And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
God, who knows the heart, bore witness to the believing Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit just as He had given the Spirit to the Jewish believers and to the apostles. That equal gift proves that He accepts Gentiles and Jews alike and makes no distinction between them, so Gentile believers stand on an equal footing with Jewish believers. It proves that He receives Gentiles without first requiring circumcision or observance of the ceremonial law as a condition of entrance into the church and of salvation, purifying their hearts by faith. God had thereby already settled the question of their belonging and standing in the church, so the council was to follow the guidance of the Spirit and express its harmony with the work among the Gentiles.
Council Setting and Wording
God who knows the heart bore witness to Gentile believers by giving them the Holy Spirit just as He had given the Spirit to Jewish believers and to the apostles. That witness was testimony that He accepted uncircumcised Gentiles, that their acceptance did not depend on circumcision or the ceremonial law, and that He made no difference between them and Jewish believers. The same gift showed He accepted Gentiles without requiring observance of the ceremonial law as a condition of acceptance.
The saying belongs to the controversy at Antioch over Gentile salvation, when certain Jewish believers from Judea of the sect of the Pharisees asserted with great assurance that in order to be saved one must be circumcised and must keep the entire ceremonial law. Their demand brought consternation to believing Gentiles and widespread controversy in the church. Paul and Barnabas promptly met and opposed this false doctrine, refusing to introduce the requirement to the Gentiles, while many of the believing Jews at Antioch favored the position of the brethren come from Judea.
It belongs to the Jerusalem council's consideration of questions raised by work among the Gentiles, including circumcision and other rites. There Paul related his conversion and the great work wrought through him among the Gentiles. It belongs to Paul's defense at Jerusalem and at Antioch of Christianity against the narrow restrictions of Judaism. That defense continued the decisive beginning of God's welcome to Gentiles in the conversion of Cornelius, after which Gentile believers were to stand on an equal footing with Jewish believers without being required to be circumcised.
It belongs to the council's decision that Gentile converts could be admitted to the church without circumcision and that the Mosaic ordinances were not obligatory for them. Jewish converts could observe those ordinances if they chose, but this did not make them nearer to God. The council reached shared recommendations for the churches and commended Barnabas and Paul as trustworthy workers. Its decree was issued through the apostles and elders and was generally accepted by the churches, though some still zealous for the Jewish ceremonial law opposed it.
Gentile Acceptance Affirmed
God who knows the heart bore witness to Gentile believers by giving them the Holy Spirit just as He had given the Spirit to Jewish believers, and that equal gift showed He accepted Gentiles and Jews alike and made no distinction between them. He did not regard the two groups as unequal, but placed Gentile believers on an equal footing with Jewish believers. Their acceptance did not depend on circumcision or the ceremonial law.
Their hearts were purified by faith, showing that Christ's blood could cleanse all.
The gift confirmed that God accepted uncircumcised Gentiles without first requiring circumcision, the ceremonial law, or observance of the Mosaic ordinances as a condition of acceptance into the church and of salvation. Gentile converts could therefore be admitted to the church without circumcision, and the Mosaic ordinances were not obligatory for them, while Jewish converts who chose to observe those ordinances were not thereby nearer to God.
By this gift God had already answered the question about Gentile converts and decided their belonging, inclusion, and standing in the church. The council's duty was to follow the Spirit's guidance.
Unity, Leadership, and Calling
God bore witness to Paul's testimony at the Jerusalem council, where Paul related his conversion and the great work wrought through him among the Gentiles, by giving the Holy Spirit to Gentile believers just as to Jewish believers and to the apostles. Under that witness the council yielded its prejudices and expressed harmony with Paul's position and work among the Gentiles. That agreement was sent in an address to the churches, bringing consolation and rejoicing to the Gentile believers.
Acts 15 stands as a New Testament example of simple church organization and order ordained for the unity and perfection of the church. In the dispute over circumcision and the law of Moses the apostles and elders acted as counselors, advisers, and helpers and left room for the Holy Spirit to judge. The decision was therefore expressed as seeming good to the Holy Spirit and to them. Leaders are not appointed to command the Lord's laborers or to assume authority God has not given them.
The gift showed God accepted the Gentiles, and the Spirit's presence made the early disciples one in faith and purpose. The difference over circumcision, whether admission to the church should be granted to uncircumcised Gentiles, was short and short-lived and was soon settled. Through divine illumination and sanctification by the Spirit the believers were perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment, all of one heart and one mind. This unity is the fruit that is and always will be borne under the Holy Spirit's influence, and the more fully the enlightenment of the divine Spirit is received the more nearly believers harmonize in understanding truth.
Because God knows the heart, He knows whom to select for ministry. No one should be encouraged to serve as a minister without clear evidence of God's call. Those called must be experienced and tested, exercise sound judgment, reprove sin meekly, and know how to care for the church.
God, who knows the heart, bore witness to the believing Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit just as He had given the Spirit to the Jewish believers and to the apostles. That equal gift proves that He accepts Gentiles and Jews alike and makes no distinction between them, so Gentile believers stand on an equal footing with Jewish believers. It proves that He receives Gentiles without first requiring circumcision or observance of the ceremonial law as a condition of entrance into the church and of salvation, purifying their hearts by faith. God had thereby already settled the question of their belonging and standing in the church, so the council was to follow the guidance of the Spirit and express its harmony with the work among the Gentiles.
Council Setting and Wording
God who knows the heart bore witness to Gentile believers by giving them the Holy Spirit just as He had given the Spirit to Jewish believers and to the apostles. That witness was testimony that He accepted uncircumcised Gentiles, that their acceptance did not depend on circumcision or the ceremonial law, and that He made no difference between them and Jewish believers. The same gift showed He accepted Gentiles without requiring observance of the ceremonial law as a condition of acceptance.
The saying belongs to the controversy at Antioch over Gentile salvation, when certain Jewish believers from Judea of the sect of the Pharisees asserted with great assurance that in order to be saved one must be circumcised and must keep the entire ceremonial law. Their demand brought consternation to believing Gentiles and widespread controversy in the church. Paul and Barnabas promptly met and opposed this false doctrine, refusing to introduce the requirement to the Gentiles, while many of the believing Jews at Antioch favored the position of the brethren come from Judea.
It belongs to the Jerusalem council's consideration of questions raised by work among the Gentiles, including circumcision and other rites. There Paul related his conversion and the great work wrought through him among the Gentiles. It belongs to Paul's defense at Jerusalem and at Antioch of Christianity against the narrow restrictions of Judaism. That defense continued the decisive beginning of God's welcome to Gentiles in the conversion of Cornelius, after which Gentile believers were to stand on an equal footing with Jewish believers without being required to be circumcised.
It belongs to the council's decision that Gentile converts could be admitted to the church without circumcision and that the Mosaic ordinances were not obligatory for them. Jewish converts could observe those ordinances if they chose, but this did not make them nearer to God. The council reached shared recommendations for the churches and commended Barnabas and Paul as trustworthy workers. Its decree was issued through the apostles and elders and was generally accepted by the churches, though some still zealous for the Jewish ceremonial law opposed it.
Gentile Acceptance Affirmed
God who knows the heart bore witness to Gentile believers by giving them the Holy Spirit just as He had given the Spirit to Jewish believers, and that equal gift showed He accepted Gentiles and Jews alike and made no distinction between them. He did not regard the two groups as unequal, but placed Gentile believers on an equal footing with Jewish believers. Their acceptance did not depend on circumcision or the ceremonial law.
Their hearts were purified by faith, showing that Christ's blood could cleanse all.
The gift confirmed that God accepted uncircumcised Gentiles without first requiring circumcision, the ceremonial law, or observance of the Mosaic ordinances as a condition of acceptance into the church and of salvation. Gentile converts could therefore be admitted to the church without circumcision, and the Mosaic ordinances were not obligatory for them, while Jewish converts who chose to observe those ordinances were not thereby nearer to God.
By this gift God had already answered the question about Gentile converts and decided their belonging, inclusion, and standing in the church. The council's duty was to follow the Spirit's guidance.
Unity, Leadership, and Calling
God bore witness to Paul's testimony at the Jerusalem council, where Paul related his conversion and the great work wrought through him among the Gentiles, by giving the Holy Spirit to Gentile believers just as to Jewish believers and to the apostles. Under that witness the council yielded its prejudices and expressed harmony with Paul's position and work among the Gentiles. That agreement was sent in an address to the churches, bringing consolation and rejoicing to the Gentile believers.
Acts 15 stands as a New Testament example of simple church organization and order ordained for the unity and perfection of the church. In the dispute over circumcision and the law of Moses the apostles and elders acted as counselors, advisers, and helpers and left room for the Holy Spirit to judge. The decision was therefore expressed as seeming good to the Holy Spirit and to them. Leaders are not appointed to command the Lord's laborers or to assume authority God has not given them.
The gift showed God accepted the Gentiles, and the Spirit's presence made the early disciples one in faith and purpose. The difference over circumcision, whether admission to the church should be granted to uncircumcised Gentiles, was short and short-lived and was soon settled. Through divine illumination and sanctification by the Spirit the believers were perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment, all of one heart and one mind. This unity is the fruit that is and always will be borne under the Holy Spirit's influence, and the more fully the enlightenment of the divine Spirit is received the more nearly believers harmonize in understanding truth.
Because God knows the heart, He knows whom to select for ministry. No one should be encouraged to serve as a minister without clear evidence of God's call. Those called must be experienced and tested, exercise sound judgment, reprove sin meekly, and know how to care for the church.