I. The Background.
A. God's eternal design.
1. The Israelites were to be a people through whom all would be blessed. (This included their witness to the world.)
a. God's design to reach out to all people is indicated in His call to Abraham. (Gen. 12:13)
b. God's design to reach out to all people is indicated in His promise of Christ. (Isa. 42:5-7)
2. God is a God who evidences His care for all nations.
a. God's forgiveness and reception of Rahab indicates His love for people of all nations. (Josh. 6:22-23; Deut. 20:16; Matt. 1)
b. God's forgiveness and reception of Ruth indicates His love for people of all nations. (Ruth 1:16-17; 4:13; Deut. 23:3)
c. God's forgiveness and reception of Nineveh indicates His love for people of all nations. (Jonah 4:9-11)
B. The Jews' evident disgust with the Gentiles.
1. God's Commission is to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)
2. The church's earliest practice was to Jews only.
3. The apostles' outreach to the Gentiles was questioned. (Acts 10; 11; 15; 21:27-29)
II. The battleground. (Acts 15:1-35)
A. The church's dissention. (Acts 15:1-5)
B. The church's discussion. (Acts 15:6-18)
Salvation is by grace alone and this is proven by:
1. Past actions. (15:7)
2. The giving of the Holy Spirit to Gentiles. (15:8)
See Gal. 3:14 where God gave testimony to the fact that it was by grace alone by giving them the Holy Spirit.
3. Cleansing from sin. (15:9)
Their hearts were purified by faith.
4. The fact that the law cannot save. (15:10)
5. The fact that the Jews had to come by faith. (15:11)
6. The fact of miracles. (15:12)
C. The church's decision. (Acts 15:13-35)
See esp. verse 19; see also Eph. 2:8-10