The word of the day is "same." When it comes to what people believe, there are more allegations than truths, more falsehoods than realities, and more suppositions than conclusions based on evidence. Today, in our reading of Acts 15:5-34, we hear Peter's appeal for the inclusion of Gentiles in the church and the final decision of the church leaders in Jerusalem on the matter. The heart of the matter is the unity of the Church, not the diversity of opinions. Peter says, "We believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved in the same manner as they [the Gentiles]" (OSB vs. 11).
To prove an assertion, we must provide reasons or evidence for it. These reasons or evidence are what we call 'warrants '. A close reading of Peter's testimony before the Jewish Council finds that it revolves around one central contention: the Gentiles are the same as the Jews regarding the essential matters that qualify them for membership in the fellowship of faith.
The Warrants for the Inclusion of the Gentiles in the Church
What are the warrants for this claim? First, Peter notes that the Gentiles believed the preaching of the Gospel that came "from his mouth" (vs. 7). To question the faith of the Gentiles would be to doubt the faith of their teacher. However, Peter argues that since he had taught the Gentiles, what they believed was the same as what the Jewish Christians had learned from him.
Second, Peter states that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit endorsed the beliefs of the Gentiles. He asserts that the Holy Spirit filled the uncircumcised just as He filled the circumcised believers at Pentecost and other occasions (Acts 4:31, 8:17). To deny that the Spirit given to the Gentiles was not the same as the Holy Spirit given to the Jewish believers would be to deny the unity of the Holy Spirit. But Peter demonstrates that the Gentiles and Jewish Christ share the same Spirit.
This shared experience of the Holy Spirit reassures us that our faith is not divided by our differences but is united in our common belief in the oneness of the Holy Trinity.
Third, the apostle states that the hearts of the Gentiles were purified by faith. Peter had already said that God, who sees into the heart, had perceived the heartfelt faith of the Gentiles. The gift of the Holy Spirit given to the Gentiles has proved it. But Peter goes on to contend that this faith produces purity. Those who opposed the inclusion of the Gentiles in the church insisted on the 'outward purity of the Law of Moses,' the keeping of the rules of 'clean' and 'unclean' as prescribed by the Jewish law. The uncircumcised Gentiles did not share, nor did they need, this kind of purity. Peter proves that what the believing Gentiles did share with the Jewish faithful was the purity that comes from the cleansing of the heart by repentance and faith.
Thus, it was not just the evidence of belief in Christ, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and the purity that the Holy Spirit engenders that made Peter's case. They shared these same gifts of grace as the Jewish Christians.
The Holy Spirit Made No Distinction
What conclusion did Peter draw from these warrants? Peter proclaimed that the Holy Spirit "made no distinction between them and us…" (OSB vs. 9). And again, he pointed out that "we shall be saved in the same manner as they" (OSB Acts 15:1). These assertions followed from the firm belief that salvation depends on the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, grace that is accepted by faith (vs. 11). The apostle's conclusion was that the Gentiles should be received into the communion of faith without putting requirements on their membership in the fellowship of faith that the Jews have to bear (OSB vs. 10).
With that, Peter silenced the opponents of the Gentile mission. And Paul and Barnabas related the "miracles and wonders" that God performed through their ministry to the Gentiles. Again, the opposition was silent.
Finally, James, the leader of the Jerusalem Church, agreed with Peter. He quoted the Septuagint (LXX) version of the prophecy of Amos to say that God had planned to restore the 'tabernacle of David,' that is, David's legacy, 'so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even the Gentiles…' (OSB vs. 16-17). However, to avoid upsetting the Jewish Christians, James laid down minimum requirements for the reception of Gentiles into the church, such as abstaining from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality Acts 15:18-20.
For Reflection
Some might say that the church's unity depends on the teaching of diversity. They believe that we must overlook and perhaps "celebrate" the multiple beliefs and practices of the separated "denominations," that is, primary divisions within Christianity.
Our reading today underscores a crucial point: what kept the body of believers from splitting into two churches–the Jewish Christian and Gentile churches–was their emphasis on unity, not diversity. This message of the unity of our shared faith in the one Gospel unites us as a church community, regardless of our differences.
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