The Heart

Faith purifies the Heart. (Acts 15:9) God doesn't discriminate between Jewish and non-Jewish people. He has cleansed nonJewish people through faith as he has cleansed us Jews. This came up because the Jews were trying to say that the newly believing gentiles were subject to the law, until Peter stood up and reminded them that God didnt discriminate who received the Holy Spirit and who didnt, so it was wrong to say that there were requirements of the law to be filled in order to be saved or filled. Peter was saying that if God saw that the people were good enough to receive His Holy Spirit as they were, well then maybe, just maybe they (the Jews) ought not to complicate things, and just let God do the work within the people. Acts 15:7-11 shows us the opposing views of those who said that Gentiles needed to keep the Law of Moses, while another group of people argued that they were not under the Mosaic Covenant at all. After much debate, Peter pointed out that God made absolutely no distinction when he filled the gentiles with the same Holy Spirit that he filled the Jews with in the upper room of Acts 1 and 2. It is the simple, confident belief in Jesus Christ that leads to obedience which cleanses the heart. There was and is no reason for people to complicate things and make distinctions of their own. These distinctions put people under unnecessary bondage, the very bondage which Christ set them free from. Those who were before us couldnt do it and neither can we do it, so why put unnecessary pressure on others to do what is impossible in human strength?

The heart is the proper place of purity. The best evidence of renewal is seen in the heart. When God reached out and extended his salvation and filled the gentiles with His Holy Spirit He was showing the world that religious rituals are not necessary to be accepted by Him. These external things are not the foundational basis of salvation. Jesus Christ made us all equal, on the same level, regardless of race, color, denomination or whatever other boundary man has declared. His baptism of His Holy Spirit is the completion of that equality. We are all justified and purified the same way. Jesus Christ is that way (John 14:6). It is significant that the requirements of acceptance were established in Jerusalem by one of the 12 that walked with Jesus during his time on earth because any other person (even Paul) and any other place would have divided the Church even sooner. Any hope of establishment would have been lost. Faith being the only requirement that makes a person acceptable shows that what matters the most lies within (internally) not outside (externally). The external rituals of the Old Testament show that Gods Judgment does not properly prepare or purify a person to receive the Gospel. We can know this: where Judgment fails Compassion and Love rule and reign. When the Substance is revealed, the Shadow is no longer necessary (Clarkes Commentary). It doesnt matter how extraordinarily gifted someone is, each and every person is allotted the same favor, the same privilege, the same gifts of Faith, Hope, and Love. The Jewish believers were trying to judaize the gentiles; just like we try to Christianize the world. The Church just keeps going around and around this same crazy mountain,

which is evidence of Gods patience with us. His Patience is evidence of His mercy. His mercy shows His favor. His favor proves His love. God started off keeping it simple with a few commands in the beginning. They were, to be fruitful, multiply, replenish the earth, subdue the earth and have dominion over all the creatures on the earth, as well as to not touch one tree; the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Man complicated it when he gave in to sin. God gave him 10 guidelines to follow, and man complicated these by adding more to them, until there was an absolutely impossible mess. Jesus came and made it simple again, he gave us two commands that sum up the 10: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, spirit and strength and Love everyone else as you love yourself. We still complicate it by majoring in the minors and minoring in the majors. Beware of any new doctrine outside of Christ, His Life, His Death, His Resurrection and His Return. Dont make the minor detail the major point.