“For
it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden
than these necessary things”
It is fitting that the first Church council be held at Antioch. The
disciples were first called Christian in this city, and the first New Testament
missionaries were called from the church there. In this conference three men
spoke, Peter, Paul, and James, each giving his own opinion to the solution to the
problem that had arisen among two factions in the churches.
You will remember in the beginning, the primitive church
consisted mostly of all Jewish believers, but later on, the door was opened to
the Gentiles, and a great host of them were flooding into the assembles.
Naturally, difficulties occurred between the traditional Jews and non-religious
Gentiles. The problem was wisely handled by presenting to both sides the “necessary things,” required.
Some of these necessary
things (fornication) were for all time, while others were only for that
time (strangled things, etc.). We need to be careful not to make a present
necessity a perpetual rule. Time, geography, and culture, on occasions, dictate
that we abstain or do something out of necessity for the glory of God and the
help of others. But this is transitory; it is never meant to be an enduring standard.
Paul wished all men were like him (single), because of the “present distress.” But, that passed and is not a rule for men
today (other than an exception).
Richard. D. Sandlin
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