But some from the religious party of the Pharisees who had believed stood up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise the Gentiles and to order them to observe the law of Moses.”
Acts 15:5 NET
The church was initially composed entirely of ethnic Jews. The men were all circumcised and followed the law of Moses and the traditions built up around that law. There was little reason to question the importance of those two things.
At least not until large numbers of uncircumcised Gentiles, unfamiliar with the Law of Moses, had come to faith in Christ. Would they be expected to follow their Jewish brothers in being circumcised and obeying the law of Moses? What are the requirements for salvation?
That is the context of the fifteenth chapter of Acts. The apostles and elders met together in Jerusalem to debate this question. Some, from the strictest sect of the Jews, demanded that the Gentiles adhere to Jewish custom. But others, including Peter, Paul, and Barnabas, argued otherwise. They pointed out that God had accepted the Gentiles and given them the Holy Spirit apart from circumcision and obedience to the law.
Salvation Is a Matter of Faith
In the end, the church agreed that salvation was a matter of faith, apart from circumcision and obedience to the law of Moses. There is nothing we must do to be saved. We come to Christ through faith, apart from circumcision or any other act. And it is by faith that we continue to walk with him through this life, apart from observing the law or any other ethical code.
As the church has fulfilled Jesus’ commission to be his witnesses to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8), many traditions have developed around worship practices and church life. And our doctrines do not always agree on every point. But as this chapter makes clear, our salvation is not based on our traditions or doctrine.
Our salvation is by faith alone. And all who have come to faith in Christ are God’s children, members of his family, regardless of our individual traditions or doctrines. As members of God’s family, we should embrace our diversity and love one another as brothers and sisters in Christ rather than squabble over our differences.
