Staying on Course (Timeless Lessons from the Jerusalem Conference)
- Baptist Daily Devotional
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Rev Osei Kwabena Nkrahene | September 1 2025 | Acts 15:1-4
KEY VERSE: “But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, ....’ 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 elders about this question.” Acts 15:1-2 (ESV)
MESSAGE:
Acts 15 marks a pivotal moment in the early Church, a moment of doctrinal tension, spiritual clarity, and organisational maturity. The chapter begins with a troubling claim: that salvation required circumcision according to the law of Moses. This false teaching threatened the very foundation of the Gospel.
Paul and Barnabas did not ignore it. They engaged in “no small dissension and debate,” and were sent to Jerusalem to seek resolution from the apostles and elders. What followed was the first Church Council, a Spirit-led gathering that reaffirmed the Gospel of grace and set a precedent for how the Church should handle disputes.
Let’s gather the key nuggets from this chapter:
Salvation is by grace alone. - Verse 11 declares the Gospel as God’s message for all humanity, Jew and Gentile alike, received by grace, not law.
False teachings must be resisted. - Verses 1, 2, and 24 show how dangerous and unsettling false doctrine can be. Paul’s words in Titus 1:10-11 are even stronger: false teachers must be silenced because they upset entire households.
Unity sometimes requires wise concessions. - The Council recommended four abstentions to promote fellowship between Jewish and Gentile believers. Paul’s later circumcision of Timothy (Acts 16:1–5) was a strategic act of love, not legalism.
God’s Word is the final authority. - The Council’s decisions were rooted in Scripture and confirmed by the Holy Spirit. Doctrine must always be anchored in God’s Word.
The Church must operate with order and Spirit-led leadership. - Acts 15 offers a blueprint for Church governance: Church workers should serve under clear authority, disputes must be handled through structured dialogue, delegations should be intentionally selected, and decisions must be Spirit-guided and clearly communicated
FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE:
Throughout history, the Church has sometimes strayed from these principles. Determine that you will make personal effort to study God’s Word, and insist on right teaching wherever you find yourself.
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, You promised to build Your Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Help us to stay on course. Give us discernment to recognise error, courage to confront it, and humility to seek Your wisdom. Raise up leaders who are Spirit-led, Word-rooted, and grace-filled. Let Your Church be a place of truth, unity, and strength. For your dear Name’s sake
THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING.
SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!
The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING
DAILY word study: DISSENSION
The Greek word for Dissension is stasis. It means standing apart or strong disagreement. It describes sharp conflict or unrest, especially when truth is at stake.
In Acts 15:2, this word shows the seriousness with which Paul and Barnabas resisted false teaching. Their response wasn’t casual—it was necessary to protect the heart of the Gospel.
Reflect on this
There are times when disagreement is a call to stand firm, not divide. Paul and Barnabas teach us that truth must be guarded with love, courage, and clarity.
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