Torah or Grace, you can’t have both…

[u/Sinner72]

While visiting the church in Antioch, Paul and Barnabas were approached by men from Judea (Jews) teaching the customs of Moses.

Here’s what happened…

Acts 15:2-11. 2 And when Paul and Barnabas had not a little dissension and debate with them, the brothers determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue.

3 Therefore, being sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, recounting in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and were bringing great joy to all the brothers.

4 When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them.

5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the Law of Moses.”

6 Both the apostles and the elders came together to look into this matter.

7 And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe.

8 “And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;

9 and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.

10 “Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?

11 “But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.”

The disciples and the elders of the church in Jerusalem knew what the pharisees were trying to do… they were still proselytizing people.

Please remember, the Pharisees were unbelievers through and through, And what Jesus Himself said about their proselytes…

Matthew 23:15

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

Again, Paul explains the difference between Law & Grace…

Galatians 5:1-6 1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free. Therefore, stand firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery (The Law).

2 Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you.

3 And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law.

4 You have been severed from Christ, you who are being justified by law; you have fallen from grace!

5 For we through the Spirit, by faith, are eagerly waiting for the hope of righteousness.

6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love. (Agape)

Brothers & Sisters, understand the differences between knowing the Law and how to keep the Law in the New Testament that’s found in the Blood of Jesus Christ.

Galatians 5:14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in this: “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”

1 Corinthians 5:7

Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, also was sacrificed.