Daily Devotional for Wednesday, March 1st

The Delegates to the Council

“Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren: and they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia: forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment: it seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,” Acts 15:22-25.

An early writing stated that if anyone said a man can be justified before God by his own works, whether done by his own natural powers or by the teaching of the Law, without divine grace through Jesus Christ, let him be banned. Since the early days of Christianity, many false teachers have tried to subvert believers with destructive ideologies. One of the earliest false teachings is that mankind must earn or maintain their salvation through keeping the Old Testament Law. This is a false and confusing belief that leads many to great despair. The Jerusalem church deputized “chief men among the brethren” to travel throughout the churches and reinforce the truth of the gospel.
Keeping the works of the Law to earn or maintain salvation has been one of Satan’s oldest tools to mislead many Christians. It should be no surprise to us if this false teaching arises in our churches. But the early churches confirmed the truth of God’s Word, as should we. Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

REFLECTION: We should never cease to proclaim that salvation is a gift of God apart from the works of man.

Steven Ridings