Disagreements and Turning Points

Acts 15:1-2 and 19-20

Then certain individuals came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to discuss this question with the apostles and the elders.

Therefore I have reached the decision that we should not trouble those Gentiles who are turning to God, but we should write to them to abstain only from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from whatever has been strangled and from blood.

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So let's leave it alone 'cause we can't see eye to eye
There ain't no good guy, there ain't no bad guy
There's only you and me and we just disagree

"We Just Disagree" recorded by Dave Mason, written by Jim Krueger from Mason's "Let It Flow" album.

It is often said that the bloodiest wars are fought over the least of consequences. This wasn't a bloody war, but it was over an important theological and liturgical point of worship for the new believers in Christ. Let's remember our history, the first believers were Jews. Hence the first believers were sons of Abraham and participated in the Abrahamic Covenant. In short they were circumcised. The gentiles, the Romans, and the Greeks were not. The newest believers from he hinterlands of the empire were not.

So it just made sense to the old guard, to become a part of The Way, the Body of Christ, you first must become a son of Abraham like Christ. You had to be circumcised just like we are. Logical, isn't it. To enter the second door you have to go through the first. It seems so logical. As logical as it was, it was also a stumbling block.

So glad we're enlightened today! So glad we don't have to dress a certain way... or affirm a particular creed--beyond Jesus is Lord of course. It's wonderful that we don't have an official bible version we have to carry or a particular car we have to drive. Thank God we don't act like... oh, wait, we do, don't we.

A litmus test-- if you aren't exactly like we are you aren't welcome in the name of Jesus Christ is probably the worst thing we can say to one another. It is also said frequently, to our shame and I trust God's horror. Killing in the name of love. How ironic.

In the end, the council that heard this question, known as the Jerusalem Council, came to a wonderful compromise. If you wanted to require circumcision that's fine. But for those who do not have a history of Abraham's covenant, the gentiles, they would only be required to "abstain only from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from whatever has been strangled and from blood." (Let's not ask how any of us are doing with that one, alrighty?)

The branch of the Church of Christ led by Peter and Paul did not require circumcision. The branch that remained in Jerusalem led by James and John did.

On a side note, have you ever heard of this branch of the faith? This disagreement truly led to a turning point in the church. It can also provide an important lesson for us today, inclusiveness without sacrificing distinctiveness is a good thing for the church in any age.

Another thing? Does this make James and John the "bad guys?" No. There ain't no good guys, there ain't no bad guys. On one issue we just disagree.