The Shaking of Nations - A Harvest Tsunami Is On Its Way....

The division between the two factions became so contentious

that the key leaders of the church in Jerusalem felt compelled

to call the first church-wide conference in an effort to settle the

matter. The event is recorded in Acts 15:5-29. Its central issue

was whether gentile converts should be required to keep the

Jewish law and follow Jewish religious practices as part of their

justification in receiving Christ as savior.

Paul and Barnabas challenged that view before the gathered

leaders. They pointed out that even as Jews they could not

satisfy God’s justification requirements through keeping the

Law (vs. 10). They insisted that all believers were simply saved

by faith (Jew and gentile alike) through the grace that God

extended through Jesus’ life and resurrection (vs. 11).

It was James — the acknowledged leader of the Jewish heart

of the church — who stepped up in defense of Paul ’s and

Barnabas’ view of salvation in Christ. He did this in two ways,

first quoting Amos 9:11-12 to support the view that the church

must not “make it difficult for the gentiles” to come to faith by

adding unnecessary requirements (vs. 19).

Second, he recognized that what Paul and Barnabas were

teaching came from the Holy Spirit (vs. 28).

This was hugely significant, and we need to look closely at the

Holy Spirit's leading of James to that passage from Amos. In