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The Story of Redemption
The Decision
James bore his testimony with decision—that God designed to
bring in the Gentiles to enjoy all the privileges of the Jews. The Holy
Ghost saw good not to impose the ceremonial law on the Gentile
converts; and the apostles and elders, after careful investigation of
the subject, saw the matter in the same light, and their mind was as
the mind of the Spirit of God. James presided at the council, and his
final decision was, “Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not
them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God.”
It was his sentence that the ceremonial law, and especially the or-
dinance of circumcision, be not in any wise urged upon the Gentiles,
or even recommended to them. James sought to impress the fact
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upon his brethren that the Gentiles, in turning to God from idolatry,
made a great change in their faith; and that much caution should
be used not to trouble their minds with perplexing and doubtful
questions, lest they be discouraged in following Christ.
The Gentiles, however, were to take no course which should
materially conflict with the views of their Jewish brethren, or which
would create prejudice in their minds against them. The apostles and
elders therefore agreed to instruct the Gentiles by letter to abstain
from meats offered to idols, from fornication, from things strangled,
and from blood. They were required to keep the commandments
and to lead holy lives. The Gentiles were assured that the men who
had urged circumcision upon them were not authorized to do so by
the apostles.
Paul and Barnabas were recommended to them as men who
had hazarded their lives for the Lord. Judas and Silas were sent
with these apostles to declare to the Gentiles, by word of mouth,
the decision of the council. The four servants of God were sent
to Antioch with the epistle and message, which put an end to all
controversy; for its was the voice of the highest authority upon earth.
The council which decided this case was composed of the
founders of the Jewish and Gentile Christian churches. Elders from
Jerusalem and deputies from Antioch were present, and the most
influential churches were represented. The council did not claim
infallibility in their deliberations, but moved from the dictates of
enlightened judgment and with the dignity of a church established