1 00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:10,000 In the name of the glorious Trinity, Father and Son and Holy 2 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:13,680 Spirit, forever Amen. Glory be to the everlasting 3 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:17,600 mercies which sent you to us, O Christ, the Light of the world 4 00:00:17,640 --> 00:00:21,360 and the life of all. Give us wisdom by your law and 5 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:23,360 enlighten our impulses by Your knowledge. 6 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:27,440 Sanctify our souls by Your truth and grant that we may be 7 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:30,880 obedient to Your words and may fulfil Your commandments at 8 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:34,200 every hour. O You who enlightens the 9 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:38,360 rational with the knowledge of Your greatness, do enlight, O my 10 00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:42,200 Lord, our thoughts, that we may meditate upon Your holy and 11 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:46,560 divine Scriptures at all times. O Lord of all, Father and Son 12 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:49,240 and Holy Spirit, forever. Amen. 13 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:11,520 Continue our study of the book of the Acts of the Holy Apostles 14 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:14,480 of our Lord and our Savior Jesus Christ, and we'll pick it up 15 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:16,640 from chapter 15. Glory to God. 16 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:20,680 We we concluded chapter 14 and we learned that Paul and 17 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:27,800 Barnabas returned back to Antioch and they tell the church 18 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:30,840 there of the good things. They didn't focus on the 19 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:34,640 negative, but they focused more on the positive that the Lord 20 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:38,640 was working and the gospel was thriving and the Gentiles were 21 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:42,480 receiving the gospel and Jews were receiving the gospel and 22 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:44,960 there were Jews that didn't receive the gospel and they were 23 00:01:44,960 --> 00:01:48,560 opposing the disciples putting their lives in the apostles. 24 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:52,560 I'm sorry the lives in risk, but they they told the church and 25 00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:57,760 everyone was was joyful and glorifying God as we always do. 26 00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:01,000 You know, when you hear a good, you know, good word or good news 27 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:05,360 from, from the churches, from other diocese, other parishes, 28 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:09,560 and you know, and we all thank God when we open a new church or 29 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:13,800 a school is opened or a, a new ministry is, is established, We, 30 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:17,000 we glorify God and we, and we like that and we, we praise God 31 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:19,520 for it. And we, we take a heart that 32 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:22,400 the, the scriptures, the, the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ 33 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:27,600 is being preached and the church is continuing on its fishing, 34 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:31,760 fishing mission. So let's pick it up from the 35 00:02:31,920 --> 00:02:34,880 chapter 15, verse one. I'll read to you verses one and 36 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:36,800 two and we'll, we'll have a talk about this. 37 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:42,080 And certain men who had come down from Judea taught the 38 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:45,080 brethren, brethren meaning the the Christians. 39 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:47,680 So when you hear the word brethren, it means the 40 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:50,320 believers, the Christians. Because we are brothers and 41 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:52,840 sisters in Christ. Through our faith in Jesus 42 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:56,360 Christ, which has brought us to being to the adoption of 43 00:02:56,360 --> 00:03:01,880 sonship, we are children of God. Galatians 3/26/27 being children 44 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:05,400 of a God through our faith and baptism, being children of God, 45 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:06,920 we are brothers and sisters in Christ. 46 00:03:06,920 --> 00:03:09,480 Hence they didn't refer to them as Christians. 47 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:12,440 You know the word Christian as I've mentioned in previous 48 00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:17,760 episodes wasn't wasn't used. The term Christian came about 49 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:20,760 2nd century I believe if I'm not mistaken. 50 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:24,280 But it was called the believers or the way the people of the way 51 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:29,720 or brethren. So Judea, they came from from 52 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:32,680 Judea. I'm sorry. 53 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:34,960 Let's, let's go again. And certain men who had come 54 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:38,320 down from Judea taught the brethren come down from Judea to 55 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:41,400 Antioch. By the way, come came down from 56 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:45,640 Judea taught the brethren. Unless you are circumcised in 57 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:49,080 accordance with the custom of the law. 58 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:55,280 I need your utmost attention this this episode and every 59 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:57,720 other episode. Please listen intently. 60 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:03,560 According with the customs of the law, you cannot be saved. 61 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:06,440 So Gentiles, you have been baptized, you've received the 62 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:10,840 Holy Spirit, but because you haven't been circumcised, you 63 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:18,440 are not saved. And there was great dissension 64 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:21,959 and controversy between them and Paul and Barnabas. 65 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:26,680 And it reached such a point that it was necessary for Paul and 66 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:31,240 Barnabas and others with them to go up to Jerusalem. 67 00:04:31,280 --> 00:04:34,480 One, and we'll talk about it. I'm not going to jump the gun to 68 00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:36,960 go up to Jerusalem to the apostles. 69 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:39,680 Paul is an apostle to the apostles. 70 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:42,840 And elders meaning presbyters, meaning priests. 71 00:04:43,080 --> 00:04:47,960 Concerning the question. So who were these men? 72 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:52,400 These men were Christians, we use the term now. 73 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:55,600 They were believers in Jesus Christ, but also observed 74 00:04:55,640 --> 00:05:00,560 circumcision and the law of Moses and they taught that those 75 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:05,000 who believed from the gentiles, the non Jews, should keep all 76 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:08,160 the legal things with faith in Jesus Christ. 77 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:10,960 So you have faith in Jesus Christ, you need to be 78 00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:13,280 circumcised. You need to offer your 79 00:05:13,280 --> 00:05:15,840 offerings. Most probably you need to 80 00:05:15,840 --> 00:05:18,600 continue to offer your your blood offerings. 81 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:23,280 It doesn't specifically say we know it's circumcision, but they 82 00:05:23,280 --> 00:05:25,320 were saying that no, we need to keep the law as well. 83 00:05:25,840 --> 00:05:27,640 But faith in Jesus Christ, right. 84 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:30,280 Maybe they were the Jews for Jesus. 85 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:34,480 Yeah, Steven, Jews for Jesus. Maybe they were the Jews for 86 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:38,440 Jesus. In any case but Saint Paul, an 87 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:44,840 apostle, and St. Barnabas, an apostle who were 88 00:05:44,840 --> 00:05:49,520 chosen by the Holy Spirit, who instructed the Church to set 89 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:55,280 aside Paul and Barnabas for the task and the mission that they 90 00:05:55,280 --> 00:06:01,520 were chosen for, taught that faith in Christ and the 91 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:08,240 observance of His commandments, not the law of the flesh, the 92 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:14,280 commandments of the Lord was sufficient for the salvation of 93 00:06:14,280 --> 00:06:17,080 men. Hence you love me, Jesus said 94 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:21,320 fulfill my commandments, not the observance of the law, his 95 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:25,280 commandments, beloved, and that was plenty. 96 00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:30,000 Now remembering again, please and I, I must remind you and 97 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:33,840 remind especially in particular our Protestant brothers and 98 00:06:33,840 --> 00:06:38,720 sisters, there was no Bible in the hand that there was no they 99 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:43,280 weren't reading in the Bible. They were preaching the law, 100 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:45,960 they were preaching from the Pentateuch, but they were 101 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:50,800 concluding it in Jesus Christ and, and, and and beginning and 102 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:53,880 steering the people to the new covenant of the Spirit which 103 00:06:53,960 --> 00:06:58,000 Jesus gave us. So Paul and Barnabas knew that 104 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:03,160 no, no, no faith in Jesus Christ, Baptism, receiving the 105 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:06,040 Holy Spirit and obviously partaking the Eucharist and the 106 00:07:06,040 --> 00:07:10,160 rest is enough for salvation from the bondage of the law, 107 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:15,600 from the evil. Not it wasn't sufficient for 108 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:17,800 eternal life. You're in eternal life. 109 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:25,120 No, no, no, saved from the past, the evil, the the, the law, 110 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:29,840 which couldn't do, which couldn't, which was weak in the 111 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:32,640 flesh. So Paul and Barnabas went to 112 00:07:32,640 --> 00:07:36,720 Jerusalem to meet with the apostles and elders. 113 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:39,360 Wasn't Saint Paul? Don't be. 114 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:44,080 What is the title of Saint Paul? Let me think, oh, help me guys. 115 00:07:44,640 --> 00:07:47,040 Saint Paul the Apostle. Yeah, we call him the apostle. 116 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:49,400 Couldn't he have made a decision? 117 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:54,360 Couldn't those people who had praised Jesus and and God had 118 00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:57,840 put in their heart, couldn't they have prayed and said, Lord, 119 00:07:57,960 --> 00:08:01,520 you tell us what? No, this apostle, the two 120 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:06,280 apostles and elders, they went to meet the apostles and the 121 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:13,440 elders because it was a a Catholic decision. 122 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:19,880 It was a universal decision because there was split in minds 123 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:21,840 and there was divisions in understanding. 124 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:25,440 They had to go to the of the apostles, so that what the 125 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:30,320 apostles would bind on earth, it would be bound in heaven, and 126 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:34,760 what it, what was bound in, in loosened on earth would be 127 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:39,240 loosed in heaven. But wait a minute, wait a 128 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:48,360 minute, number one, the church accompanied and send them. 129 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:51,080 It was the church. And some of the people from the 130 00:08:51,080 --> 00:08:54,400 church went. Let me give you this example. 131 00:08:55,080 --> 00:08:58,360 In the Assyrian Church of the East, when the lay people, the 132 00:08:58,360 --> 00:09:01,880 faithful, unlike calling the the faithful people, they're 133 00:09:01,880 --> 00:09:03,680 faithful people, we call them almaya. 134 00:09:03,680 --> 00:09:06,760 Almaya is worldly people. We shouldn't use that term. 135 00:09:07,640 --> 00:09:12,600 The lay or the faithful people, the faithful of the Church have 136 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:15,760 an issue with, with a Canon of the law, with a, with an 137 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:19,080 instruction of the Church, the Canon of the Church, an 138 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:22,160 instruction of the Church and they present it to the priest 139 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:27,760 and there is 123 you know from the mouth of two and three, a 140 00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:32,440 witness is, is is acceptable, a testimony is acceptable. 141 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:39,600 Then the priest, the presbyters meet with the Bishop and the 142 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:43,640 Bishop is advised that we have an issue in the Church and this 143 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:45,520 is what the faithful are requesting. 144 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:52,720 Now, if the Bishop sees that this is a diocesan understanding 145 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:56,760 and a diocesan issue, the Bishop can make that decision. 146 00:09:56,760 --> 00:09:59,120 And once the Bishop makes that decision, it's the apostle 147 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:03,680 binding on earth. When it is a universal issue, 148 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:09,640 then the Bishop will do what the Church will accompany, meaning 149 00:10:09,640 --> 00:10:17,480 this church will send the Bishop to the Synod to the to this the 150 00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:21,080 Holy Synod, which will convey and can and then discuss these 151 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:23,560 things. And then that Bishop will then 152 00:10:23,880 --> 00:10:28,120 present this issue and this this understanding or this this 153 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:31,760 difficulty. And then the bishops will all 154 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:35,800 discuss under the auspices of the Catholic as Patriarch. 155 00:10:36,160 --> 00:10:40,680 And then when the Synod all decrees that this is going to be 156 00:10:40,680 --> 00:10:45,200 the solution, then the Bishop comes back, tells the Archdeacon 157 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:49,560 to tell the people this is the decree, this is what was 158 00:10:49,560 --> 00:10:51,400 happening. The church sent beloved. 159 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:55,360 But hang on a SEC. Wait. 160 00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:59,800 In Galatians Chapter 7, one verse 17, Saint Paul says I did 161 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:05,560 not go to Jerusalem to the apostles who were before me, but 162 00:11:05,560 --> 00:11:08,920 I went to Arabia and returned to Damascus. 163 00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:14,600 Huh. How you just went to Jerusalem? 164 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:18,760 Is Paul lying? And then in Galatians, I'm not 165 00:11:18,760 --> 00:11:21,640 sure what chapter he says that I went to Jerusalem. 166 00:11:21,680 --> 00:11:26,720 I met with Peter for 15 days. So what are these travels? 167 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:32,520 Well, this travel, beloved, he had not gone up spontaneously. 168 00:11:32,520 --> 00:11:35,560 No, there was a cause. So Paul is saying I didn't just 169 00:11:35,560 --> 00:11:40,760 go up to see the apostles. I've gone to Jerusalem because 170 00:11:40,760 --> 00:11:45,880 there was an issue and I was sent by others. 171 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:51,120 And in this visit, this travel, he didn't go to learn something. 172 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:55,040 He knew what was proper for Gentile converts, but to 173 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:59,760 persuade others because there was a division, he did it for 174 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:02,320 others. He did it for the harmony of the 175 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:06,400 church. So this is not the first council 176 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:10,120 of the church. No, no, no, the Nicean Nicean 177 00:12:10,120 --> 00:12:11,920 council is the first council of the church. 178 00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:15,000 This is the Jerusalem council where the disciples came. 179 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:18,240 We're going to read who was there and who made the 180 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:20,240 declaration too. By the way, Peter was there, 181 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:22,560 James was there, and there were other people and there were some 182 00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:26,560 Pharisees there as well. So he went for the harmony of 183 00:12:26,560 --> 00:12:28,440 the church. That's why he's saying that I 184 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:31,320 didn't go to Jerusalem. I'm just gone to visit by visit. 185 00:12:31,520 --> 00:12:32,840 But there is a time that he does. 186 00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:36,640 He goes to Jerusalem. So we see that the early church 187 00:12:37,280 --> 00:12:42,480 were considerate of the law. They still have the law in mind. 188 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:44,920 Now you can't tell me. Oh, ignorance. 189 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:48,040 Oh, they weren't saved. They didn't really know Jesus. 190 00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:51,280 You know, I say it in ridicule because that's some of the 191 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:56,120 ridiculous things I hear. Oh, they weren't saved, I'm 192 00:12:56,120 --> 00:12:58,400 sorry. The criterias of salvation they 193 00:12:58,520 --> 00:13:02,240 only given to you one church or one person, but God only speaks 194 00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:05,400 with one person to to then make a judgement of who's saved, 195 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:09,120 who's not saved. No, no, they had consideration 196 00:13:09,120 --> 00:13:12,400 of the law because they were continuously being preached at 197 00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:16,920 that law, Not the Scriptures, not John 316, not one 198 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:20,720 Corinthians, not Ephesians 29 By faith you have been saved, and 199 00:13:20,720 --> 00:13:22,640 this is not of you, so that no one will boast of you. 200 00:13:23,040 --> 00:13:25,440 No, they were preaching the Pentateuch. 201 00:13:27,400 --> 00:13:31,720 Why? Why they didn't claim that the 202 00:13:31,720 --> 00:13:33,480 law is abolished. Why? 203 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:36,040 Because their master didn't do that as well. 204 00:13:36,120 --> 00:13:38,800 Matthew 517. Or is it 18? 205 00:13:38,800 --> 00:13:43,200 Matthew 518 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass 206 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:48,240 away, not even a youth, which is a very small letter or a dash, 207 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:55,440 shall pass away from the law until all of it is fulfilled. 208 00:13:57,120 --> 00:13:59,880 That's a keyword. So Jesus didn't come to abolish, 209 00:13:59,880 --> 00:14:03,760 He fulfilled it. The Antiochans did not hesitate 210 00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:08,040 to send someone to Jerusalem to inquire about this controversy. 211 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:11,200 They didn't hesitate. They wanted to know, what is the 212 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:14,440 truth? How are we going to solve this 213 00:14:14,920 --> 00:14:18,600 not let us all gather and pray and Father God, we ask that you 214 00:14:19,120 --> 00:14:22,160 move someone and then that someone say God put in my heart 215 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:24,960 to tell you this is what's going no, that's not how the church 216 00:14:24,960 --> 00:14:28,080 worked. Find me in the in the in the in 217 00:14:28,080 --> 00:14:30,600 the Scriptures where God puts in people's heart. 218 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:34,800 God only put in Simon's heart and in in Paul's heart to go to 219 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:40,160 meet various churches, but not any faithful would come up and 220 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:42,640 say God put in my heart to come and tell you that this is wrong. 221 00:14:42,800 --> 00:14:45,560 No. So they sent them to inquire 222 00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:50,320 about the controversy and yet their inquiry isn't amazing. 223 00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:55,120 Wasn't about about God the Godhead of Jesus Christ, you 224 00:14:55,120 --> 00:15:01,160 know, the, the, the providential incarnation of the Lord Jesus 225 00:15:01,160 --> 00:15:05,200 Christ of the Son, or the Holy Spirit or the angels or the 226 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:07,800 powers of heaven or anything like that. 227 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:12,600 No, it was about circumcision, about the least part of a man's 228 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:16,160 genitals. Do you see how cautious they 229 00:15:16,160 --> 00:15:20,480 were that they would not just teach anything and come to an 230 00:15:20,480 --> 00:15:22,680 agreement? Because this is talking about 231 00:15:22,680 --> 00:15:28,240 the salvation of souls, Beloved, it boggles my mind to stand 232 00:15:28,240 --> 00:15:32,000 there and preach for two hours or one hour to convince people 233 00:15:32,080 --> 00:15:34,240 that baptism has no effect in salvation. 234 00:15:34,520 --> 00:15:38,400 It boggles my mind. All right, these are, as I said, 235 00:15:38,400 --> 00:15:44,400 this is not about about baptism, something so minute. 236 00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:47,040 But they wanted to get it right. And the church has it right for 237 00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:51,480 2025 years. Now, if Martin Luther or Calvin 238 00:15:51,480 --> 00:15:52,600 had issues, that's their problem. 239 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:56,000 The church had it right now, maybe the Catholic Church. 240 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:59,240 Yeah, the Catholic Church. You know, they dropped the ball 241 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:02,440 on a few of their cannons. Yeah. 242 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:05,800 Yeah, there are many things that in the Catholic Church, the 243 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:07,840 assuming Church of the East, don't adhere to. 244 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:11,120 OK, but doesn't mean the church is incorrect. 245 00:16:11,560 --> 00:16:15,440 Church has got it wrong. No, I always say, I pray that 246 00:16:15,640 --> 00:16:19,520 Martin Luther when leaving the Catholic Church, I pray that he 247 00:16:19,520 --> 00:16:22,000 would have come to. I hope that he would have come 248 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:22,960 to. I would have loved that he would 249 00:16:22,960 --> 00:16:25,600 have come to the East and found the Church of the East, the 250 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:29,240 Church of the martyrs who was missionizing the world. 251 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:33,600 But that's another story. You know why, beloved? 252 00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:36,280 You know why they were so cautious about this as well 253 00:16:36,280 --> 00:16:40,040 concerned because they learned of the Word, because they were 254 00:16:40,040 --> 00:16:44,920 taught by the apostles that Jesus said a single iota and a 255 00:16:44,920 --> 00:16:48,400 single point of the law will not be abolished. 256 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:53,200 No, they knew that it had to be fulfilled. 257 00:16:54,440 --> 00:16:56,840 And there was a great spiritual meaning in there. 258 00:16:58,440 --> 00:17:05,200 The Antiochian disciples were afraid to take authority to make 259 00:17:05,200 --> 00:17:07,960 that decision. But they took so much thought 260 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:13,079 even for questions that seemed to be so pity beloved, you know, 261 00:17:13,079 --> 00:17:15,880 they they were they were pondering on this, seeing that 262 00:17:15,880 --> 00:17:20,440 these things are important that Paul and Barnabas who mission 263 00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:24,920 who went and preached should go and consult Jerusalem, those in 264 00:17:24,920 --> 00:17:29,560 Jerusalem and we'll see in verse 22. 265 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:32,720 Let me read it to you in when the decision has been made. 266 00:17:32,720 --> 00:17:37,880 Let's jump the gun a little bit. It says verse 221522. 267 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:41,200 Then the apostles and Enders with all the whole church chose 268 00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:44,760 men from among themselves and sent them to Antioch with Paul 269 00:17:44,760 --> 00:17:46,000 and Barnabas. Why? 270 00:17:46,120 --> 00:17:49,480 So that when they returned that this decision, this decree, 271 00:17:50,040 --> 00:17:53,160 people would not say this is just your understanding. 272 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:56,080 They would accept it because from the mouths of two and 273 00:17:56,080 --> 00:17:59,760 three, you know, testimonies is standing. 274 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:05,200 Now let's read about some other people that were there and how 275 00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:08,640 they were adamant about circumcision, Beloved, verse 5. 276 00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:11,360 And that's where we'll stop at today, verse 5. 277 00:18:13,360 --> 00:18:19,720 But some of them I'm sorry, let me read. 3345 They were given an 278 00:18:19,720 --> 00:18:23,240 escort and sent on their way to the church, and they travelled 279 00:18:23,240 --> 00:18:27,440 through all Phoenicia and the territory of the Samaritans, 280 00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:30,280 declaring the conversion of the Gentiles. 281 00:18:30,480 --> 00:18:33,120 And they caused great joy to all the brethren. 282 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:39,240 Yes, we must rejoice when we hear of souls being saved. 283 00:18:39,480 --> 00:18:43,880 We must rejoice, you know, in the Church when we hear there is 284 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:47,960 a successful diocese. Take for example Australia, the 285 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:50,240 Diocese of Australia and New Zealand with the schools. 286 00:18:50,360 --> 00:18:56,760 We must rejoice and praise God and we must reach out and ask 287 00:18:56,760 --> 00:19:00,040 for help. And the Diocese of Australia and 288 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:03,560 New Zealand must not withhold help and assistance. 289 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:10,000 No, because we are one church, we must strive together that if 290 00:19:10,040 --> 00:19:12,960 I have come to this point, I want you to be in this point 291 00:19:13,040 --> 00:19:17,120 because it is for the salvation ultimately for the our salvation 292 00:19:17,120 --> 00:19:18,880 of souls. Let me give you an example. 293 00:19:19,760 --> 00:19:23,680 The children ministries we have in this style in, in, in in this 294 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:29,200 Central Valley, you know, where we have some curriculums, but we 295 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:33,600 want to have a, a proper ACOE curriculum. 296 00:19:33,600 --> 00:19:36,200 Let me put it this way. I reached out to His Grace 297 00:19:36,200 --> 00:19:42,360 Marvin Yamin, Bishop of Melbourne and New Zealand, and I 298 00:19:42,360 --> 00:19:46,880 know that they've vested time and effort and funds to write 299 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:51,800 books, to print books for the Mar the Rabban Hormas Syrian 300 00:19:51,800 --> 00:19:54,120 Primary School, Christian Primary School and the modern 301 00:19:54,120 --> 00:19:57,840 Arce K to 12 curriculum RE religious education. 302 00:19:58,560 --> 00:20:01,800 When I picked up the phone, and this is the second time, to my 303 00:20:01,800 --> 00:20:04,240 shame when I picked up the phone, said Gessy. 304 00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:10,680 Or my beloved guess he means my oh, Lord Mar, can you please? 305 00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:12,120 Yes, I should. We'll send them to you. 306 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:15,640 We'll e-mail it to you. We'll even e-mail you 307 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:16,920 instructions of how to print them. 308 00:20:16,920 --> 00:20:20,160 If you want to make booklets, but just not for not for 309 00:20:20,160 --> 00:20:24,880 selling, utilize them. At the click of the finger, His, 310 00:20:24,880 --> 00:20:29,080 his, his Grace agreed to send. And by the way, they have 311 00:20:29,080 --> 00:20:31,920 already been sent, but I've lost the USB drive, right? 312 00:20:32,080 --> 00:20:35,200 But I still haven't received the second copy at the click of the 313 00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:38,680 Why? Because His Grace knows that 314 00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:45,840 this is not to boast about. This is not to parade to the 315 00:20:45,840 --> 00:20:48,960 whole world. This is to be used for the 316 00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:53,040 salvation of souls and mainly primarily for the nurture of the 317 00:20:53,040 --> 00:20:57,240 children from the evil schools and teachers and governments and 318 00:20:57,240 --> 00:20:58,840 principles that are in the world. 319 00:20:59,840 --> 00:21:02,760 This is to nurture our children to raise them in the Christian 320 00:21:02,760 --> 00:21:07,640 faith so that what happens that happens here. 321 00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:11,520 Yes, we're, we're contemplating schools here just like the 322 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:14,920 Diocese of, of Australia and New Zealand. 323 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:18,400 And when I reach out, when we reach out to those that are in, 324 00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:20,880 yes, of course, we're, we're always ready to help you. 325 00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:24,880 Why not go ahead. Encouraging, not bringing down, 326 00:21:25,480 --> 00:21:28,680 encouraging, not boasting, only encouraging. 327 00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:33,120 But yes, because ultimately, again, it's for the salvation of 328 00:21:33,120 --> 00:21:35,760 souls. So they were being happy, they 329 00:21:35,760 --> 00:21:38,880 were rejoicing when they heard of the success of the Gospel in 330 00:21:38,880 --> 00:21:42,240 all these areas. On the arrival at Jerusalem, 331 00:21:42,240 --> 00:21:45,640 they were received by the church, the church by the 332 00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:49,280 apostles, the apostles by the elders, the presbyters and the 333 00:21:49,280 --> 00:21:52,360 bishops and the priests. Sorry, this is how we receive 334 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:55,920 apostles in the church. This is how we receives our 335 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:59,600 prelates and they reported everything that God had done 336 00:21:59,600 --> 00:22:02,640 with them. Again, the positives, not the 337 00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:04,000 negatives, but there was an issue. 338 00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:08,640 Verse 5 but some of the men who had been converted from the set 339 00:22:08,640 --> 00:22:16,080 of the sect of the Pharisees who thought that they were they were 340 00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:18,720 it. They saw that they they're the 341 00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:22,560 only pure ones, but these are the Christians now they would 342 00:22:22,560 --> 00:22:24,240 have they would have had a change of heart. 343 00:22:24,800 --> 00:22:29,280 They rose up and said you must circumcise them and command them 344 00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:33,160 to keep the law of Moses. So they were adamant. 345 00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:35,880 Why? Why were they adamant? 346 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:41,760 Genesis 1710 to 13 And you, God says to Abraham, listen very 347 00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:45,480 carefully. Stop, pull over, give up. 348 00:22:46,840 --> 00:22:49,120 Stop the washing of the dishes, the vacuuming. 349 00:22:49,120 --> 00:22:51,200 I always say that stop scrolling on the on your phone. 350 00:22:51,440 --> 00:22:55,000 Listen, because if you ring me one day and ask me about this, 351 00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:57,760 I'll say go on. Listen to episode 131. 352 00:22:57,760 --> 00:23:02,920 I believe Stephen Wright Genesis 1710 to 13 and you shall 353 00:23:02,920 --> 00:23:05,000 circumcise the flesh of your foreskin. 354 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:08,280 God says to Abraham and it shall be a sign of the covenant 355 00:23:08,280 --> 00:23:13,080 between me and you and a son of eight days shall be circumcised, 356 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:18,000 putting that excruciating pain because the eight day child 357 00:23:18,360 --> 00:23:23,240 understood, proclaimed God, confessed his faith and they 358 00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:27,200 were circumcised. No, why? 359 00:23:27,200 --> 00:23:29,360 I'm going to see why they have to be circumcised. 360 00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:32,720 That's why we baptize infants. Let's not go there and the sum 361 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:37,000 of our days will be circumcised among you, every male for your 362 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:42,320 generation, born in the house and bought with many with money 363 00:23:42,520 --> 00:23:47,320 from many, any sons of a foreigner, non Jews, you need to 364 00:23:47,320 --> 00:23:51,720 circumcise them. This is what God is saying, not 365 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:54,560 Moses and Ezekiel and and Isaiah. 366 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:56,760 No, God is speaking. It's a command. 367 00:23:56,800 --> 00:24:02,080 It's a covenant circumcision of a Gentile and bought with money 368 00:24:02,080 --> 00:24:06,280 from any son of a foreigner that was not from your seed. 369 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:10,520 To circumcise they have to be circumcised. 370 00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:15,480 Letter one born in your house and bought with your silver. 371 00:24:15,520 --> 00:24:19,840 Be circumcised and listen very intently. 372 00:24:19,840 --> 00:24:26,240 I'll read it slow and my covenant will be in your flesh 373 00:24:26,240 --> 00:24:30,680 for an eternal covenant. Can you limit eternal? 374 00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:33,680 Can you limit eternity? If you limit eternity, Well, I 375 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:35,000 don't want to go to the Kingdom of heaven. 376 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:37,080 I don't want to go to eternity because eternity has a 377 00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:39,320 limitation. 10 years and I'm out. 378 00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:47,840 No eternal covenant, God says. And the uncircumcised male whose 379 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:52,360 flesh of his foreskin will not be circumcised, that soul will 380 00:24:52,360 --> 00:24:58,000 be destroyed from his people. He has withdrawn from my 381 00:24:58,000 --> 00:24:59,600 covenant. So if the parents weren't 382 00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:04,200 bringing the eight day children to be circumcised, they, not the 383 00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:07,480 child, but the souls of the parents who are responsible for 384 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:11,280 the child would be destroyed because they withdrew from my 385 00:25:11,280 --> 00:25:14,840 covenant. So what happens when families or 386 00:25:14,880 --> 00:25:17,960 or parents refrain their children from being baptized? 387 00:25:18,360 --> 00:25:23,320 You were cut out. 2 + 2 is 4 and that's not being racist. 2 + 2 388 00:25:23,320 --> 00:25:26,040 is 4. It's clear as they right. 389 00:25:27,040 --> 00:25:29,040 It's clear as they. You can't get any clearer. 390 00:25:29,160 --> 00:25:33,200 You can't make it more simple. God said it, God commanded it. 391 00:25:33,320 --> 00:25:38,200 God requires it, required it. It is His words, it is the word 392 00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:41,280 of God which is living, and all efficient. 393 00:25:41,280 --> 00:25:43,560 Hebrews 412. Stands forever. 394 00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:47,800 Isaiah 48. Sweet to the roof of my palate, 395 00:25:48,040 --> 00:25:51,960 better than honey to my mouth, better than the honey cone. 396 00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:56,280 Psalm 119103. Lamp to my feet, and a light to 397 00:25:56,280 --> 00:25:58,720 my path. Psalm 119105. 398 00:25:59,520 --> 00:26:02,760 The word of God stands in heaven, is right in heaven, is 399 00:26:02,760 --> 00:26:05,720 accepted, is obeyed in heaven. Psalm 11. 400 00:26:05,760 --> 00:26:12,200 Psm 11918 is very precious. Psalm 119140 because the word of 401 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:16,320 God according to Isaiah chapter 55 verse 11, God says the word 402 00:26:16,320 --> 00:26:19,920 that proceeds from his mouth shall not return to him empty 403 00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:24,240 handed, but surely does the thing that God pleases and 404 00:26:24,240 --> 00:26:28,280 accomplishes that for which he sent it. 405 00:26:29,520 --> 00:26:38,000 So it's clear cut, the apostles would be expected to honor the 406 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:43,080 argument of the Pharisees, to honor the argument of the 407 00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:49,080 believing Pharisees, and appeal to the scriptures alone. 408 00:26:49,080 --> 00:26:51,280 Sola Scriptura. This is what it's all about. 409 00:26:52,040 --> 00:26:56,360 Sola scriptura according to the Scripture. 410 00:26:58,000 --> 00:27:01,160 And again, there was no Old Testament. 411 00:27:01,160 --> 00:27:03,000 There was no Bible in their hand. 412 00:27:03,160 --> 00:27:08,040 They were always appealing to the Old Testament Scripture. 413 00:27:08,040 --> 00:27:10,280 And this is in Genesis 1710 to 3. 414 00:27:11,320 --> 00:27:14,360 They should have come to these agreement very easy. 415 00:27:14,360 --> 00:27:17,680 Yes, let's read the Scriptures. Oh, God said it's an eternal 416 00:27:17,680 --> 00:27:18,280 covenant. Yeah. 417 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:21,520 Well, you need to do that. You have to do that according to 418 00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:29,680 the Scripture. Well, sorry Sola Scriptura, 419 00:27:30,720 --> 00:27:34,440 sorry Martin Luther, sorry John Calvin and his associates. 420 00:27:35,480 --> 00:27:42,000 Next episode we will learn to what the apostles actually 421 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:45,320 appeal and arrive at their agreement. 422 00:27:46,200 --> 00:27:49,640 We have the Scripture there. The Scripture's clear. 423 00:27:50,080 --> 00:27:55,240 This covenant is eternal. You need to do it and and we 424 00:27:55,240 --> 00:27:59,080 read. What does God say in Genesis? 425 00:27:59,080 --> 00:28:05,320 Let me go back. Any male bought with money from 426 00:28:05,360 --> 00:28:09,200 any son of a foreigner, A foreigner. 427 00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:10,920 The Gentiles were foreigners, beloved. 428 00:28:11,640 --> 00:28:14,160 They were circumcised. They became a part of the people 429 00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:16,640 of God. The Gentiles during the New 430 00:28:16,640 --> 00:28:19,360 Testament were foreigners. They had to be circumcised. 431 00:28:19,360 --> 00:28:23,240 This is God's command. The Word of God is everlasting. 432 00:28:24,280 --> 00:28:27,080 But let's wait till next year. Stay tuned for next next year. 433 00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:30,960 Stay tuned for next episode, beloved, and we'll see how. 434 00:28:31,200 --> 00:28:34,280 What is it that the apostles appeal to and what is it that 435 00:28:34,280 --> 00:28:39,080 the Church today appeals to along with the Scriptures? 436 00:28:39,360 --> 00:28:44,600 But there is something else that Jesus Christ left entrusted his 437 00:28:44,600 --> 00:28:46,600 church to when He ascended to heaven. 438 00:28:47,040 --> 00:28:53,840 That is what the Church also appeals to, to come at its 439 00:28:53,840 --> 00:28:57,880 decisions and its decrees. Praise and glory be to Christ's 440 00:28:57,880 --> 00:29:00,040 name, now and at all times and forever. 441 00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:29,960 Amen. 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