Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
Known to God are all His works from the beginning of the world, for His knowledge is complete through all time and no work or human devising is hidden from Him. The salvation of humanity was not devised after Adam and Eve sinned, but from eternity was part of His settled purpose and grace, and He has ordained how His work shall move forward and provided people and means for its accomplishment. In the early dispute over circumcision and the law of Moses, He had already decided to bring Gentiles into the privileges of His people by giving them the Holy Spirit. The apostles and elders therefore recognized His decision rather than settling the matter by mere church authority, and they refused to burden Gentile converts with the ceremonial law, for His plans are not subject to the limited judgment or control of human officials and unity of mind and judgment is the fruit borne under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
Jerusalem Council Context
Acts 15:18 belongs to the account of the early church's dispute over circumcision and the law of Moses. The question was whether admission to the church should be granted to uncircumcised Gentiles, whether Gentile believers must accept circumcision and the ceremonial law, and what recommendations about rites and customs should apply to Gentile converts. After the resurrection and ascension union prevailed and believers were all of one heart and one mind. For a short time the only difference of understanding was in regard to circumcision, and that matter was soon settled.
God had already decided the question of accepting Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, as part of His purpose to bring Gentiles into the privileges of His people. The apostles and elders at Jerusalem served as counselors and allowed the Holy Spirit to guide the decision, rather than settling the disagreement by mere church authority. With broadened understanding of that purpose, and with grace, wisdom, and sanctified judgment, they framed their decree. The question had already been settled by the Holy Spirit, and the apostles received what they needed to decide it.
The council concluded that Gentile converts should not be burdened with the ceremonial law. The believers agreed on recommendations about rites and customs, and made wise decisions that helped unite the believers. Those decisions commended Barnabas and Paul as trustworthy workers. They acknowledged Paul's commission and were followed by him in his work among the Gentiles, and the decision mattered to the prosperity and even the existence of the Christian church. Some Jewish Christians resisted the decision on the ceremonial law because they were jealous of Paul and thought his teaching made the Jewish law less binding. In that setting the verse belongs to Paul's defense of Christianity against the narrow restrictions of Judaism at Jerusalem and at Antioch.
God's Foreknown Eternal Purpose
Known to God are all His works from the beginning of the world, and His knowledge is complete and extends through all time. No work and no human devising is hidden from Him. His plans and purposes are not subject to the limited judgment or control of human officials. The Lord who is over His church leads His people, while church officers serve as leaders, counselors, and helpers rather than claiming authority to command His laborers.
God has ordained how His work will move, and His work is carried out according to His plan. He provides people and means for its accomplishment. His work is ordained to be presented to the world in distinct, holy, and sacred lines.
The plan of redemption was therefore not devised after Adam and Eve sinned. From eternity the salvation of humanity was part of God's settled purpose and grace toward humankind. God had also provided for the first parents to be made pure and kept pure.
Leadership and Unity Lessons
Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world, and His plans and purposes are not subject to the limited judgment or control of human officials. The Lord who is over His church leads His people, while church officers serve as leaders, counselors, and helpers rather than claiming authority to command His laborers. In the early church's dispute over circumcision and the law of Moses, the apostles and elders at Jerusalem served as counselors and allowed the Holy Ghost to guide the decision, rather than settling the disagreement by mere church authority.
After the resurrection and ascension union prevailed and believers were all of one heart and one mind. For a short time the only difference of understanding was in regard to circumcision, as to whether admission to the church should be granted to uncircumcised Gentiles, and this matter was soon settled. Through the divine illumination and sanctification of the Spirit the believers were perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. That oneness is and always will be the fruit borne under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
Known to God are all His works from the beginning of the world, for His knowledge is complete through all time and no work or human devising is hidden from Him. The salvation of humanity was not devised after Adam and Eve sinned, but from eternity was part of His settled purpose and grace, and He has ordained how His work shall move forward and provided people and means for its accomplishment. In the early dispute over circumcision and the law of Moses, He had already decided to bring Gentiles into the privileges of His people by giving them the Holy Spirit. The apostles and elders therefore recognized His decision rather than settling the matter by mere church authority, and they refused to burden Gentile converts with the ceremonial law, for His plans are not subject to the limited judgment or control of human officials and unity of mind and judgment is the fruit borne under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
Jerusalem Council Context
Acts 15:18 belongs to the account of the early church's dispute over circumcision and the law of Moses. The question was whether admission to the church should be granted to uncircumcised Gentiles, whether Gentile believers must accept circumcision and the ceremonial law, and what recommendations about rites and customs should apply to Gentile converts. After the resurrection and ascension union prevailed and believers were all of one heart and one mind. For a short time the only difference of understanding was in regard to circumcision, and that matter was soon settled.
God had already decided the question of accepting Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, as part of His purpose to bring Gentiles into the privileges of His people. The apostles and elders at Jerusalem served as counselors and allowed the Holy Spirit to guide the decision, rather than settling the disagreement by mere church authority. With broadened understanding of that purpose, and with grace, wisdom, and sanctified judgment, they framed their decree. The question had already been settled by the Holy Spirit, and the apostles received what they needed to decide it.
The council concluded that Gentile converts should not be burdened with the ceremonial law. The believers agreed on recommendations about rites and customs, and made wise decisions that helped unite the believers. Those decisions commended Barnabas and Paul as trustworthy workers. They acknowledged Paul's commission and were followed by him in his work among the Gentiles, and the decision mattered to the prosperity and even the existence of the Christian church. Some Jewish Christians resisted the decision on the ceremonial law because they were jealous of Paul and thought his teaching made the Jewish law less binding. In that setting the verse belongs to Paul's defense of Christianity against the narrow restrictions of Judaism at Jerusalem and at Antioch.
God's Foreknown Eternal Purpose
Known to God are all His works from the beginning of the world, and His knowledge is complete and extends through all time. No work and no human devising is hidden from Him. His plans and purposes are not subject to the limited judgment or control of human officials. The Lord who is over His church leads His people, while church officers serve as leaders, counselors, and helpers rather than claiming authority to command His laborers.
God has ordained how His work will move, and His work is carried out according to His plan. He provides people and means for its accomplishment. His work is ordained to be presented to the world in distinct, holy, and sacred lines.
The plan of redemption was therefore not devised after Adam and Eve sinned. From eternity the salvation of humanity was part of God's settled purpose and grace toward humankind. God had also provided for the first parents to be made pure and kept pure.
Leadership and Unity Lessons
Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world, and His plans and purposes are not subject to the limited judgment or control of human officials. The Lord who is over His church leads His people, while church officers serve as leaders, counselors, and helpers rather than claiming authority to command His laborers. In the early church's dispute over circumcision and the law of Moses, the apostles and elders at Jerusalem served as counselors and allowed the Holy Ghost to guide the decision, rather than settling the disagreement by mere church authority.
After the resurrection and ascension union prevailed and believers were all of one heart and one mind. For a short time the only difference of understanding was in regard to circumcision, as to whether admission to the church should be granted to uncircumcised Gentiles, and this matter was soon settled. Through the divine illumination and sanctification of the Spirit the believers were perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. That oneness is and always will be the fruit borne under the influence of the Holy Spirit.