1.Acts 15 Acts Chapter 15, Keep the law are you kidding?, 1st Church Council and 1st Split, clean hearts, after this meta tauta, 1st church council soteriology, purified by faith, millennium, Rapture, Seeks After God, fornication porneia, eat anything diet, meat sacrificed to idols, dont stumble brothers, living in sin, Common Law Marriage, disagreements

2. BIBLE IN FIVE Pastor Dave Kooyers Valley Bible Fellowship Box 433 Boonville CA 95415 http://www.slideshare.net/dkooyers www.ValleyBibleFellowship.org (707) 895-2325 God bless you as you examine His Word, Your servant in Christ, 2Cor. 4:5, Dave Matthew 10:8 Freely you received, freely give. These Microsoft PowerPoint presentations are provided "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:12-15). To help Christians to "to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ." So that "we are no longer...tossed here and there...by every wind of doctrine." They may be downloaded and modified free of charge. 3. Acts 15:1, All The Marbles Acts 15:1 Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved." Soteriology! And Christology are the biggies Gal 1:8-9 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! 4. Acts 15:5, Keep The Law Of Moses? Acts 15:5 Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses." James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. Col 2:16-17 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. 5. 2 Part Division Of Acts Saint Peter by Peter Paul Rubens The Apostle Paul, by Rembrandt van Ryn, 1657 - Widener Collection 6. 2 Part Division Of Acts Peter is the key person in chapters 1-12; Paul is the key person in chapters 13-28. Act 12:17 Acts 12:17 Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. "Tell James and the brothers about this," he said, and then he left for another place. Acts 15:7-11 is Peters last recorded sermon When Barnabas and Paul finish, then James starts in Acts 15:13. That ends the story of Peters ministry in Acts. 7. 2 Part Division Of Acts Peter is used 152 in NAS, 53 Xs in Acts, 52 Xs in chapters 1-12, once more in Acts 15:7, and James calls him Simeon in Acts 15:14 91 Xs in gospels, 52 Xs in Acts chapters 1-12 Cephas is used 8 Xs in NAS epistles, 4 Xs in 1 Corinthians historically, 4 Xs in Galatians, 2 Xs historically, and 2 Xs in condemnation Peter is used once in 1 Peter, and 2 Peter Acts 15:7 ends the story of Peters ministry in Acts 8. Acts 15:9, Cleansing Hearts NAU Acts 15:9 and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. KJV YLT NIV NKJ purifying their hearts... NAU 2 Corinthians 1:22 who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge. NAU Romans 5:5the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. NAU Galatians 4:6 God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father! I thought it was Gods Spirit! Yup, Jesus is God! 9. Acts 15:9, Purified By Faith Acts 15:9 He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Eph 2:8-10 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. 4161 poiema {poy'-ay-mah} Meaning: 1) that which has been made 2) a work 2a) of the works of God as creator Poem 10. Acts 15:10-11, Try To Test God! Acts 15:10-11 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are. None have kept the Law; Rom 3:5-23"There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one. NAU Hebrews 10:4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 11. Acts 15:10, An Unbearable Yoke NAU Acts 15:10 a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? Matthew 11:28 "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. If your Christian walk is to hard, maybe youre using His yoke the wrong way.. 12. Acts 15:10, Disciples Training NAU Acts 15:10 placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke 13. Acts15:11, Grace Acts 15:11 "But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are. Romans 5:15 But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. Romans 11:6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace. 1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. James 4:6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE." Philip Yancey has said, Grace means that God already loves us as much as an infinite God can possibly love. 14. No Rest For Pastors Matthew 11:30 "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." 15. Acts 15:12, Miraculous Signs, Wonders Acts 15:12Barnabas and Paul telling about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. 2 Cor 12:12 The things that mark an apostle signs, wonders and miracles Matt 16:4 A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign Folks need to seek the miraculous God, not His miracles, or His bread (John 6:66). 16. Acts 15:15-18, It Is Written Acts 15:15-18.as it is written: 16 "'After this I will return and rebuild David's fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, 17 that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things' 18 that have been known for ages. 17. After What? Acts 15:16-17 "'After this (meta tauta) I will return and rebuild David's fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, 17 that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things' Amos 9:11-13 "In that day I will restore David's fallen tent. I will repair its broken places, restore its ruins, and build it as it used to be, 12 so that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations that bear my name," declares the Lord, who will do these things. 13 "The days are coming," declares the Lord, This phrase after this divides the book of Revelation into 8 sections. Amos uses In that day indicating a yet future time from now. James is saying after the church age 18. Amos 9:11 Acts 15:16 Interpretations of the Christian millennium 19. Rapture Any Day Now?, gracethrufaith.com Q. Re: Last Call. With so many being saved at present and into the foreseeable future how could the rapture come any day now? Would Jesus actually come and leave people behind that he knows would be saved if they heard the gospel? A. According to my understanding of Romans 11:25 the Church has a specific number, and when its reached the rapture will take place regardless of any other circumstances. But the rapture wont put an end to people being saved. Large numbers of people will be saved afterwards, they just wont be part of the Church. Some scholars call them Tribulation Saints. The reasons I believe the rapture could happen any day now are 1) theres no prophetic event that has to precede it, 2) I believe Acts 15:13-18 tells us it has to happen before the 70th Week of Daniel can begin, and 3) signs that were in the end of the end times are all around us. 20. Who Wrote About The Rapture? Acts 15:16, gracethrufaith.com Q. Am I correct in stating that Paul was the only writer of the New Testament on the Rapture of the Church? And why is he the only one? Is the Rapture talked about or referred to by some one else through out the Bible? Thanks brother keep up the wonderful job!! A. I believe that the Doctrine of the Rapture was given primarily to Paul as the apostle to the Gentiles. As for other Biblical writers, John mentioned it in Revelation 3:10, and there are hints of it in Acts 15:13-18 and 2 Peter 2:9. One of the clearest Old Testament passages on the Rapture is in Isaiah 26:19-21 and theres a hint in Isaiah 57:1 where the word translated perish also means vanish. Zephaniah 2:3 is another one. Then of course you have the examples of Enoch, Lot, and Daniel, who serve as types of the church at various times. And there may be other references Ive overlooked. DLK adds hints are also in Hosea 5:15, Rev 4:1, John 14:3 21. Acts 15:17, Seeks After God? Acts 15:17 SO THAT THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK THE LORD, AND ALL THE GENTILES WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME, Acts 17:27 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; Romans 3:10, 10:20 And Isaiah is very bold and says, "I WAS FOUND BY THOSE WHO DID NOT SEEK ME, I BECAME MANIFEST TO THOSE WHO DID NOT ASK FOR ME. Matthew 6:33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. 22. Acts 15:17, Seeks After God? Matthew 7:8 "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Psalm 53:2 God has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men To see if there is anyone who understands, Who seeks after God 3 Every one of them has turned aside; together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one. Lam3:25 The LORD is good To the person who seeks Him. John 4:23 such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. 1 Chronicles 28:9the LORD searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. Psalm 40:16 Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You 23. Acts 15:19-21, Harmony With Jewish Believers Acts 15:19-21 "It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. 21 For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath." For harmony with Jewish believers (only) NAU Acts 16:3 Paul wanted this man to go with him; and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 24. Acts 15:20 Abstain From Fornication KJV NAS NAU Acts 15:20abstain from fornication ... YLT and the whoredom But the term is broader than fornication or even adultery (like the divorce passages) its; 4202 porneia {por-ni'-ah} NET ESV CSB NIV NKJ ... sexual immorality... 25. Acts 15:20, Eat Anything? NIV Acts 15:20 to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood NAU 1 Corinthians 10:27 If one of the unbelievers invites you and you want to go, eat anything that is set before you without asking questions for conscience' sake. 1 Cor 8:13 Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall. 1 Cor 10:25-26 Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, 26 for, "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it. 26. Acts 15:20, Dont Stumble Brothers Rom 14:20-23 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall. 22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 23 But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin. 27. Acts 15:19-21, Bible Knowledge Commentary The Gentiles were to abstain from three items: (a) food polluted by idols, (b) sexual immorality, and (c) the meat of strangled animals and... blood. Many Bible teachers say these are only ceremonial matters. The food polluted by idols is explained in verse 29 as "food sacrificed to idols" (cf. 21:25). This then, it is argued, looks at the same problem Paul discussed (1 Cor 8-10). The abstinence from sexual immorality is explained as referring to the marriage laws of Lev 18:6-20. The prohibition against eating blood is taken to refer to Lev 17:10-14. All three prohibitions according to this interpretation look back to the Jewish ceremonial Law. 28. Acts 15:20, Without Our Authorization Acts 15:20went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you Acts 15:1 Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: 29. Acts 15:20, Abstain From Fornication Acts 15:20 but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood. [Acts 15:29, 21:25] Exodus 20:14 "You shall not commit adultery. 30. Acts 15:20, Abstain From Fornication Acts 15:20 abstain fromfornication Joe's in the confessional... "Father, I committed adultery "The priest starts thinking of the most promiscuous women in town. "Was it with Marie Brown? "I'd rather not say who it was. "Was it with Betty Smith? "I'd rather not say," says Joe. So the priest gives him absolution and Joe leaves. Later, Joe's friend asks if he received absolution. "Yes, and two very good leads!" Exodus 20:14 "You shall not commit adultery. Proverbs 6:32 adultery with a woman is lacking sense 31. Acts 15:20, gracethrufaith.com Living In Sin, Common Law Marriage Q. how do we mesh OSAS with what Paul says in Galatians 5:19-21? I have 3 adult children who all profess to be saved but all are committing fornication I guess. They all seem dedicated to their mate but there is no marriage for any of them. Paul seems pretty definite when he says here that none of them who are involved in sexual immorality will ever see the kingdom of God. A. In our culture, its commonly believed that people who live together without being legally married are living in sin. But it has not been that way for most of human history, nor is it that way in many countries today. And even in the US, 15 states still have common law 32. Acts 15:20, Living In Sin, Common Law Marriage marriage provisions. While the Bible only authorizes sexual relations within a marriage, it doesnt specify the conditions necessary to constitute a marriage. It only says that a married couple cannot divorce except under conditions of marital unfaithfulness. Therefore its reasonable to assume that the term legally married is man made and not a Biblical requirement. If your adult children consider themselves to be married, are acting like married couples act (being exclusive to each other, etc.), and are holding themselves out to the world as such, then in the eyes of the Lord they are married, and are not being sexually immoral. 33. Acts 15:20, Living In Sin, Common Law Marriage ESV Galatians 5:19-21sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, will not inherit the kingdom of God. NAU 1 Corinthians 6:16 Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, "THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH. NAU 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 will inherit the kingdom of God. NAU Revelation 21:8immoral persons will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone NAU Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge. 34. Acts 15:28, Our Burdens NAU Acts 15:28 ..to lay upon you no greater burden Galatians 6:2 Bear one another's burdens Matthew 11:30 "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." 35. Acts 15:2 + 39 Hebrews 13:17, Sharp Disagreements Acts 15:2 And when Paul and Barnabas had great dissension and debate with them, the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue. This one is literally a; big deal, standing up debate Acts 15:39 And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus [GING] , , stirring up, encouraging Hb 10:24. Irritation, sharp disagreement Ac 15:39.* [paroxysm] [pg 152] 36. Acts 15:39 Disagreements Are Inevitable 37. Acts 15:39, Disagreements Soteriology; Acts 15:2 And when Paul and Barnabas had great dissension and debate with them Missions; Acts 15:39 And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus Hebrews 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you. Worlds reaction to our disagreements, Acts 18:15, Acts 25:19 Dont argue with God, Isaiah 45:9, 50:8, Mark 8:11 Ecclesiastes 6:11-12, Matthew 7:3 38. Acts 15:35-39, Denominations Acts 15:35 is the last use in Acts of the phrase Paul and Barnabas Acts 15:39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus All the denominations are not splits in Christianity, just different outreaches. Acts 4:36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), 39. In Closing We are all fallen creatures and all very hard to live with. C. S. Lewis And we dont relate with mathematical precision 40. THE END