Concession for Christ

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

Loving Father, I praise You that my name and my needs are known to You. I trust You and I worship You.

Read Acts 21:17-26

^[17] When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters received us warmly. ^[18] The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present. ^[19] Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. ^[20] When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. ^[21] They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. ^[22] What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, ^[23] so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. ^[24] Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law. ^[25] As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.” ^[26] The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them.

Meditate

Read Matthew 18:15-20. Note the steps outlined by Jesus for conflict resolution between Christians.

Think Further

A few years ago a well-known Christian leader caused a stir by publically criticizing a prominent pastor’s new book before it was even published. The criticism had merit, but I felt more could have been accomplished for the kingdom by arranging a private meeting to discuss the issue prayerfully. That’s what we see in this passage. James, the leader of the Jewish wing of the church, and Paul, a pioneer of the Gentile wing, are meeting once again (15:1-35) to confront the most divisive issue of their day: how can Jews and Gentiles be in the same church? What’s fascinating is how the two men avoided a blow-up and maintained the unity of the church.

First, they agreed to meet (17,18). When you have an issue with another Christian, even a doctrinal issue, is your first instinct to criticize them to others, or to invite them out for lunch? Next, they shared a mutual respect and accountability. Paul reported what he had been doing (19); James praised God for the results (20). Are you able to affirm God’s work in Christian traditions other than your own? These basic steps created the context for discussing a more delicate issue: what to do about the perception that Paul was encouraging believers to reject Jewish customs (21)?

Some commentators have criticized Paul for agreeing to James’s proposal (23-26; see Num. 6:1-21); they see it as a compromise. To that, John Stott comments, “The solution to which they came was not a compromise, in the sense of sacrificing a doctrinal or moral principle, but a concession in the area of practice.” This passage is a case study of what Paul meant when he said, “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some” (1 Cor. 9:22).

Apply

What influences you when you must decide to bend for the sake of others, or to stand on your principles?

Closing prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, I know it grieves You when Your followers have unresolved conflict. Grant those who are struggling right now a heart for reconciliation and a willingness to follow Your Word.

Click here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.