The Gentile Gospel
One of the themes of the book of Acts involves the struggle the early Christians had in defining the Church. Was the Church a new sect in Judaism? (The “Messiah-Is-Here” sect?) Or, was the Church something new entirely, a separate and distinct new body of people? If the latter, what place did Judaism now occupy in God’s mind? This theme occupies not only the book of Acts, but certainly is a theme in various passages of the epistles as well (Romans 9-11 comes to mind).
In Acts, Luke presents the theme as a growing question as Gentiles become increasingly involved in the Church. By God’s design, the question rises step by step. First come the Samaritans under Phillip’s evangelistic efforts in Acts 8. Next, the Holy Spirit leads Phillip to the Ethiopian eunuch (perhaps a Jewish proselyte). These are Gentiles of a sort, but still with ties to Judaism. The conversion of Cornelius (Acts 10) takes the question to another level. Cornelius is a Roman, a God-fearer (not a proselyte), and represents a culture entirely foreign to Judaism (and much despised by them). Upon his conversion, the strict consciences of some Jerusalem Christians challenge Peter on his broach of Jewish taboos (Acts 11.3). Yet, the question comes to rest as Peter explains and the Jerusalem Christians realize that God has made salvation available to Gentiles as a class (Acts 11.18).
In the diaspora following Saul’s persecutions, some Jewish Christians show up in Antioch of Syria and begin to preach, not to Jews only, but also to Gentiles. The Jerusalem church sends Barnabas to investigate, and he soon calls on Saul himself to engage in the ministry of converting Gentiles and building the Antioch church. In short order, God sent Barnabas and Saul on a mission trip deep into Gentile territory, building new churches largely among the Gentile populations of the territory (though they also evangelized Jews), see Acts 13-14. This brings the Gentile question to the forefront, as Judaizers confront the Galatian churches and the Antioch church with their false gospel, “Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.” (Acts 15.1, see also Galatians 1-2) The defining event that settles the question comes in Acts 15, the “sea change” chapter of the book of Acts.
In Acts 15, at the Jerusalem Council, Luke only records the words of those in favor of the Gentiles. Luke mentions opposing views indirectly, but focuses especially on Peter and James, acknowledged leaders of the Jewish side of the Christian church. Peter in particular stands up as the champion of the Gentiles on this occasion. (Acts 15.6-11) He first summarizes his own already acknowledged history that led to the open evangelism of Gentiles (see again Acts 10-11). Peter emphasizes that God himself actively authorized this change. Then comes a dramatic conclusion:
Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. (Ac 15.10-11)
The first bold statement of Peter’s conclusion asserts that the Judaizers are putting God to the test, just as the ancient Israelites did at Meribah and Massah. By itself, that statement is a dramatic rebuke of their position. However, for this article, I want to draw your attention to Peter’s statement in verse 11 about salvation. Notice the order he puts to salvation. It isn’t “the Gentiles are saved the same way we are,” but rather “we are saved the same way they are.” With that statement, Peter makes the gospel the province of the Gentiles. Judaism is passé, something new is happening. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ creates a new body. Jews who respond to the gospel must lay aside their old ways and come to a new way, the Gentile way of salvation by faith alone in Christ alone.
Interestingly, this passage is the last mention of Peter in the book of Acts. The focus will now turn to Paul and the Gentile mission. God makes a definite statement with this. The Gentile question will still have some relevance in the rest of the book, but the Church settled the question here. Thus, the passage becomes Peter’s swan song, and it’s a beauty. Salvation, the way to God, comes only by accepting the grace of Christ through faith. Jewish rituals play no part in the question, nor do any other kinds of works in the days to come.
The answer to the Gentile question carries implications for us as well. We have a gospel to proclaim for all people. We exclude no class, race, or culture. We also must come to the grace of God without our cultural prejudices. We must lay our old ways, our cultural prejudices, on the altar as we come to Christ. We see this when someone comes to Christ from the “outside” of our established Christian culture. The complete “worldling” must lay aside many old ways (think of their music, their values, their political prejudices, and so on). We easily see how “they” must change. Yet, what of the man who comes to Christ out of a lifetime in our churches? His Christian culture can’t save him, any more than Judaism could save. No one is saved by baptism, church attendance, “family values,” right wing politics, or any other aspect of “traditional culture.” We all come to Christ the Gentile way, by faith alone in Christ alone.
One other implication of the story in the book of Acts is theological. Some would have us believe the Church became a replacement for Israel as the people of God. The promises to Israel become spiritualized and applied to the Church. Peter makes it clear that God expects Israel to come to faith in Christ just as the Gentiles do. God did something new in creating the Church. The Church is a new body. Old things are passed away, but God’s plans for Israel remain God’s plan for Israel. God’s new body makes no change on God’s revelation of old, but God’s new body makes a new way in this age for men to rightly orient themselves to God. All men must find that “through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they (the Gentiles).”
Don Johnson is the pastor of Grace Baptist Church of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.