Are You Really Saved?
Acts 15:1-35
Acts 15:1 (ESV)
But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
1. The Gospel Defined
Acts 15:1; 5b (ESV)
But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved... It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”
Galatians 2:4b–5a (NLT)
some so-called believers there—false ones, really—who were secretly brought in. They sneaked in to spy on us and take away the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. They wanted to enslave us and force us to follow their Jewish regulations.
If you change the Gospel-then it’s not the Gospel.
Galatians 1:6–7 (ESV)
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
Galatians 1:9 (ESV)
As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
Ephesians 2:8–9 (ESV)
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Galatians 3:2–3 (ESV)
Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
Galatians 3:5 (ESV)
Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith
Miracles aren’t the product of our performance – they are an evidence of God’s grace!
John 3:16 (NIV)
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
2. The Gospel Defended
Acts 15:2 (ESV)
And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question.
1. No One Can Perfectly Obey the Old Testament Law
Acts 15:7–10 (ESV)
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 should hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?
Acts 15:11 (ESV)
But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”
2. Signs and Wonders
Acts 15:12 (ESV)
And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.
3. This Was God’s Plan from the Beginning
Acts 15:13–15a (ESV)
After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree...”
1 Peter 1:19–20a (NLT)
It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. God chose him as your ransom long before the world began
Acts 15:19–20 (ESV)
Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood.
Acts 15:28–31 (NLT)
“For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these few requirements: You must abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. If you do this, you will do well. Farewell.” The messengers went at once to Antioch, where they called a general meeting of the believers and delivered the letter. And there was great joy throughout the church that day as they read this encouraging message.
We aren’t saved by what we do; we are saved by what Jesus has done. We have right relationship with God, because of Jesus’ righteousness!
