About This Question
How Did The Apostles Apply
Authority In The Beginning Of
The Church
INTRODUCTION
• Acts 15:1, 5; Galatians 5:1-6
• The church in Antioch was disturbed by those who
sought to bind circumcision on Gentile Christians.
• The correct answer to this problem is succinctly
stated by Paul in a later epistle; circumcision
doesn’t matter, unless one treats it as a religious
necessity – in which case it is wrong.
INTRODUCTION
• Knowing at the outset what the answer is,
herein we intend to consider how the problem
was resolved.
• That is this lesson’s purpose, not to discuss
circumcision, but to learn how conflict is
resolved by the church.
INTRODUCTION
• Acts 15:2a; Ephesians 5:11
• Paul and Barnabas dissented and disputed with
those in error.
• Christians are duty-bound to expose falsehood as
such.
• Acts 15:2a; Galatians 2:1-5; Romans 14:21
INTRODUCTION
• Speaking of this incident years later, Paul
emphasized his intolerance of the error.
• While it is true that Christians may be more
strict with themselves than is required by the
Lord, and that others Christians must respect
those scruples, it is another matter entirely
when one begins to insist that others must
adhere to the same practices.
INTRODUCTION
• Acts 15:2b, 6; Ephesians 2:20; 3:5
• For resolution, those in Antioch went to the elders
of Jerusalem and the apostles.
• The elders of the church in Jerusalem were
involved because the false teachers had come from
the church in Jerusalem.
• The apostles were involved because they have
fundamental authority in every church, and their
words, recorded in Scripture, still guide us.
INTRODUCTION
• Acts 15:3-4
• Notice that, in the midst of adversity, even enroute to a conference to rectify an outstanding
problem, Paul and Barnabas continued
spreading good news and edifying brethren.
• It is easy to be so distracted by conflict that
disciples quit their good works.
• Paul and Barnabas knew better.
THEY APPEALED TO DIRECT
STATEMENT
• Acts 15:13-21
• James quoted the prophecy of Amos (Amos 9:1112) wherein God’s inclusion of the Gentiles, as
Gentiles, is directly stated.
• Direct statements, including commands, are the
simplest presentations of truth to be grasped.
• John 14:15, 21, 23-24; 15:14; 1st John 2:3-5; 5:3
• Commandment keeping proves one’s love,
friendship, and knowledge of Christ.
• 2nd Peter 3:1-2; Jude 17
• Not only the Lord Himself, but also His
apostles, must be obeyed.
THEY APPEALED TO EXAMPLE
• Acts 15:7-11
• Peter reminded them all of his example in having
earlier preached the gospel to the Gentiles, who
received the Holy Spirit, and were baptized, being
saved, while Gentiles (Acts 10:17-11:18).
THEY APPEALED TO EXAMPLE
• 1st John 2:6
• We are under command to follow the example
of Christ.
• 1st Corinthians 11:1-2; 4:16; Philippians 3:17;
4:9
• We are, likewise, under command to follow
the example of the apostles.
THEY APPEALED TO INFERENCE
• Acts 15:12
• Paul and Barnabas implied God’s willingness to
save the Gentiles as Gentiles, not Jewish proselytes,
insomuch as He had been working miracles among
them by Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13:4-12; 14:8-10).
THEY APPEALED TO INFERENCE
• There are many examples in Scripture of
implication establishing authority.
• Matthew 22:31-32
• God implied the resurrection, that is life after
death, when He identified Himself to Moses as
the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob well
past the deaths of those patriarchs.
• Acts 10:12-15, 28
THEY APPEALED TO INFERENCE
• Peter correctly inferred that God did not consider
any man common or unclean, saying “God has
shown me”, even though the specific vision he
beheld was about food.
• If one aspect of the Old Testament was repealed,
then all of it was.
THEY APPEALED TO INFERENCE
• 1st Corinthians 15:27
• “It is evident” that the one who gave total
authority to Christ is excepted from that
authority.
• That which is self-evident is implied.
• Hebrews 11:17-19
• Abraham correctly concluded that if God
would fulfill His promises in Isaac, but Isaac
must die, then God is able to resurrect Isaac.
THEY APPEALED TO SILENCE
• Acts 15:22-29
• When the letter treating the problem was
composed by the church at Jerusalem, including
her elders and the apostles, it described the
troublemakers as people “to whom we gave no
such commandment”.
• The silence of the church in Jerusalem relative to
these men amounted to prohibition of their
behavior.
THEY APPEALED TO SILENCE
• This is the law of exclusion.
• 2nd Samuel 7:1-7
• David intended to construct God’s temple in
Jerusalem, but was rhetorically asked, “Have I
ever spoken a word to anyone… saying, ‘Why
have you not built Me a house of cedar?’”
• That God had not requested it; His silence on
the matter, meant it was forbidden.
THEY APPEALED TO SILENCE
• Hebrews 1:5, 13
• The great things God said of Jesus, He did not say
of the angels.
• Therefore, by silence, God communicated the
superiority of Christ.
THEY APPEALED TO SILENCE
• Hebrews 7:14; 8:4
• Jesus “would not be priest… according to the
law” because “our Lord arose from Judah, of
which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning
priesthood”.
• God did not need to list all the tribes barred from
priesthood; He need only have specified the one
that was authorized.
• 2nd John 9
• Going beyond Christ’s doctrine, disrespecting
silence, leaves one without Christ.
SUMMARY
• Acts 15:30-31; 6:1-7
• Rectifying error produces encouragement.
• Rather than disregarding problems, we must
confront them to be at peace.
• Acts 16:1-5; 1st Corinthians 4:17; 7:17; 16:1;
Colossians 4:16
SUMMARY
• Although the problem confronted the church
at Antioch, its solution was addressed to Syria
and Cilicia (Acts 15:23), as well, and these
“decrees” were spread even to cities of
Galatia.
• The doctrine of the apostles was consistent
everywhere.
CONCLUSION
• This all goes to show how authority is
established today as well as in the first
century.
• When we follow this pattern, we are following
a God approved pattern.
• This is God’s formula for establishing authority
which comes direct from His instruction book.
• We must have proper authority for everything
we do and teach.