More Word to the World

James

It was the final and authoritative voice of James speaking in the conference who settled the whole issue. This was James, the brother of Jesus who spoke up after Paul and Barnabas had had their say. James offered that the only law that the Gentiles needed to be concerned with was this:

Acts 15:19-20
19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
James said that the Gentiles who were saved should not be burdened with the requirement of keeping the ordinances of the ceremonial law, but only required to keep the moral law. The moral law forbid participation in immorality and separated them from idolatry which was a very big issue in that day. James had spoken with the clarity and authority of Jesus Himself, a message that solved the crisis and satisfied everyone.

Acts 15:22 Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:

A letter was composed that bore the message that James came up with and was to be personally delivered to the new Gentle congregations. The letter is recorded in Acts 15:24-29. Verse 28 contains a summary:

Acts 15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;

With those necessary things set forth in writing, the circumcision controversy was settled.

The first major controversy, the racial tension that existed when some widows were neglected in food distribution, had been settled by prayer and open discussion.  This second controversy was likewise settled by prayer and open discussion.

Author of Hebrews

We are listening to the voices that spoke at the Jerusalem conference and we find the same sentiment that was expressed by Paul also taught in Hebrews which some believe was written by James, the Lord’s brother. He said the purpose of the ordinances of the old covenant were shadows of things to come:

Hebrews 9:9-12
9 Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

The sacrifices were done away with; the dietary laws were done away with; the required washings were done away with; and carnal ordinances were done away with. None of these things “could not make [them] perfect” and were done away with by the one-time shedding of Jesus’ blood. They were a figure, or model of things to come, a shadow of the real thing. But when the perfect one came, the model was no longer needed. When the real Thing was before them, who needed the shadow?