Acts 15: 1-19
Have any of you ever pledged a Sorority or a Fraternity while you were in College? I have…boy, I had to go through so many tests and initiation in order to be part of the “group”. I had to pass all of their tests that they gave me or I would not be able to be part of this “esteemed” group of people. I look back now and think to myself how dumb all the things were that I had to go through and in the end I was no better than anyone else. Well…in some churches today…you are not accepted unless you are part of the group. In some churches…you can’t take part in the Lords Supper unless you are part of the congregation…or you have to be baptized as an adult in order to take part in the feast that was laid out for all who believe. This is not the way it should be. We all receive the grace and love of God…We are all able to receive the Spirit that guides us…We are all able to receive the redemption and salvation that is given through our Lord Jesus Christ. So…what happened…why is there so much religiosity in the church. Well…this problem is not a new one. Acts 15:1-19 shows us that the problem has been around for a long time.
In Acts 15:1-19…there is trouble amongst the saved, there is a scuttlebutt within the church…and it takes a time of “Holy Conferencing” to discern how one is saved. The passage reads (and I’m reading from the Message Bible): (read scripture)
Peter and James knew the truth…they were with Jesus and learned from Him. They knew exactly what He meant…Jesus came for all…He came to offer salvation to ALL who believe. The only difference between “us and them” (meaning the unsaved) is that we are forgiven and redeemed. We can’t tell a person’s heart or change what God has done. We can’t make up our own rules to be followed. God made the rules and stamped them with His final approval. Just because, at some time in the churches history, some people got together and decided that they would make special rules for their “denomination” because of how they interpreted the Bible it doesn’t make it right. You can’t change the words…they are eternal and forever alive; it is that living water to our souls. Jesus came so that we “ALL MAY BE SAVED”.
We need to open the doors to all of God’s children (and we are ALL God’s children). We need to set aside our differences, as the redeemed, and work together as one body in unity to further the Kingdom of God here on earth. We all need to realize that being a Christian doesn’t make us perfect but makes us saved through the blood of Jesus. “We Are One”…and together we will make a difference but alone we will only affect those in our “elite” group. Which would you rather do?
I would like to share with you a poem that really hits the nail on the head about how we should feel and act as Christians. It is by Maya Angelou and it is called Beautiful Christian Sister but I believe that it also goes for our brothers in Christ as well. It reads:
When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm
not shouting 'I'm clean livin,'
I'm whispering 'I was lost, Now I'm
found and forgiven.'
When I say... 'I am a Christian' I
don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ
to be my guide.
When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm
not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak and need His
strength to carry on.
When I say.. 'I am a Christian' I'm
not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed and need God to
clean my mess.
When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm
not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible, but God believes I
am worth it.
When I say... 'I am a Christian' I still
feel the sting of pain...
I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His
name.
When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm
not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner Who received
God's good grace, somehow!
May we always remember who we are, where we came from and our true purpose to bring others into the sheepfold of Christ. Not by our rules but by the rules that stand the test of time.
AMEN
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