As we have seen already, Satan has many ways of bringing sin into the church. Acts 15 shows how he has worked in the past (and still does today) getting people in the church to make laws that God has not made. Satan has had great success in doing so. This is basically what brought about the first denomination and the countless others that have been created down through the years beginning in 606 A.D. The binding of what man has said about God’s word is the heart of all church laws, creeds, confessions of faith, books of discipline, books of order, etc.

Jewish Christians from Judea came to the church in Antioch of Syria saying that the Gentiles (non-Jews) had to be circumcised and obey the law of Moses in order to be saved (15:1, 5). Paul, Barnabas and others from the church in Antioch went to Jerusalem to confer with the apostles and elders of the church there about the matter.

Peter tells the assembled church that the message Paul preached was the same message he had been given previously by the Holy Spirit to deliver to the Gentile house of Cornelius (v.’s 7-11; cf. chapters 10 and 11). Paul and Barnabas declared the many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles, confirming the message of salvation they taught (vs. 12).

Then James the Lord’s brother summed up what Simon (Peter) had said and told them that the words of the prophets agreed with what had been said (v.’s 13-17). A letter was then written to the Gentile Christians in the churches in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia (v.’s 22, 23).

In that letter, mention was made of those who went out from Jerusalem who troubled the Gentile Christians, unsettling their souls, saying “You must be circumcised and keep the law [of Moses] --to whom we gave no such commandment” (my emphasis, E. A.) --.

Through those words it was made known that the Jewish Christians referred to were trying to make a law concerning salvation that God had not made. And in this way, we are taught that it is a sin to do so. Christ delegated the authority to make laws to no one, not even the apostles.

Satan failed on this occasion, but he doesn't let defeat stop him as it often does us. He continued to use these mistaken Jewish Christians to divide the church over matters concerning the law of Moses. He succeeded greatly in getting those in the Roman Catholic Church to change things concerning matters of salvation as have many others down through the years. This includes the Mormons who are so good in using Bible terms with changed meanings. In the Book of Mormon, remission of sins follows baptism. In the Doctrine and Covenants, baptism follows the remission of sins. It can’t be both ways.

The Monticello Church of Christ makes no laws that God has not given. We seek to follow all of Christ’s commandments as taught by the apostles. God’s plan of salvation is taught just as given to the apostles by the Holy Spirit. The inquiries of those who wish to follow the teaching of the New Testament are invited.