Saved by Grace Alone: Faith, Freedom, and the Jerusalem Council
- Jack Selcher
- Sep 4, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: 3 hours ago
Summary
There is a tension between grace and rule-keeping in salvation. Early Jewish believers insisted Gentiles keep the Law of Moses, but the Jerusalem Council affirmed that salvation comes by grace through faith alone. Peter and James confirmed that God accepts Jews and Gentiles equally without additional requirements. True freedom flows from trusting God’s unconditional love, which produces Spirit-led obedience and love for others, fulfilling the heart of the Law.
The Struggle to Accept Grace
It is a struggle to affirm that right standing with God is by faith alone. We are tempted to follow a list of rules and regulations in addition to faith to earn God’s favor. Have you ever thought that way?
When Rules Compete with Faith
Sometimes, we do not accept gifts well. We want God to love us because of what we do for Him. It is hard to receive God’s unconditional love. It is even more challenging to extend to others.
The Circumcision Controversy
Men went from Jerusalem to Antioch and taught the Gentile Christians there that salvation depended on circumcision (Acts 15:1). Paul and Barnabas were unable to convince these men that they were wrong.
The Church at Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem to discuss the problem with the church leaders there (Acts 15:2). The underlying issue was that the Jews believed keeping the Law of Moses was God’s condition to receive His love.
They projected that need onto the Gentiles who had decided to follow Jesus. They did not understand that the Law of Moses expressed God’s love for them. It defined the path to a happy, meaningful life.
The Jerusalem Council Convenes
Those who attended the Jerusalem Council were good people. However, they disagreed on the requirements to be a follower of Christ.
Saved by Grace Alone
Some believed God’s love was conditional upon keeping the Law of Moses. Paul and Barnabas taught that it was unconditional and that we are saved by grace alone.
Peter’s Turning-Point Testimony
After an intense argument, Peter spoke (Acts 15:7). He reminded everyone that God had accepted the Gentile Cornelius on the same basis that He accepted Jewish believers.
He purified the Gentiles’ hearts by faith (Acts 15:9). God saved Jews and Gentiles through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Keeping the Law was not an additional requirement. Peter’s testimony was the turning point of the meeting. He paved the way for Paul and Barnabas’s account of God’s evident work among the Gentiles.
James’ Spirit-Led Decision
James, Jesus’ brother, the chairman of the meeting, spoke last. He summarized what he heard the Holy Spirit saying.
He declared they must refuse all attempts to impose circumcision and not insist the Gentiles keep the Law of Moses (Acts 15:19). He said that Gentile believers should respect the values of their Jewish brethren.
That included avoiding meat that offended the conscience of those brethren and maintaining the same high standard of sexual conduct (Acts 15:20).
Faith Plus Nothing
God saves you by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ through faith plus nothing. Trusting, not trying, transfers you from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light.
Unconditional Love Fulfills the Law
God loves you unconditionally. The fruit of the Holy Spirit’s control in your life is unconditional love for God and others (Galatians 5:22). Jesus said that fulfills all the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 22:40). Believe it and share it with others. See additional free spiritual growth resources for Christians.
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