apostles, elders and leaders all go into council.  Then first Peter speaks up, then Paul and Barnabas and then James.  This needs no commentary, it is in NIV and you will understand it perfectly.

  Acts 15: 7 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

12 The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. 13 When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me.14 Simon[a] has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles. 15 The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:

16 “‘After this I will return
    and rebuild David’s fallen tent.
Its ruins I will rebuild,
    and I will restore it,
17 that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,
    even all the Gentiles who bear my name,
says the Lord, who does these things’[b]—
18     things known from long ago.[c]

19 “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. 21 For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”

May you be blessed by the reading and understanding of the word.  Thanks for taking time today.  Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

p.s. one of my wife's devotionals speaks to who do we wish to please -  man  or   GOD!