JESUS SALVATION BY GRACE

JESUS WAS SALVATION BY GRACE
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Acts 15:11 11
No!We believeit is through the grace of
our LORD Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."
New Living Translation
We believethat we are all saved the same way, by the
undeservedgrace of the Lord Jesus.”
Grace—The One Way Of Salvation BY
SPURGEON
“But we believe that through the grace ofthe Lord Jesus Christwe shall
be saved, even as they.”
Acts 15:11
You who are conversantwith Scripture will recollectthat these are the words
of the Apostle Peter. Pauland Barnabas had been preaching the Gospel
among the Gentiles with greatsuccess, but “certainof the sectof the Pharisees
which believed could not get rid of their old Jewishbigotry and vehemently
urged that the convertedGentiles ought to be circumcised, or else they could
not be saved. They made a greatclamor over this and there was no small
dissensionand disputation. The children of the bondwoman mustered all their
forces, while the champions of glorious liberty arrayed themselves for the
battle.
Paul and Barnabas, those valiant soldiers of the Cross, stoodout stoutly
againstthe ritualistic Brothers and told them that the rite of circumcisiondid
not belong to the Gentiles at all, and ought not to be forcedupon them. They

would not yield their free principles at the dictation of the Judaizers, but
scornedto bow their necks to the yoke of bondage. It was agreedto bring the
matter up for decisionat Jerusalembefore the Apostles and Elders. And when
all the Brothers had assembled, there seems to have been a considerable
dispute.
Finally, Peter, speaking with his usual boldness and clearness,declaredthat it
would be wrong to put a heavy yoke upon the necks of the Gentiles which
neither that generationof Jews northeir fathers had been able to bear. And
then he concluded his address by saying, in effect, “Although these people are
not circumcised, and ought not to be, yet we believe that there is no difference
betweenthe Jew and the Gentile, and by the Grace ofour Lord Jesus Christ
we shall be saved, even as they.” Here Peterwas not to be blamed, but to be
greatly commended, for he spoke under the influence of the Spirit of God.
1. We shall use the text as conciselyas we can for three important
purposes. In the first place we shall look upon it AS AN APOSTOLIC
CONFESSIONOF FAITH. You notice it begins with, “We believe.” We
will callit, then, the “Apostle’s Creed” and we may rest assuredthat it
has quite as cleara right to that title as that highly esteemed
compositionwhich is commonly called the “Nicene, orApostle’s Creed.”
Peteris speaking for the rest, and he says, “We believe.” Well, Peter, what do
you believe? We are all attentive. Peter’s answeris, “We believe that through
the grace ofthe Lord Jesus Christwe shall be saved, even as they.” There is a
greatdeal of talk in our day–foolish, vainglorious, idiotic, senselesstalk, as we
think, about Apostolic succession. Some persons think they have the direct
line from the Apostles running right at their feet, and others believe that those
who make the greatestboastaboutit have the leastclaim to it.
There are clergymen who imagine that because they happen to be in a Church
which is in open alliance with the State, they must necessarilybe ministers of
the Church of which Christ said, “My kingdom is not of this world.” Now we
think that their union with the State, is, in itself, a conclusive reply to all such
claims to Apostolic succession!And moreover, we remark many fatalpoints of
difference betweenthe Apostles and their professedsuccessors!Whenever did
Peteror Paul become State-paid ministers? In what State Church did they
enroll themselves?
What tithes did they receive? Whatrates did they levy? What laws did they
make upon the Jews and the Gentiles? Were they rectors or vicars?
Prebendary or deans? Canons or curates? Did they buy their livings in the
market? Did they sit in the Roman House of Lords dressedin lawn sleeves?

Were they styled Right ReverendFathers in God? Were they appointed by
the Prime Minister of the day? Did they put on gowns and read prayers out of
a book? Did they christen children and call them regenerate,and bury wicked
reprobates in sure and certainhope of a blessedresurrection?
As opposite as light is from darkness were those Apostles from the men who
pretend to be their Divinely-appointed ing of the religion of our country, shall
have rebuked their presumption! One thing is clearfrom this “Apostle’s
Creed” which we have before us–it is clearthat the Apostles did not believe in
ritualism! Peter–why, they make him out to be the head of the Church! Do
they not saythat he was the first pope, and so on? I am sure if Peter were here
he would grow very angry with them for slandering him so scandalously, for
in his Epistle he expresslywarned others againstbeing lords overGod’s
heritage–andyou may be sure he did not fall into that sin himself!
When he is askedfor his confessionoffaith, he stands up and declares that he
believes in salvationby Divine Grace alone. “We believe.” O bold Apostle,
what do you believe? Now we still hear it–Peterwill say, “We believe in
circumcision. We believe in regenerationby baptism! We believe in the
sacramentalefficacyofthe Lord’s Supper! We believe in pompous
ceremonies!We believe in priests, and altars, and robes, and rubrics!”
No! He does not utter a syllable concerning anything of the kind! He says,
“We believe that through the grace ofour Lord Jesus Christ, we who have
been circumcisedshall be saved just like those who have not been circumcised.
We believe that we shall be saved, even as they.” He makes very small
account, it seems, ofceremonies in the matter of salvation. He takes care that
no idea of Sacramentarianismshall mar his explicit confessionoffaith. He
glories in no rite, and rests in no ordinance. All his testimony is concerning the
Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ! He says nothing whateverabout ordinances,
ceremonies, Apostolic gifts, or prelate unction–his theme is GRACE, and
GRACE alone!
And those, my Brothers, are the true successorsofthe Apostles who teachyou
that you are to be savedthrough the unmerited favor and free mercy of God,
agreeing with Peterin their testimony, “We believe that through the grace of
our Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved.” These are the men who preach to
you the Gospelof salvationthrough the blood and righteousness ofJesus!But
those pretended ministers who boastof their priesthood preach another
gospel, “whichis not another, but there are some that trouble you.”
Upon their heads shall be the blood of deluded souls!They profess to
regenerate others but they will perish themselves!They talk of sacramental

grace, and shall receive eternaldestruction! Woe unto them, for they are
deceivers and liars! May the Lord deliver this land from their superstitions!
Another thing is very clearhere. The Apostle did not believe in self-
righteousness. The creedofthe world is, “Do your best and it will be all right
with you.” To question this is treasonagainstthe pride of human nature
which evermore clings to salvation by its own merits. Every man is born a
Pharisee. Self-confidenceis bred in the bones–andwill come out in the flesh.
“What?” says a man, “Do you not believe that if a man does his best, he will
fare well in the next world? Why, you know, we must all live as well as we can,
every man according to his own light. And if every man follows out his own
conscienceas nearas may be, surely it will be well with us?”
That is not what Petersaid. Peterdid not say, “We believe that through doing
our best we shall be saved like other people.” He did not even say, “We believe
that if we act according to our light God will acceptthat little light for what it
was.” No, the Apostle strikes out quite another track and solemnly affirms,
“We believe that through the grace ofour Lord Jesus Christ we shall be
saved.” NOT through our goodworks!NOT through anything that we do!
NOT by the merit of anything which we feelor perform, or promise to
perform, but by GRACE–thatis to say–bythe free favor of God–
“Perisheachthought of human pride,
Let God alone be magnified.”
We believe that if we are ever savedat all, we must be savedgratis–savedas
the gratuitous act of a bountiful God–savedby a gift, not by wages–savedby
God’s love, not by our owndoings or merits. This is the Apostle’s creed–
salvationis all of Divine Grace from first to last and the channel of that Grace
is the Lord Jesus Christ who loved, and lived, and died, and rose againfor our
salvation!Those who preachmere morality, or setup any way except that of
trusting in the Grace ofGod through Christ Jesus preachanother gospel, and
they shall be accursed, eventhough they preachit with an angel’s eloquence!
In the day when the Lord shall come to discern betweenthe righteous and the
wicked, their work, as wood, hay, and stubble shall be burnt. And those who
preach salvationby Grace through Jesus Christshall find that their work, like
gold, and silver, and precious stones shall survive the fire and great shall be
their reward!
I think it is very clear, again, from the text, that the Apostles did not believe in
salvationby the natural force of free will. I fail to detect a trace of the
glorificationof free will here. Peter puts it, “We believe that we shall be
saved.” Through what? Through our own unbiased will? Through the

volitions of our own well-balancednature? Not at all, Sir–but, “we believe
that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christwe shall be saved.”
He takes the crown from off the head of man in all respects andgives all glory
to the Grace ofGod! He extols God, the gracious Sovereign, who will have
mercy upon whom He will have mercy and who will have compassionupon
whom He will have compassion. Iwish I had a voice of thunder to proclaim in
every streetof London this glorious doctrine, “By GRACE are you saved
through faith, and that not of yourselves:it is the GIFT of God: not of works,
lest any man should boast.” This is the old Reformation doctrine. This is the
doctrine which will shake the very gates ofHell if it is but faithfully preached!
O for an army of witnessesto publish abroad the Gospelof Grace in its
Sovereignty, Omnipotence, and fullness. If you are ever to getcomfort, believe
me, dear Hearer, you must receive the Doctrine of Salvationby free grace into
your soul as the delight and solace ofyour heart, for it is the living Truth of
the living God. Not by ritualism, not by goodworks, notby our own unaided
free will are we saved, but by the Grace of God alone!–
“Notfor the works which we have done,
Or shall hereafterdo,
Has God decreedon sinful worms
Salvationto bestow.
The glory, Lord, from first to last,
Is due to You alone:
Aught to ourselves we dare not take,
Or rob You of Your crown.”
Were I now to take this Apostle’s creedto pieces, andlook closelyat the
details of it, it would be easyto show that this creedcontains within it many
important Truths of God. It implies, most evidently, the doctrine of human
ruin. “We believe that we shall be saved.” Thatstatement assuredlyimplies
that we need to be saved. The Apostle Peter, as wellas his brother Apostle,
Paul, was sound in the faith concerning the total depravity of human nature.
He viewed man as a lost creature, needing to be saved by Divine Grace.
He believed in those three great“Rs” which RowlandHill used to talk about–
Ruin, Redemption, and Regeneration. He saw most clearlyman’s ruin, or he
would not have been so explicit upon man’s salvation. If Peterwere here to
preach tonight, he would not tell us that man, though he is a little fallen, is still
a noble creature–who needs only a little assistanceandhe will be quite able to
right himself. Oh, the fearful flattery which has been heard from some

pulpits! Anointing corruption with the unction of hypocrisy! Besmearing the
abomination of our depravity with sickening eulogies!
Peterwould give no countenance to such false prophets! No, he would
faithfully testify that man is dead in sin, and life’s a gift–that man is lost–
utterly fallen and undone. He speaks in his Epistles of the former lusts of our
ignorance, ofour vain conversationreceivedby tradition of our fathers, and
of the corruption which is in the world through lust. In the verse before us he
tells us that the bestof men, men such as himself and the other Apostles, had
need to be saved, and, consequently, they must have been originally among the
lost–heirs of wrath even as others.
I am sure that he was a firm Believerin what are called “the Doctrines of
Grace,” as he was certainly in his own personan illustrious trophy and
everlasting monument of Divine Grace. What a ring there is in that word
GRACE!Why, it does one goodto speak it and to hear it! It is, indeed, “a
charming sound, harmonious to the ear.” When one feels the powerof it, it is
enough to make the soul leap out of the body for joy–
“Grace!How good, how cheap, how free,
Grace, how easyto be found!
Only let your misery
In the Savior’s blood be drowned!”
How it suits a sinner! How it cheers a poor forlorn wanderer from God!
Grace!Peterwas not in a fog about this–his witness is clearas crystal–decisive
as the sentence ofa judge. He believed that salvation was of God’s free favor,
and God’s almighty power. And he speaks outlike a man, “We believe that we
are savedby grace.” OurApostle was also most decided and explicit
concerning the Atonement. Cannot you see the Atonement in the text,
sparkling like a jewelin a well-made ring? We are saved“through the grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
What does the Apostle mean but the Grace which came streaming from those
five wounds when the Savior hung on the Cross? Whatdoes he mean but the
Grace which is revealedto us in the bleeding Sufferer who took our sins and
carried our sorrows that we might be delivered from wrath through Him? O
that everyone were as clearabout the Atonement as Peter is! Peterhad seen
his Master–no,more–his Masterhad lookedat him and broken his heart, and
afterwards bound it up, and given him much Grace!And now Peteris not
content with saying, “We believe that we shall be saved through grace,”but he
is careful to word it, “We believe that we shall be savedthrough the grace of
our Lord Jesus Christ.”

DearHearers, never have any questions upon the vital point of redemption by
blood. This is a fundamental Truth of God! He who is in darkness upon this
subject has no light in him. What the sun is to the heavens, the doctrine of a
vicarious satisfactionis to theology!Atonement is the brain and spinal cord of
Christianity! Take away the cleansing blood and what is left to the guilty?
Deny the substitutionary work of Jesus and you have denied all that is
precious in the New Testament. Never, neverlet us endure one wavering,
doubtful thought upon this all-important Truth of God!
It seems to me, too, that without straining the text I might easilyprove that
Peterbelieved in the doctrine of the Final Perseverance ofthe Saints. They
were not, in a certainsense, it seems, perfectlysaved when he spoke. And he
says, “We believe we shall be saved.” Well, but Peter, may you not fall away
and perish? “No,” he says, “we believe that through the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ we shall be saved.” How positively he speaks ofit! I do wish you,
dear Friends, to geta firm and intelligent hold of the doctrine of the safetyof
the Believerwhich is as clearas noonday in the Scriptures.
Upon the whole you have learned it to purpose, and candefend it well, but all
of you should be able to give a reasonfor the hope that is in you. I have known
one of our people met by those who do not believe this doctrine, and they have
said to him, “You will fall away!Look at your own weakness andtendency to
sin.” “No,” saidthe man, “I know I should if I were left to myself, but then
Christ has promised that He will never leave me nor forsake me.”
Then it is sometimes said, “but you may be a Believerin Christ today, and yet
perish tomorrow.” But our friends generallyreply, “ Do not tell us that
falsehood!God’s saints shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of
Jesus'hand! As for your doctrine of the final falling of the Lord’s blood-
bought ones, if that is the gospel, go and keepit to yourselves. As for us, we
would not go two inches to listen to it–there is nothing in it to lay hold of–it is
a bone without marrow. There is no strength, no comfort for the soulin it.”
If I know when I trust Christ that He will save me at the last, then I have
something to rest upon, something worth living for! But if it is all a mere “if,”
or “but,” or “maybe,” or “perhaps”–a little of myself and a little of Christ–I
am in a poor case, indeed. A Gospelwhich proclaims an uncertain salvationis
a miserable imposition. Away with such a Gospel!Away with such a Gospel!
It is a dishonor to Christ! It is a discredit to God’s people!It neither came
from the Scriptures of Truth, nor does it bring glory to God.
Thus, have I tried to open up the Apostle’s creed, “We believe that through
the grace ofour Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.”

II. And now, having used the text as the Apostle’s confessionoffaith, I shall
take it as THE CONVERTED MORALMAN’S STATEMENT.Let me show
you what I mean. Observe and admire the way in which Peterputs the case. A
company of Jews has assembledto discuss a certain matter and some of them
look very wise. They bring up certain suggestionsthat are rather significant.
They say, “Well, perhaps these Gentile dogs may be saved. Yes, Jesus Christ
told us to go and preach the Gospelto every creature, therefore, no doubt He
must have included these Gentile dogs. We do not like them, though, and must
keepthem as much under our rules and regulations as we can. We must
compel them to be circumcised. We must have them brought under the full
rigor of the Law. We cannot excuse them from wearing the yoke of bondage.”
Presently, the Apostle Peter gets up to speak and you expectto hear him say–
do you not?–to these gentlemen, “Why, these ‘Gentile dogs,’as you call them,
can be saved, even as you!” No. He adopts quite a different tone. He turns the
tables and he says to them, “We believe that you may be saved, even as they.”
It were just as if I should have a company of persons here, now, who had been
very bad and wicked. Who had plunged into the deepestsin. But God’s Grace
has met with them and made them new creatures in Christ Jesus.
There is a Church meeting and when these persons are brought before the
Church, suppose there were some of the members who should say, “Yes, we
believe that a drunkard may be saved, and a person who has been a harlot
may, perhaps, be saved, too.” But imagine, now, that I were to stand up and
reply, “Now, my dear Brothers and Sisters, I believe that you may be saved
even as these.” What a rebuke it would be! This is preciselywhat Petermeant.
“Oh,” he said, “do not raise the question about whether they can be saved–the
question is whether you, who have raisedsuch a question, will be saved!” “We
believe that through the grace ofour Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved,
even as they.” So he seems, in this dispute, to take the objectors aback and to
put the Gentile Believers in order, to castout the bad, proud, wicked, devilish
spirit of self-righteousness.
Now, Brethren, some of us were favored by Providence with the great
privilege of having Christian parents and consequently we never did know a
greatdeal of the open sin into which others have fallen. Some of us never were
inside a theater in our lives, never saw a play, and do not know what it is like.
There are some here who, perhaps, never did frequent the tavern, do not
know a lascivious song and never uttered an oath. This is cause forgreat
thankfulness, very greatthankfulness, indeed! But, O you excellentmoralists,
mind you do not say in your heart, “We are quite sure to be saved,” for, let me

tell you, you have not before God any advantage over the outward
transgressorso as to entitle you to be savedin a less humbling manner!
If you are ever saved you will have to be savedin the same way as those who
have been permitted to plunge into the most outrageous sin!Your being
restrained from overt offenses is a favor for you to be grateful, but not a
virtue for you to trust in. Ascribe it to God’s Providential goodness, but do not
wrap it about you as though it were to be your wedding garment, for if you
do, your self-righteousnesswill be more dangerous to you than some men’s
open sins are to them. Do you not know how the Savior put it, “Verily I say
unto you that the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before
you!” You moral people must be savedby the Grace ofour Lord Jesus
Christ–savedevenas they, the outcasts, the wanderers.
You will not, you cannotbe savedin any other way, and will not be savedat
all if you do not submit to this way. You will not be permitted to enter
Heaven, goodas you think yourselves to be, unless you come down to the
terms and conditions which SovereignGrace has laid down, namely, that you
should trust Christ and be saved by Divine Grace, “evenas they.” To prove to
you, dear Friends, that this must be the case, I will suppose that you have
picked out 20 people who have been good, in a moral sense, from their youth
up.
Now, these people must be savedjust the same as those other 20 over yonder,
who have been as bad as bad can be from their earliestchildhood, and I will
tell you why–because these amiable persons fell in Adam just as surely as the
outcasts did! They are as fully partakers of the curse of the Fall as the profane
and drunk. And they were born in sin and shaped in iniquity just as the
dissolute and the dishonestwere. There is no difference in the blood of
humanity–it flows from one polluted source and is tainted in all its channels.
The depravity of human nature does not belong merely to those who are born
in dirty back courts and alleys, but it is as certainly manifest in those of you
who were born in the best parts of the city.
You dwellers in Belgravia are as altogetherborn in sin as the denizens of
Bethnal Green. The WestEnd is as sensualas the east. Hyde Park has no
natural superiority of nature over Seven Dials. The corruption of those born
in the castle atWindsor is as deep as the depravity of workhouse children.
You, Ladies and Gentlemen, are born with hearts as bad and as black as the
poorestof the poor! You sons of Christian parents, do not imagine, because
you spring of a godly ancestry, that therefore your nature is not polluted like
the nature of others! In this respect, we are all alike!We are born in sin, and

alike are we dead by nature in trespassesand sins, heirs of wrath, even as
others.
Remember, too, that although you may not have sinned openly, as others have
done, yet in your hearts you have–andit is by your hearts that you will be
judged. For how often a man may commit adultery in his souland incur the
guilt of theft while his hands lay idly by his side! Do you not know that a look
may have in it the essenceofan unclean act, and that a thought may commit
murder as well as a hand? God takes note of heart sin as well as hand sin.
If you have been outwardly moral, I am thankful for it, and I ask you to be
thankful for it, too. But do not trust in it for justification, seeing that you must
be saved, even as the worstof criminals are saved, because in heart, if not in
life, you have been as bad as they. Moreoverthe method of pardon is the same
in all cases. If you moralists are to be washed, where must you find the
purifying bath? I never heard of but one Fountain–that–
“Fountain filled with blood,
Drawn from Immanuel’s veins.”
That fountain is for the dying thief as much as for you, and for you as much as
for him. There is a robe of righteousness thatis to cover the best living among
professors–thatsame robe of righteousness coveredSaulof Tarsus, the bloody
persecutor. If you, of unspotted outward character, are everto have a robe of
righteousness youmust wearthe same one as he wore. There cannotbe
another nor a better. O you who are conscious ofoutward innocence, do, do,
humble yourselves at the foot of the Cross and come to Jesus just as empty-
handed, just as broken-heartedas if you had been outwardly among the vilest
of the vile! And through the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christyou shall be
saved, even as they! O may the Holy Spirit bring you to this!
I do not know whether anybody here has ever fallen into such an unwise
thought as I have known some entertain. I met with a case ofthis sort only the
other day. A very excellentand amiable young woman, when convertedto
God, saidto me, “You know, Sir, I used almost to wish that I was one of those
very bad sinners whom you so often speak to, and invited to come to Jesus,
because I thought then I should feel my need more. That was my difficulty, I
could not feel my need.” But see, dearFriends, we believe that through the
Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, we who have not plunged into black sin shall
be saved even as they who have done so!
Do not make a difficulty about this. Others make a difficulty on the opposite
side. They say, “Oh, I could trust Christ if I had been kept from sin.” The fact
is that you unbelieving souls will not trust Christ whicheverway you have

lived, for from some quarter or other you will find cause for your doubts. But
when the Lord the Spirit gives you faith, you big sinners will trust Christ quite
as readily as those who have not been greatoffenders openly. And you who
have been preserved from open sin will trust Him as joyfully as the great
transgressors!
O come, come, come, you sick souls!Come to my Master!Do not say, “We
would come if we were worse.” Do not say, “We would come if we were
better.” But come as you are! Come just as you are! Oh, if you are a sinner,
Christ invites you! If you are but lost, remember Christ came to save the lost!
Do not be picking out your case and making it to be different from others, but
come, and welcome!Weary and heavy laden Sinner, come and welcome!
Come, even now!–
“Justas you are, without one trace
Of love, or joy, or inward Grace,
Or meetness for the heavenly place,
O guilty Sinner, come!
Come, here bring your boding fears,
Your aching heart, your bursting tears.
‘Tis Mercy’s voice salutes your ears,
O trembling Sinner, come.
The Spirit and the
Bride say, 'Come.’
Rejoicing saints re-echo, ‘Come.’
Who faints, who thirsts, who will, may come–
Your Savior bids you come.”
III. The text would not be fairly treated if I did not use it as THE
CONFESSIONOF THE GREAT OUTWARD SINNER WHEN
CONVERTED. I will now speak to those here present who, before conversion,
indulged in gross sins. Such are here. Glory be to God such are here! They
have been washed!They have been cleansed!My dear Brothers and Sisters, I
can rejoice overyou! More precious are you, by far, in my eyes than all the
precious gems which kings delight to wear, for you are my eternal joy and
crownof rejoicing!You have experienceda Divine change!You are not what
you once were!You are new creatures in Christ Jesus!
Now, I will speak for you. “We believe that through the grace ofour Lord
Jesus Christ we shall be saved, evenas they.” What do we mean? Why, we
believe that we shall be saved even as the best are saved!I will split that
thought up, as it were, into individual instances. Yondersits a very poor
Believer. We are very glad to see him at the Tabernacle. I know he had a

thought that his clothes were hardly goodenoughto come in, but I hope none
of you will ever stayaway because ofyour clothes. Come, come anyhow!
We are always glad to see you! At least, I am, if others are not. But my poor
Friend is very badly off, indeed. He would not like anybody, perhaps, to see
the room where he lives. Yes, but my dear Brother, do you expect to have a
poor man’s salvation? Do you expect that when you getto Heaven, you will be
placed in a corneras a pauper pensioner? Do you think that Jesus Christ will
only give you the crumbs which fall from off His table? “Oh, no!” I think I
hear you say, “Oh, no! We shall leave our poverty when we get to Glory.”
Some of our friends are rich. They have an abundance of this world’s goods
and we rejoice to think they have, and hope that they will have Grace to make
a proper use of this mercy. But we poor people believe that we shall be saved,
even as they! We do not believe that our poverty will make any difference to
our share in Divine Grace, but that we shall be as much loved of God as they
are, as much blessedin our poverty as they are in their riches, and as much
enabled by Divine Grace to glorify God in our sphere as they are in theirs.
We do not envy them, but on the contrary, ask Grace from God that we may
feel that if we are poor in pocket, yet we are rich in faith, and shall be saved
even as they. Others of you are not so much poor in money as you are poor in
useful talent. You come up to Chapel and fill your seat, and that is about all
you cando. You drop your weeklyoffering into the box and when that is done,
you have done all, or nearly all in your power. You cannot preach. You could
not conduct a PrayerMeeting. You have hardly courage enoughto give away
a tract.
Well, my dear Friend, you are one of the timid ones, one of the little
Benjamins of whom there are many. Now, do you expectthat the Lord Jesus
Christ will give you a second-handrobe to wearat His wedding feast? And
when you sit at the banquet, do you think He will serve you from cold and
inferior dishes? “Oh, no!” you say. “Oh, no! Some of our Brethren have great
talents, and we are glad that they have. We rejoice in their talents, but we
believe that we shall be saved even as they. We do not think that there will be
any difference made in the Divine distribution of loving kindness because of
our degree ofability.”
There are very proper distinctions here on earth betweenrich and poor, and
betweenthose who are learnedand those who are unlearned. But we believe
that there is no distinction in the matter of salvation–we shallbe savedeven as
they. Many of you would preach 10 times better than I do if you could only get
your tongues unloosedto say what you feel. Oh, what red-hot sermons you

would preach, and how earnestyou would be in their delivery! Now, that
sermon which you did not preach, and could not preach shall not be setdown
to your account, while perhaps that discourse ofmine will be a failure because
I may not have preached it as I should have done–withpure motives and
zealous spirit.
God knows what you would do if you could, and he judges not so much
according to what you do, as according to your will to do it. He takes in this
case the will for the deed, and you shall be saved, even as they who with the
tongue of fire proclaim the Truths of God. Mostlikely there is some doubting
Brother here. Wheneverhe opens “Our Own Hymn Book,”he very seldom
looks to “The GoldenBook of Communion,” but he generallyturns to hymn
No. 590, or thereabouts, and begins to sing “Contrite Cries.”
Well, my dear Friend, you are a weakling. You are Mr. Much-Afraid, or Mr.
Little-Faith. But how is your heart? What are your prospects? Do you believe
that you will be put off with a second-rate salvation? Thatyou will be
admitted by the back door into Heaven instead of through the gate of pearl?
“Oh no!” you say. “I am the weakestlamb in Jesus'fold, but I believe that I
shall be saved even as they. That is, even as they who are the strongestin
Grace, mostuseful in labor, and most mighty in faith.”
In a few hours, dear Friends, I shall be crossing the sea, and I will suppose
that there shall be a goodstiff wind and that the vesselmay be driven out of
her course and be in danger. As I walk the deck I see a poor girl on board. She
is very weak and ill, quite a contrastto that fine strong burly passengerwho is
standing beside her, apparently enjoying the saltspray and the rough wind.
Now suppose a storm should come on, which of these two is the more safe?
Well, I cannotsee any difference, because if the ship goes to the bottom they
will both go. And if the ship gets to the other side of the channel, they will both
land in security. The safetyis equal when the thing upon which it depends is
the same. So, if the weakestChristianis in the boat of salvation–thatis, if he
trusts Christ–he is as safe as the strongestChristian, because, if Christ failed
the weak one, He would fail the strong one, too. Why, if the leastChristian
who believes in Jesus does not getto Heaven, then Peterhimself will not get to
Heaven! I am sure of it, that if the smalleststar which Christ everkindled
does not blaze in eternity, neither will the brightest star.
If you who have given yourselves to Jesus should any of you be castaway, this
would prove that Jesus is not able to save–andthen all of us must be cast
away, too. Oh, yes! “We believe that we shall be saved, even as they.” I am
nearly done, but I will suppose for a moment that there has been a work of

Grace in a prison–ColdBath Fields, if you like. There are half-a-dozen villains
there, thorough villains. But the Grace of Godhas made new men of them. I
think I see them. And if they understood the text, as they lookedacross the
room, and saw half a dozen Apostles–Peter, James, John, Matthew, Paul,
Bartholomew, and so on–they might say, “We believe that through the grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they, even as those
Apostles are.”
Can you catchthe idea, and make it your own? When artists have drawn
pictures of the Apostles, they have often put a halo round their heads, very
much like a brass pan, or something of that kind–as if to signify that they
were some particular and specialsaints. But there was no such halo there–the
painter is far from the fact! We sayit, and sayit seriously and thoughtfully,
that 12 souls picked from the scum of creationwho look to Christ shall be
saved, even as the 12 Apostles are saved!Halo or no halo–they shall join in the
same hallelujah to God and the Lamb!
I will selectthree holy women–theyshall be the three Marys that we read
about in the Evangelists–the three Marys whom Jesus loved, and who loved
Jesus. These holywomen, we believe, will be saved. But I will suppose that I
go to one of our Refuges and there are three girls there who were once of evil
fame. The Grace ofGod has met with them and they are now three weeping
Magdalenes, penitent for sin. These three might say, humbly, but positively,
“We believe that through the grace ofour Lord Jesus Christ we three
reclaimedharlots shall be saved, evenas they–the three holy matrons who
lived near Christ and were His delight.” “Ah, well!” says one, “this is Divine
Grace, indeed! This is plain speechand wonderful doctrine, that God should
make no distinction betweenone sinner and another when we come to Him
through Christ.”
DearHearer, if you have understood this very simple statement, go to Jesus at
once with your soul, and may God enable you to obtain complete salvation at
this hour! I pray you to come in faith to the Cross–Ipray my Master’s Grace
to compel you to enter into a state of full dependence upon Jesus, and so into a
state of salvation. If you are now led to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, no
matter how black the past may have been, “the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s
dear Son, cleanses us from all sin.”–
Here’s pardon for transgressions past,
It matters not how black their cast.
And oh, my Soul, with wonder view,
For sins to come, here’s pardon, too."

Biblehub Resources
The Spirituality Of The Gospel
Acts 15:9
R.A. Redford
Purifying [cleansing]their hearts by faith. Purity comes from within. The
influence of pure thought and pure feeling on practice. The purification of
Judaism typical. The Holy Ghost did the work. When the temple was closed,
the kingdom of grace opened. The Spirit must operate upon the spirit. All
ritualism, as such, contradicts the essentialprinciples of gospelliberty.
I. THE HEART NEEDS CLEANSING.
1. Of its falsehood. The heathen world a world of lies. The tendency of fallen
nature to believe strong delusions.
2. Of its corrupt desires. The Fall was a lowering of the spirit of humanity to
the level of the inferior races. Animalism is the characteristicofheathenism
and of an unregenerate state.
3. Of its self-justification and pride. The evil holds to it. A broken and contrite
heart is required.
II. THE HEART IS CLEANSED. Considerthe nature of the purity bestowed.
1. The conscience, by a sense of forgiveness;"perilous stuff" cleansedaway.
2. An object of love revealedto whom the heart is surrendered. "Thou
knowestthat I love thee." The germ of the new life in the soil of the affections.

3. Consecration. Circumcisionwas a covenantsign. "Out of the heart are the
issues of life." A pure will is that which is pledgedby a changedcourse of
actionand a new position.
III. THE HEART IS CLEANSED BY FAITH. The contrastbetweenthe old
covenantand the new. The truth acceptedbecomes the powerof Godunto
salvation. Spiritual cleansing differs from:
1. Mere ritual purification.
2. Mere nominal separationfrom the world by an external life.
3. Mere slavishobedience to the letter of the Law. A purity which rests upon
faith is a purity embracing thoughts and desires, lifting the heart with joy,
securing it againstthe temptation to self-righteousness andsuperficial
morality. Believe;give your mind to the message;welcome the personal
Savior; follow the leading Spirit. Rejoice in the liberty of God's children.
Christ's yoke is easy, his burden light. - R.
Biblical Illustrator

We believe that through the grace ofthe Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved.
Acts 15:11
The Christian's creed
Leonhardi and Spiegelhauer.
A confession—
I. OF PENITENCE, whichrests on a clearconsciousnessofsin.
II. OF HUMILITY, which attests the demerits of goodworks.
III. OF FAITH, which has recognised the riches of God's love in Christ.
IV. OF JOY, which is founded on the peace ofa pardoned heart.
(Leonhardi and Spiegelhauer.)
Salvationby grace
W. Le PoerTrench, B. D.
Consider—
I. THE PECULIAR BLESSING OF THE GOSPEL. Salvation. This implies a
bondage, in which the whole human race is involved. Not contentwith its sway
in this world, sin pursues the sinner even beyond the grave. "All have sinned,
and come short of the glory of God." In the midst of this universal corruption,
— the voice of the Eternal, re-echoedby the sinner's conscience,rolls — "The
soul that sinneth it shall die." "Cursedis everyone that continueth not in all
things that are written in the book of the law to do them." Is not this a yoke
from which deliverance is essential?Yes!and from this the gospelproclaims
deliverance:"Christ has redeemedus from the curse of the law, being made a
curse for us"; and His disciples are emancipated, not only from the guilt, but
also from the power of sin.
II. THE CHANNEL THROUGH WHICH THIS BLESSING IS CONVEYED.
"Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ." Salvation is not the reward of

merit, but the gift of grace;not the purchase of man's desert, but the
unearned bounty of God's free favour. As it is freely offered, so must it be
freely accepted. No unbelieving doubts and hesitation on accountof the
magnitude of the gift and our own unworthiness to receive it; no Pharisaical
standing-out upon conditions which, if required, could never be fulfilled; but a
humbling sense of our ownunworthiness, coupled with a grateful sense of
God's undeserved mercy. Free grace shines conspicuous throughout the whole
plan of man's salvation. It was grace that planned the remedy ere yet the
disease was felt;it is grace that renders that remedy effectual. The Church
was hewn out by grace, and by grace all its members are, as lively stones, built
into a spiritual temple; and when the whole edifice shall be perfected, the
Headstone thereofshall be brought forth with shoutings, crying "Grace!
grace!" unto it. Unhumbled men will doubtless be offended at this, and
rejecting salvationas a gift, will endeavourto earn it as a reward by seeking
to establishsome distinction betweenthemselves and more vulgar sinners;but
this is all labour in vain. It has pleasedGod to pronounce, on the one hand,
that "by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight";and
on the other, that man is "savedby grace through faith." Salvationthrough
the grace ofthe Lord Jesus Christis the only salvationrecognisedin the
Bible; the only salvationthat will either exalt the holiness, vindicate the
justice, and magnify the mercy of God, or speak peace to the sinner's
conscienceandassure him of acceptancewith God. Such, then, is the peculiar
blessing of the gospel. A salvationaltogetherof grace, decreedby the grace of
God the Father, wrought out by the grace of God the Son, and applied and
rendered effectualby the grace of God the Holy Ghost.
III. THE EXTENT TO WHICH THIS BLESSED SALVATION REACHES.
"We shall be saved, even as they." There is no longer any distinction between
Jew and Gentile; but "the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon
Him." Our commission, as ministers of the gospel, is as extensive as the globe
on which we live. And this is true also of the various degrees ofaffliction and
of crime.
(W. Le PoerTrench, B. D.)

Grace -- the one way of salvation
C. H. Spurgeon.
Considerthe text as —
I. AN APOSTOLICAL CONFESSIONOF FAITH. "We believe." We will call
it the "Apostle's Creed," and it has quite as cleara right to that title as that
which goes by the name.
1. The apostle did not believe in —(1) Ritualism. All his testimony is
concerning the grace of Christ. He says nothing whatever about ordinances,
ceremonies;and those are the true successors ofthe apostles who teachyou
that you are to be savedthrough the free mercy of God.(2)Self-righteousness.
Peterdid not say, "We believe that through doing our best we shall be saved
like other people," nor even "that if we actaccording to our light, God will
acceptthat little light for what it was." If we are ever savedat all we must be
savedgratis, not by wages;by God's love, not by our own merits. Those who
preach mere morality, or setup any way except this, preach another gospel,
and they shall be accursed, eventhough they preachit with an angel's
eloquence.(3)Salvationby the natural force of free will. He takes the crown
from off the head of man in all respects, andgives all glory to the grace of
God.
2. Take this creedto pieces. It implies the doctrine of —(1) Human ruin. Peter
saw this most clearly, or he would not have been so explicit upon man's
salvation.(2)The atonement. What does the apostle mean but the grace which
came from the Cross ofthe Saviour? What the sun is to the heavens, that the
doctrine of a vicarious satisfactionis to theology. Take awaythe cleansing
blood, and what is left to the guilty?
II. THE CONVERTEDMORALMAN'S STATEMENT. A company of Jews
have assembledto discuss a certainmatter, and some of them say, "Well,
perhaps these Gentile dogs may be saved; yes, Christ told us to go and preach
the gospelto every creature; therefore, no doubt, He must have included them
— we do not like them, though, and must keepthem as much under our rules
and regulations as we can; we must compel them to be circumcised." Now,

you expectto hear Peter say, "Why, these 'Gentile dogs'as you call them, can
be saved, even as you." No; he turns the tables, and says, "We believe that you
may be saved, even as they." It was just as if you should say, "We believe that
a drunkard, etc., may be saved," and I respond, "You may be saved even as
these." Whata rebuke that would be! This is preciselywhat Peter meant.
1. Now, some of us were favoured with Christian parents, and consequently
never did know a greatdeal of the sin into which others have fallen. This is
cause for greatthankfulness; but if you ever are saved, you will have to be
savedin the same way as those who have been permitted to plunge into the
most outrageous sin. In this respectwe are all alike; we are born in sin, and
alike are we dead by nature in trespassesand sins, heirs of wrath, even as
others.
2. Moreover, the method of pardon is the same in all cases. Inever heard of
but one "fountain filled with blood, drawn from Immanuel's veins." That
fountain is for the dying thief as much as for you, and for you as much as for
him.
III. THE CONFESSION OF THE GREAT OUTWARD SINNER WHEN
CONVERTED. Now, Iwill speak for you. We shall be saved, even as the best
are saved.
1. Yonder sits a very poor believer. Now, do you expect that when you getto
heaven you will be placed in a corner as a pauper pensioner? "Oh, no!" you
say, "we shall leave our poverty when we get to glory." Some of our friends
are rich, but we believe that we shall be saved, even as they.
2. Others of you are poor in useful talent, You cannot preach, or conduct a
prayer meeting, etc. Well, do you expect that the Lord Jesus will give you a
second-handrobe to wearat His wedding feast, and serve you from cold and
inferior dishes? "Oh, no! Some of our brethren have greattalents, and we are
glad that they have; but we believe that we shall be saved, even as they."
3. Mostlikely there is some doubting brother here — Mr. Much-afraid, or
Mr. Little-faith; but, how is your heart? Do you believe that you will be put
off with a second-rate salvation— will be admitted by the back door into

heaven? "Oh, no!" sayyou; "I am the weakestlamb in Jesus'fold; but I
believe that I shall be saved, even as they who are the strongestin grace."
4. I will suppose that there has been a work of grace in a prison. There are
half a dozen villains there, but the grace ofGod has made new men of them;
and, if they understood the text, as they lookedacrossthe room and saw half a
dozen apostles, they might say, "We believe that through the grace ofour
Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as those apostles are."
5. I will selectthe three Marys whom Jesus loved and who loved Jesus. These
holy women, we believe, will be saved. But I will suppose that I go to one of
our Refuges, andthere are three girls there who were once of evil fame: the
grace ofGod has met with them. These three might say, humbly, but
positively, "We believe that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we
three reclaimed harlots shall be saved, even as they."
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Common salvation
James Parsons.
I. AN ANTICIPATION OF AN INVALUABLE BLESSING. "Salvation"
implying deliverance from spiritual danger, the enjoyment of spiritual good,
the attainment of heaven. Man's state rendered redemptive interference
necessary. Law was followedby rebellion: rebellion involves penal
consequences.
1. The Scriptural statements of man's guilt and danger.
2. Observationand experience verify the Word.
3. The individual involvement in guilt and danger.
4. The necessaryelements ofsalvation. Freedomfrom debasement, defilement,
fear of death and judgment and what lies beyond. The bestowmentof life,
immortality, heaven.

II. THE METHOD BY WHICH THIS BLESSING IS TO BE SECURED.
1. The Incarnation was for the purpose of securing human salvation.
Determined in the councils of the Father;types prefigured it; prophecy
proclaimed its approach until the fulness of the time came. The necessary
proofs of His appointment were the voice from heaven, miracles, witness of
Scripture to His characterand mission.
2. The manner in which He met the requisite conditions of human salvation.
He was a greatteacher, but He was more at the last supper, in the garden, on
Calvary. There salvationeffected. The fire fell and consumedthe sacrifice
which must otherwise have consumed the world.
3. Christ's sufferings were propitiatory, and formed part of a plan essentialto
the manifestationof the Divine mercy. Apart from Christ's atonement there is
no salvation.
4. The Saviour rose from the dead, ascendedinto heaven, and presents there
the memorials of His sacrifice.
5. The principle upon which this salvationis bestowed. Through grace,
unmerited mercy. Penance and merit are excluded.
III. THE TYPES WHICH WILL BE FOLLOWED IN THE BESTOWMENT
OF SALVATION AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH IT SHALL BE
CARRIED. "Savedevenas they." The mistake of Jewishconverts that they
had some advantage. Theirattempt to impose circumcision.
1. This salvationis available wherever the sovereigntyof God applies it.(1)
This is true of the various nations. Of all to whom it has been sent we cansay
we shall be savedeven as they.(2) This is true of all the varieties and degrees
of crime.(3) This salvationbinds its recipients in perfectunion, "NeitherJew
nor Greek."
(James Parsons.)
COMMENTARIES

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(11) We believe that through the grace . . .—This comes, in what we may well
regard as a summary of St. Peter’s speech, as the closing argument. The
Pharisee might regard the Law as binding, but even he, if he believed in
Christ, was compelled to confess thathis hope of salvationwas found in the
work of Christ as the Saviour; and if so, then, as regards that hope, Jew and
Gentile were on the same level, and the judgment that men could not be saved
without the Law was but the inconsistencyof an intolerant dogmatism,
insisting on imposing that which was acknowledgedto be profitless. It may be
noted that this is the lastappearance ofSt. Peter in the Acts, which from this
period turns exclusively upon the work of St. Paul. For the subsequenthistory
of the former, see Introduction to the Epistles of St. Peter.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
15:7-21 We see from the words purifying their hearts by faith, and the
address of St. Peter, that justification by faith, and sanctificationby the Holy
Ghost, cannot be separated;and that both are the gift of God. We have great
cause to bless Godthat we have heard the gospel. Maywe have that faith
which the greatSearcherof hearts approves, and attests by the sealof the
Holy Spirit. Then our hearts and conscienceswill be purified from the guilt of
sin, and we shall be freed from the burdens some try to lay upon the disciples
of Christ. Paul and Barnabas showedby plain matters of fact, that God owned
the preaching of the pure gospelto the Gentiles without the law of Moses;
therefore to press that law upon them, was to undo what God had done. The
opinion of James was, that the Gentile converts ought not to be troubled about
Jewishrites, but that they should abstain from meats offered to idols, so that
they might show their hatred of idolatry. Also, that they should be cautioned
againstfornication, which was not abhorred by the Gentiles as it should be,
and even formed a part of some of their rites. They were counselledto abstain
from things strangled, and from eating blood; this was forbidden by the law of
Moses,and also here, from reverence to the blood of the sacrifices, which

being then still offered, it would needlesslygrieve the Jewishconverts, and
further prejudice the unconverted Jews. Butas the reasonhas long ceased, we
are left free in this, as in the like matters. Let converts be warned to avoid all
appearances ofthe evils which they formerly practised, or are likely to be
tempted to; and caution them to use Christian liberty with moderation and
prudence.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
But we believe - We apostles, who have been with them, and have seenthe
evidences of their acceptance withGod.
Through the grace ... - By the grace ormercy of Christ alone, without any of
the rites and ceremonies ofthe Jews.
We shall be saved, even as they - In the same manner, by the mere grace of
Christ. So far from being necessaryto their salvation, they are really of no use
in ours. We are to be saved, not by these ceremonies, but by the mere mercy of
God in the Redeemer. Theyshould not, therefore, be imposed on others.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
11. through the grace ofthe Lord Jesus—thatis, by that only.
we shall be saved, even as they—circumcisionin our case being no advantage,
and in their case uncircumcisionno loss;but grace doing all for both, and the
same for each.
Matthew Poole's Commentary
The grace ofthe Lord Jesus Christ; all saving grace may be well so called, it
being purchased only by Christ, and bestowedupon us from the Father
through Christ.
Even as they; the Jews their fathers; these were saved through the grace of the
Messiahwhichwas to come; and the apostle urges this (againstthe imposing
of the law) to the Jews, becauseneither their ancestors northemselves could
be justified by the law, but only by grace.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
But we believe,.... Who are circumcised;the Arabic version adds, "and are
sure";for what follows is a sure and certainarticle of faith:
that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ;not through circumcision, or
by any works of the law, moral or ceremonial;but through the grace ofChrist
undertaking for them, assuming their nature, and dying in their room and
stead;through his redeeming, justifying, and pardoning grace:salvation is by
Christ; Jehovahthe Father appointed him to be his salvation; he sent him,
and he came to save sinners; and he has obtained salvation for them; and it is
in him, and in no other: and this salvationis by "the grace" ofChrist; it was
grace moved him to engage in this work before the world began; it was good
will to men that causedhim to come down from heaven, and appear on earth
in the form of a servant; it was pure love that influenced him to lay down his
life for them; through the grace in his heart he did all this for them; and it is
the fulness of grace in his hands, out of which they receive abundance,
whereby they are entitled to, and are made meet for eternal glory:
we shall be saved, even as they; either as the disciples, the Gentile converts,
who without circumcision, and the works of the law, were savedby the pure
grace and love of Christ, in dying for them, and on which they alone depended
for salvation;or else as the Jewishfathers were, for they were justified,
pardoned, accepted, and savedin the same way, as the saints under the New
Testamentare:they could not keepthe law perfectly, nor was there then, nor
now, salvationby it, only by the grace ofChrist; and in that way, and that
only, Old and New Testamentbelievers, Jews andGentiles, whether
circumcisedor uncircumcised, are saved. The Gentiles were not savedby the
light of nature, nor the Jews by the law of Moses;the one were not lost for
want of circumcision, nor the other savedby it; the only way of salvation to
both, and under all dispensations, is the Lord Jesus Christ; through whose
sacrifice sin is atonedfor, through whose blood it is pardoned, through whose
righteousness menare justified before God, and are acceptedwith him; and
through whom saints have communion with God; and by whom, and whose
grace, and not by their own works, they shall be savedwith an everlasting
salvation, from sin, law, death, hell, and damnation: and the salvationof one

and of another, even of all that are saved, Jews orGentiles, is by grace;no one
is deserving of it; they have all sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
have done that which is abominable, and they themselves are abominable in
the sight of God; they have destroyed, and cannothelp themselves;nor have
they anyone goodthing but what they have receivedfrom the Lord, and
therefore ought to ascribe all to his grace;it is by that they are what they are,
have what they have, and do what they do. Salvation, in all its parts and
branches, is owing to grace;and so it is with respectto all persons that are
saved; some are not savedby their works, andothers by the grace ofChrist,
but they are all savedby grace;and none have any room to boastof
themselves againstothers.
Geneva Study Bible
But we believe that through the grace of the LORD Jesus Christ we shall be
saved, even as they.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT Commentary
Acts 15:11. ʼΑλλά] A triumphant contrastto the immediately preceding ὃν
οὔτε οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν οὔτε ἡμεῖς ἰσχύσ. βαστ.
διὰ τῆς χάρ. τ. κυρ. Ἰ.] Comp. Romans 5:15; Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:3; 2
Corinthians 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:13; Ephesians 1:2; Php 1:2; 2
Thessalonians 1:2. Not elsewhereusedby Peter. In triumphant contrastto the
yoke of the law, it is here placed first.
καθʼὃν τρόπονκἀκεῖνοι]sc. πιστεύουσι σωθῆναι διὰ τῆς χάριτος τοῦ κυρ.
Ἰησοῦ. The ἐκεῖνοι are the Gentile-Christians, to whom the whole debate
relates. Others (Calvin, Calovius, Wolf, and many older commentators,
following Augustine, againstPelagius)make it apply to πατέρες ἡμῶν.
Incorrectly, as the salvation of the Jewishfathers (servati fuerunt is supplied)
is quite alien from the question concerning the σωτηρία of the Gentile-

Christians here. But the complete equalization of both parties is most fitly
brought out at the close;after its having been previously said, they as well as
we, it is now said, we as well as they. Thus the equalizing is formally complete.
That Peterin the doctrine of the righteousness offaith was actuallyas
accordantwith Paul as he here expresses himself, is (in opposition to Baur,
Schwegler, Hilgenfeld, and Zeller) to be inferred even from Galatians 2:15 ff.,
where Paul acknowledgeshis and Peter’s common conviction, after he had
upbraided the latter (Acts 15:14)for the inconsistencyof his conduct at
Antioch. Comp. on Gal. l.c.;also Baumgarten, p. 430 f.; Lekebusch, p. 300 ff.
Expositor's Greek Testament
Acts 15:11. διὰ τῆς χ.: twice in his First Epistle St. Peterspeaks ofthe grace of
God, of the God of all grace;so also of the grace prophesiedbeforehand, of
the grace brought to them, cf. also Acts 3:7 and 2 Peter3:18. The exactphrase
here is not found elsewhere in St. Peter, although common in St. Paul, but see
Plumptre (Cambridge Bible) on 1 Peter 5:12. In R.V. σωθῆναι is joined more
clearly with διά than in A.V.—κἀκεῖνοι, i.e., the Gentile Christians, not οἱ
πατέρες (as St.Aug[283]and Calvin). For points of likeness betweenthese, the
last words of St. Peterin Acts, and his previous utterances, with characteristic
idioms and expressions, see Alford on Acts 15:7 ff, cf. Schmid, Bibl. Theol. des
N. T., p. 427.
[283]Aug. Augustine.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
11. But] Translationfails to give the force of this conjunction. It implies an
exhortation for which the remainder of the verse states the reason. But cease
now from such a course, for we believe, &c.

through the grace ofthe Lord Jesus](The most ancient authorities omit
Christ.) It is not to our having conformed to the Jewishlaw, St Peterurges,
that we look for salvation, but to the grace of the Lord.
even as they] i.e. in like manner as they believe. Thus the argument is: If our
belief and hope are the same, and no other, than theirs, why should these new
converts be urged to adopt observances whichform to us no ground for our
hope of salvation? In the N. T. history St Peter’s name appears no more, and
when we callto mind the opposition which, at the close ofthe first, and in the
secondcentury, was representedas existing betweenthe teaching of Paul and
Peter, we cannot think that it was without meaning that this last appearance
of the Apostle of the circumcision in the Scripture story sets him before us in
full accordwith the Apostle of the Gentiles.
Bengel's Gnomen
Acts 15:11. Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ, the Lord Jesus)There is not added, ἡμῶν, our:
because in this solemn place there is signified THE Lord of all.—πιστεύομεν,
we believe) we believe that we are saved; or rather, we believe, in order that
we may be saved;by faith we strive to attain salvation.—σωθῆναι,to be
saved) Salvationwas the question at issue:Acts 15:1.—κἀκεῖνοι,eventhey)
viz. those of whom Acts 15:7 speaks.Forthe antecedentis in Acts 15:7-9, the
consequentin Acts 15:10-11. And ἐκεῖνοι, they, is used on accountof the time
being somewhatfar back (remote, ἀρχαίωνἀφʼ ἡμερῶν), Acts 15:7. The
fathers, who were not even themselves able to bear the yoke, by parity of
reasoning are comprehended under the verb πιστεὐομεν, we believe, as they
were under the verb ἰσχύσαμεν, “Neitherour fathers nor we were able,” Acts
15:10;and therefore their case is brought under the same categoryof grace,
as opposedto the yoke. Peterthus reasons:The disciples now present are
savedin the same way as the Gentiles were formerly savedat Cæsarea. The
argument formerly proceeded(was inferred consequentially) from the Jews to
the Gentiles;ch. Acts 10:47, Acts 11:15;Acts 11:17;Galatians 2:15-16;and
now the same argument (inference) is brought forward (deduced) from the

Gentiles, who were first converted, to the rest of the Gentiles. James, in Acts
15:14, repeats this, which is the sum of Peter’s sentiment.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 11. - We shall be savedthrough the grace, etc., forthrough the grace...
we shall be saved, A.V.; Jesus for Jesus Christ, A.V. and T.R.;in like manner
for even, A.V. "How full of power are these words!The same that Paul says at
large in the Epistle to the Romans, the same says Peterhere" (Chrysost., '
Hem.,' 32.).
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
BRUCE HURT MD
Acts 15:11 But we believe that we are savedthrough the grace ofthe Lord
Jesus, in the same way as they also are."
KJV Acts 15:11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus
Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
NIV Acts 15:11 No!We believe it is through the grace ofour Lord Jesus that
we are saved, just as they are."
that Ro 3:24; 5:20,21;6:23; 1 Cor 16:23;2 Corinthians 8:9; 13:14; Galatians
1:6; 2:16; Ephesians 1:6,7;2:7-9; Titus 2:11; 3:4-7; Revelation5:9
Acts 15 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
JEWS AND GENTILES
SAVED THROUGH GRACE

Paul would later write that we are "justified (dikaioo - DECLARED
RIGHTEOUS OR FOREVER IN RIGHT STANDING BEFORE GOD)as a
gift by His grace through the redemption (apolutrosis) which is in Christ
Jesus" (Ro 3:24+)
Robertsonsays "Peterspeaksas the spiritual emancipator. He had been slow
to see the meaning of God’s dealings with him at Joppa and Caesarea, but he
has seenclearlyby now. He takes his stand boldly with Paul and Barnabas for
Gentile freedom....His doctrine of grace is as clearas a bell. He has lifted his
voice againstsalvationby ceremony and ritualism. It was a great
deliverance."
But (alla) - A strong term of contrastwhich means something like "on the
contrary." Petercontrasts the impossible to bear yoke of the Law with the
glorious grace ofthe Lord Jesus. The contrastcould not be greater. Mens'
works versus Christ's work finished (Jn 19:30)!
We - We Jews who have been saved.
Believe (plural - Peteris speaking forother believing Jews)(4100)(pisteuo)in
this contextmeans that Peterhas considerthe Gospelof grace to be true and
therefore worthy of one’s trust. He (and the other Jews included in the plural
"we" presumably the apostles like James, etc)held a firm conviction as to the
goodness,efficacy, orability of the Gospelto save one's soul by simple faith
completely independent of any "additives."
Spurgeon- What the sun is to the heavens, that the doctrine of a vicarious
satisfactionis to theology. Atonement is the brain and spinal cord of
Christianity. Take awaythe cleansing blood, and what is left to the guilty?
Deny the substitutionary work of Jesus, and you have denied all that is
precious in the New Testament.
That we are savedthrough the grace ofthe Lord Jesus - Through is placedat
the beginning of the sentence for emphasis. The preposition "through" is dia
which means across,successfullyacross, andin a sense is a picture of a
"door" (the grace ofthe Lord Jesus, a phrase that is synonymous with THE

GOSPEL), through which one walks by faith across to the other side from the
kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of God's beloved Son.
Toussaintobserves that"The statement, We are saved, just as they are, is
amazing. A Jew under the Law would say the opposite and in reverse order
("they are savedas we are"), but one who knew God's grace, as Peterdid,
would not say that. Salvation for anyone—Jew orGentile—is by God's grace
(v. 11)and is by faith (v. 9; cf. Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8).' (The Bible Knowledge
Commentary)
It seems that some believers still have a misconceptionthat the wayone was
savedin the Old Testamentwas different from the way one is savedin the
New Testament. Thatis unfortunately a common misunderstanding for
salvationin the Old Testamentwas also by grace through faith in Messiah
(looking forward to His sacrifice), and is typified by the salvation of Abraham
in Genesis 15:6 which says "Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned
it to him as righteousness (I.E., HE WAS IN EFFECT JUSTIFIED OR
DECLARED RIGHTEOUS IN GOD'S SIGHT)." In Galatians 3:8+ Paul
explained that "The Scripture, foreseeingthat God would justify (declare
righteous) the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospelbeforehand to Abraham,
saying, “ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU.” So what did
Abraham believe? Clearly he believed the Gospel!Not only that but he was
savedin Genesis 15 and circumcisionwas not given as a sign until Genesis 17.
Clearly Abraham did not need circumcisionto be saved by faith!
Circumcision was a sign and a sealbut brought no life or salvation. It was an
important symbol, but it could not save. Only faith in Christ can save.
Saved(4982)(sozo)means they were delivered from danger and into the
condition of safety. So in this verse Peterrefers to God's "OperationRescue,"
in which He rescuedPeterand the other Jewishbelievers from the penalty
and powerof sin and eternalruin and brought safelyinto His eternal
kingdom. He will go on to say that "OperationRescue"was alsoofferedto the
Gentiles.
Grace (undeserved favor) (5485)(charis from from chairo = to rejoice. English
= charity. Beggars need"charity" as sinners need grace, for we are all

spiritual paupers outside of Christ, but "Godgives where he finds empty
hands"-Augustine [cf Mt 5:3+]) is a word which at its core conveys the sense
of favor. Grace in this passage speaksofthe Lord's favor, freely extended to
give Himself awayto sinners because He "ever leans towardthem." (ReadLk
19:10+)
Adrian Rogers says the best definition of grace that he has ever heard is that
God's grace is "both the desire and the ability to do the will of God."
Grace in simple terms is God's unmerited favor and supernatural enablement
and empowerment for salvationand for daily sanctification. Grace is
everything for nothing to those who don't deserve anything. Grace is what
every man needs, what none can earn and what God Alone can and does
freely give (see Ro 8:32-note where "freely give" is charizomai from charis = a
grace gift!). Grace addressesman's sin, while mercy addresses man's misery.
The gift of grace makes menfit for salvation, miraculously making separated
strangers into God's belovedsons (1Th 1:4+, 1Jn 3:1+, 1Jn 3:2+, 1Jn3:3+).
In the same way as they also are - There is no verb (are) in the Greek, but the
sentence reads more literally "even as also they." The intent is clearthat the
Jews that had been savedwere savedin the same way as the Gentiles are
saved. Just as God made no distinction in general, here Petersays in essence
He makes no distinction specificallyregarding how anyone is saved. We all
walk through the same "door." Notice how this parallels the words of Jesus
Who "left the door wide open" so speak when He declared "I am the door; if
anyone (IN GREEK THIS MEANS "ANYONE!") enters through Me (BY
GRACE THROUGH FAITH), he will be saved, and will go in and out and
find pasture." (Jn 10:9)
Spurgeon- You expect to hear Petersay to these gentlemen, “These Gentile
dogs, as you callthem, can be saved, even as you.” No, he turns the tables and
says to them, “We believe that you may be saved, even as they.” Suppose some
of our members should say, “Yes, we believe that a drunkard may be saved,
and a personwho has been a harlot, may, perhaps, be saved, too.” But
imagine now that I were to stand up and reply, “My dear brethren, I believe

that you may be savedeven as these.” What a rebuke it would be! This is
preciselywhat Petermeant.
A company of Jews have assembledto discuss a certain matter; some of them
look very wise and bring up certain suggestionsthat are rather significant.
They say, ‘Well, perhaps these Gentile dogs may be saved; yes, Jesus Christ
told us to go and preach the gospelto every creature;therefore, no doubt, he
must have included these Gentile dogs. We do not like them, though, and must
keepthem as much under our rules and regulations as we can; we must
compel them to be circumcised; we must have them brought under the full
rigour of the law; we cannotexcuse them from wearing the yoke of bondage.’
Presentlythe apostle Petergets up to speak, and you expectto hear him say to
these gentlemen, ‘Why, these ‘Gentile dogs’, as you call them, canbe saved,
even as you.’ No; he adopts quite a different tone; he turns the tables and he
says to them, ‘we believe that you may be saved, even as they.’ It was just as if
I should have a company of persons here now who had been very bad and
wickedand who had plunged into the deepestsin, but God’s grace has met
with them and made them new creatures in Christ Jesus:there is a church-
meeting, and when these persons are brought before the church, suppose
there were some of the members who should say, ‘Yes, we believe that a
drunkard may be saved, and a personwho has been a harlot may, perhaps, be
savedtoo.’ But imagine that I were to stand up and reply, ‘Now, my dear
brethren, I believe that you may be saved even as these’—whata rebuke it
would be! This is preciselywhat Peter meant. ‘Oh’ he said, ‘do not raise the
question about whether they can be saved; the question is whether you, who
have raisedsuch a question, will be saved’; ‘we believe that through the grace
of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.’ (Spurgeon)
Constable adds that "By referring to the Jews being savedin the same
manner as the Gentiles, insteadof vise versa, Peterrepudiated any thought of
Jewishsuperiority. Clearly he had recoveredfrom his temporary lapse at
Syrian Antioch (Gal. 2:11–14). Salvationis by grace (v. 11) through faith (v. 9)
plus nothing.
Lenski comments that "The fact that later Peterhimself did not live up to his
own words in Antioch and had to be rebuked in public by Paul (Gal. 2:11–

21+)changes nothing as to the truth and the import of Peter’s address here in
Jerusalem;it only points a warning for us lessermen." (The Interpretation of
the Acts of the Apostles)
Grace Church
Roanoke,Virginia
Dr. Jack L. Arnold
Lesson#36
ACTS
The JerusalemCouncil - Doctrine
Acts 15:1-12
Why is it necessaryto nitpick over biblical doctrine? Should we really fight
over doctrinal issues when the unity of the church is at stake? Do we needto
judge men on the basis of doctrine when we should be loving them? These
kinds of questions are being raisedtoday all through evangelicalismin
America. Doctrine is being setaside for unity and love which, in the end, may
be the destruction of the generalevangelicalmovement. We must remember
that doctrine is important and especiallywhen it concerns the facts and
interpretation of the biblical gospel. The gospelmust be defended at all costs
without compromise.

“But even though we, or an angelfrom heaven, should preachto you a gospel
contrary to that which we have preachedto you, let him be accursed. As we
have said before, so I say againnow, if any man is preaching to you a gospel
contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed”(Gal. 1:8, 9).
Christians may disagree overwhether there is going to be a millennium, or
when the church will be raptured, or whether it is right to baptize infants, or
whether the episcopalian, congregationalorpresbyterian form of government
is correct, but they must agree on the essenceofthe gospel. In no way can a
Christian compromise, water down, or pervert the gospel. If the gospelis
abandoned, the Christian Faith is abandoned!
The JerusalemCouncilin Acts 15 is the first major defense of the true gospel
of Jesus Christ. This council was calledto determine whether salvationwas
by works or grace, whetherone becomes a Christian by law keeping or by
grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. Whateverelse may be concluded
about Acts 15, the issue at the JerusalemCouncilwas “the grace ofthe Lord
Jesus.” “Butwe believe that we are saved through the grace ofthe Lord
Jesus, in the same way as they also are” (Acts 15:11). The method or way of
salvationwas the centerof thought, so the controversywas whether a person
was savedby free grace or by some human rite, ritual, work or act.
THE CAUSE OF THE COUNCIL (Acts 15:1)
“And some men came down from Judea . . .” – Certain Jews, who were
probably converts to Christianity, came down from Judea to the church at
Antioch and beganto teach these Gentile believers that a Christian had to
keepthe Mosaic law in order to be saved. The issue was salvationby law, but
the controversyfocusedon the act of circumcision. These anonymous men
were professing Christians. While they appearedto be saved, the text does

not specificallytell us that they were saved. They were Christian legalists who
did not understand the grace ofGod in salvation or sanctification. These
legalists came to Antioch to pump these Gentile believers, who were savedout
of paganism, who had been idolaters, who had been devotedto licentious and
sexually immoral pagan temple worship and who knew nothing of the Mosaic
law, with the false teaching concerning the necessityof keeping the Mosaic law
to be saved.
We are not told who these men were, but they probably were self-appointed
and claimed to come from the Apostle James in Jerusalem. While we don’t
know who they were, we can pretty much tell what they were from observing
any modern day Christian legalists. Theywere gloomy, long-faced, critical,
kill-joys who had greatcommitment to their negative approach to life. The
tragedy was that these legalists were sincere. Theywere not trying to cause
trouble, but they were deeply committed to the belief that unless a Gentile
complied with the Law of Moses andwas circumcised, he had no right to call
himself a Christian. These legalistswere sincere, but they were in the dark
concerning the biblical conceptof grace.
“ . . . and beganteaching the brethren, ‘Unless you are circumcisedaccording
to the custom of Moses,you cannotbe saved.’” – The crux of the issue was not
simply a question of whether one should be circumcisedor not, but one had to
be circumcisedin order to be saved. These legalists were dogmatically
declaring that salvationis not by grace through faith, but by grace through
faith PLUS circumcision. These legalists wantedGentiles who believed in
Christ to keepevery aspectof the Mosaic law. “Butcertain ones of the sectof
the Pharisees who had believed, stood up, saying, ‘It is necessaryto circumcise
them, and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses’”(Acts 15:5). The
issue, then, was belief in Christ and keeping the law for salvation. This was
adding law-works to the grace of Christ for salvation. These legalists were not
againstGentiles being savedand becoming part of the church, but they said

Gentiles had to believe in Christ and keepthe Mosaic law if they were to be
saved.
This was a very attractive heresy and seemedto have some Old Testament
support. It was clearfrom the Old Testamentthat Gentiles were saved on the
basis of the Abrahamic covenant. The Abrahamic covenanthad, as its sign
and seal, the rite of circumcisionwhich was performed on every Jewishmale
child on the eighth day. The act of circumcisionwas originally designedto be
a symbol, but the Jews hadperfected this so as to make it necessaryfor
salvation. These Christianlegalists concluded, therefore, that every Gentile
male child should also be circumcisedto indicate they were of the covenant
people as was Abraham.
These legalists were teaching a false Christianity, but in many ways it sounded
so biblical. This was a mixture of grace and law, faith and works, and was
destructive to real Christianity which teaches that salvationis causedby
God’s grace and appropriated through faith in Christ. “Forby grace you
have been savedthrough faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
not as a result of works, that no one should boast” (Eph. 2:8, 9).
The issue of circumcisionfor salvationis far removed from us today, but we
still have many in the twentieth century who would tell us that Christ plus
some human actis necessaryforsalvation. Men who bear the name of
Christian tell us that if a person is to be savedhe must be waterbaptized, he
must be immersed, he must do certain external acts, or belong to a certain
denomination. Yes, and these false teachers canfind an isolatedScripture
here and there to prove their point, but in every case there is a rank denial on
the teacher’s part to acknowledge the pure grace ofGod in the salvationof a
soul. If salvation is by faith in Christ plus anything, Christ will profit nothing,
and this is the very same error the JerusalemCouncil refuted. We must trust
in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. We must not trust in Jesus Christ and our

baptism, and our church membership, and our denomination or anything else.
If we are trusting in Christ plus anything, we are not trusting in Jesus Christ
alone and He will profit us nothing.
CHOSEN MEN SENT TO JERUSALEM (Acts 15:2)
“And when Paul and Barnabas had greatdissensionand debate with them, . .
.” – Paul and Barnabas immediately saw their theologicalerrorand took
issue with them. This was a doctrinal point that threatenedthe very existence
of true Christianity. These Christians had a heated debate which caused
static and friction. In fact, this was a regular Donnybrook. Paul and
Barnabas were ready to defend the true gospel. Theyloved the unity of the
church, but they loved the pure gospelmore, so they fought for the truth.
Paul and Barnabas were not spineless, sentimental, jellyfish Christians who
gushed with love. If Christians would say, “Paul, you must not judge,” Paul
would have a few choice words for them. When they would say, “Now, Paul,
don’t get all tied up over doctrinal issues, oryou will split the church,” he
would give them a double whammy that would let them know they were
wrong. Paul and Barnabas were willing to confront error for the cause of
Christ and they would not allow the gospelto be twisted and perverted. Paul
and Barnabas probably took these legalists right to the text and showedthem
that Abraham was savedin Genesis 15 whenhe believed God and it was
counted to him for righteousness. Years passedbefore Abraham and his
family were circumcisedin Genesis 17. Circumcisionwas a sign and a seal
but brought no life or salvation. It was an important symbol, but it could not
save. Only faith in Christ can save. In the twentieth century, we have so
many ministers and sweetChristians who never get excited over biblical
doctrine, and it is not too long before the woolis pulled over the eyes of these
sweetsaints and they fall prey to some legalistic, works gospelwhichstrips the
true gospelof life and power.

We should never be surprised when the doctrine of grace alone in salvation
causes strife, for grace is an offense to the human pride. Grace is unmerited
favor. Grace says that even man’s faith is a gift from God. Grace is
gratuitous; it is free. By free grace, we mean that salvationcannot be bought,
workedfor or merited by man. Salvation is a pure gift from God provided
through the death of Jesus Christ for sinners. Free grace in Christ is an
offense to our morality, for it tells us that we cannot get to heavenby our
character. Free gracein Christ is an offense to our reasonfor it tells us that
we cannot philosophize our way to heaven. Free grace in Christ is an offense
to our culture, for it tells us that not many wise, noble and mighty are called
to salvation. Free grace is an offense to our education, for it tells us that we
cannot make ourselves goodenoughfor heaven. Free grace is an offense to
our human wills because it calls for unconditional surrender to Christ and
tells us that we are not savedby human volition. “In the exercise of His will
He brought us forth by the word of truth . . .” (James 1:18). Free grace
clashes with all human reasonand efforts to save oneself. Free gracesays a
man will not be savedunless God grants that man salvationthrough faith in
Jesus Christ, and this is repugnant to the totally depraved nature of every
human being. Free grace was taughtby the Lord Jesus Christ and it is just as
true today as it was when He taught it. “No one can come to Me, unless the
Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day” (John
4:44).
“ . . . the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and certainothers of
them, should go up to Jerusalemto the apostles and elders concerning this
issue.” – It was finally decided by the church leaders in Antioch to send Paul
and Barnabas, and a few others of their number, perhaps Titus, to Jerusalem
to consult the pillars of the church there concerning this matter. Paul and
Barnabas were the most logicalmen to have been chosenfor this purpose.
They were informed, theologicallyastute and fearless menwho would take a
back seatto no one, not even the apostles. We must be careful not to read this
assuming Paul was uncertain as to the truth of salvationby grace through
faith in Christ, and therefore had to consultwith the other Apostles before it
was settled. Paul never had a moment’s doubt overthe issue because the

gospelhad been revealedto him by Christ. Paul and the others only wanted
confirmation from the mother church in Jerusalemso as to silence the
legalists.
It should be noted that at the Council of Jerusalemnot only the apostles, but
also the elders, deliberated on this matter of salvation by law or grace. Elders
today are still responsible to keepthe localchurch doctrinally sound and pure.
Another very significant point concerning the JerusalemCouncil is that the
whole first century church was not representedat this Council. The various
localchurches in the Roman world did not sent delegates orrepresentatives to
this council. It was a meeting of a delegationfrom the localchurch at Antioch
with the localchurch in Jerusalemover a theologicalquestionon which the
church at Antioch wanted guidance, counseland clarificationfrom the church
at Jerusalem. The purpose of this council was for consultationand not for
coercionbecauseofsome authoritative decree from the Apostles in Jerusalem.
However, the decisionat the JerusalemCouncil carried greatweightbecause
it was of greatinterest to all the churches. It is very questionable that from
Acts 15 any type of higher denominational systemcan be supported.
Delegates were notsent from all the localchurches. However, Acts 15 may
support the idea that localchurches of like mind should get togetherto discuss
matters of theologyand practice, but no binding decisionshould be made that
would be forcedon the localchurches.
CONTINUING TO ENCOURAGE THE BRETHREN (Acts 15:3)
“Therefore, being sent on their way by the church, . . .” – Again, we see the
localchurch at Antioch sending this delegationto Jerusalem. The local
church was centralin all New Testamentactionand activities and it should be
that way today.

“ . . . they were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in
detail the conversionof the Gentiles, and were bringing greatjoy to all the
brethren.” – On their journey to Jerusalem, the delegationstopped in various
cities and encouragedthe brethren by sharing what God was doing among the
Gentiles. We should always getexcitedwhen we hear of God saving people.
One of the exciting things about a localchurch is when people are being saved
and these new converts become part of the localchurch, bringing in new life
and vitality.
COMING TOGETHERAS BRETHREN (Acts 15:4)
“And when they arrived at Jerusalem, they were receivedby the church and
the apostles andelders, . . .” – There was a warm welcome givenby the
church at Jerusalemto this delegationfrom the church at Antioch. There is
no real substitute for Christian love, warmth, friendship and hospitality.
Notice that the whole localchurch at Jerusalemreceivedthis delegation.
“ . . And they reported all that Godhad done with them.” – The Jerusalem
Council probably lasted for weeks ormonths and what we have recordedis
merely a synopsis of what happened. The first meeting to be held was a body
life service atwhich time Paul and Barnabas sharedthe triumphs of the first
missionary journey, telling of what God was doing for and through the
Gentile Christians. They told how Jesus Christwas changing the lives of
Gentiles as they responded to Him by faith.
CIRCUMCISION INSISTEDUPON BY THE LEGALISTS (Acts 15:5)
“But certain ones of the sectof the Pharisees who had believed, . . .” – There
was a group of converted Pharisees in the church at Jerusalemwho truly

believe in Christ but who had not broken from the Mosaic law. Theywere
victims of their culture and prejudices. These Pharisees,as unbelievers, failed
to destroy Christianity, but now, as misdirected Christians, they were a bigger
threat to the church. They were more dangerous on the inside of the church
than on the outside of it. Essentially, they had not changedin their practice
even though they had changedtheir attitudes about Christ. They were
Christian legalists. Theywere savedbut had wrong teaching because they did
not understand grace.
“ . . . stoodup, saying, ‘It is necessaryto circumcise them and to direct them
to observe the Law of Moses.’” – These sincere,convertedPhariseeswanted
to add something to the gospel. Wheneveranything is added to “by grace
through faith,” there is no longerthe gospelbut religion, a works system
whereby man is doing something to merit salvation. Bewareoflegalistic
pharisaism in or out of the church. Its message is one of slavery, and not of
emancipation; it binds and it does not bless. Everyreligion today which
makes demands on people to keepthe Law of Moses,observe certainexternal
ordinances, and comply with certain specifiedmanmade rules is the same old
pharisaism of the first century, dressedup in modern garb. Legalismin every
form kills the spirit of Christ.
CAREFUL CONSIDERATION OF THE ISSUE BY THE LEADERSHIP
(Acts 15:6)
“And the apostles and the elders . . .” – The issue was not takenlightly and
the doctrinal matter was consideredby the apostles and elders. This is why
elders must be men who canhandle the Word of God well, so they candefend
the true gospelaccurately.
“ . . . came togetherto look into the matter.” – There was a careful study of
the Old TestamentScriptures and the New Testamentrevelationon this
matter.

There should be no doctrinal issue which comes up in a localchurch which the
elders are not willing to deal with from the Bible.
There is a need today for all true Christians to get togetheraround the
inspired and Holy Scriptures to discuss the doctrinal issues of our day. We
need a World Council of Christians who will discuss the true gospelfrom a
biblical base so that the gospelwill staypure and undiluted.
CHRISTIAN GRACE AND FREEDOME UPHELD BY PETER (Acts 15:7-
11)
“And after there had been much debate, Peterstoodup and said, . . .” –
Apparently at this point, the council had moved into the public eye and Peter
stoodbefore the apostles, elders and congregation. He stood, and this stand
for Christ was probably the most important thing Peter ever did. He stood
boldly for the truth and he had the respectof the legalists becausehe was such
a legalisthimself before he had a vision from God. Peterwas God’s man for
the hour. Peterwas a Jew’s Jew and he could communicate with these
legalists.
“ . . . ‘Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among
you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospeland
believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them giving them the
Holy Spirit, just as He did also to us; . . .” – Peterwent back at leastten years
when he was given a vision to go to the house of the Gentile Cornelius and
preach the gospel. It was God who openedthe door to the Gentiles. Gentiles
who knew hardly anything of the Mosaic Law were being gloriouslysaved and
were receiving the Holy Spirit. Peterarguedthat if it was necessaryto be
circumcisedto be saved, then these legalists were saying Godmade a mistake

in what He did at Cornelius’s house. These Gentiles were savedby grace and
not by law and the fruits of their salvationwere proof of the grace ofGod.
“ . . . and He made no distinction betweenus and them, cleansing their hearts
by faith.” – These Gentiles were savedby exercising faith in Jesus Christ
alone. All external, ritualistic salvationis refuted by what happened at
Cornelius’s home.
“Now, therefore why do you put God to the testby placing upon the neck of
the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?”
– Peter’s argument is that if the Jews couldnot keepthe law for salvation,
why do the Jews expectthe Gentiles to keepit? To be placed back under the
ceremonialaspects ofthe Mosaic Law for salvationor Christian living is to
place a yoke around a person’s neck which will choke out the very life of
Christ. Furthermore, no Jew in the Old Testamentwas savedby keeping the
Law of Moses. EveryJew who was savedbelieved by grace in the Messiah
who was to come. Furthermore, God has never saved anyone through the
keeping of the law. Do you know why? There has never been a person who
has kept the law. Godsaves on one basis and one basis only “by grace
through faith in the death and resurrectionof Jesus Christ, the Lord.”
The Mosaic Law puts men into bondage, makes them slaves, produces
miserable people who know nothing about the freedom which is in Christ
Jesus. Christsets a man free. The law puts him in bondage. Whenevermen
try to be savedby keeping the law, it is such a crushing burden, an intolerable
weight, they are often put into despair because they can never live up to the
requirements of the law.
“But we believe that we are savedthrough the grace ofthe Lord Jesus, in the
same way as they also are.” – How were Jews saved? The very same way as

Gentiles – by the grace ofthe Lord Jesus Christ. Peterdrew the whole issued
down to the grace ofGod. If men are saved by grace, no ritual, work, merit,
or act is the final cause of salvation. Men are savedonly through the grace of
the Lord Jesus Christ. If any man is saved, it is because offree grace which
became real to him at the moment he receivedChrist as personalLord and
Savior.
We must stand, at all costs, for salvationby grace through faith in Christ
alone, for if we give this truth up, we give up the gospel. In love, I must
expose error for the goodof the gospeland the cause ofChrist. When Roman
Catholics teachthat original sin is removed by the waters of baptism, daily sin
is removed by the non-bloody sacrifice ofthe mass, venial sins are removed by
the oil of extreme unction and others sins by purgatory, what place does this
leave for the grace of Christ? When Protestantliberals say that man gets to
heaven by characterand goodworks, what place does this give to the grace of
Christ? When conservative Protestantssaythat men must repent, confess,
believe and be baptized in order to be saved, what place is there for grace in
this system? Absolutely no works done by man or performed for man can
save anyone. Yet, there is an even more subtle false teaching in our day
among evangelicalswho saythat a man’s actof his will is the final cause of his
salvation. They teachthat God in grace has done everything He can in Christ
to save man, and now the final decisionis up to man himself. This makes
man’s faith or actof his will a work. Same kind of thinking was held by a
British monk, Pelagious, in the fifth century who taught that all men have a
free will and can respond to Christ if they desire to do so. This position of
Pelagius was condemnedas hereticalby three different church councils and
finally at the Council of Ephesus in A.D. 431. A modified form of Pelagianism
sprang up calledsemi-Pelagianismand this was condemnedat the council of
Orange in A.D. 529. Semi-Pelagianismis running rampant in our modern day
evangelicalcircles mixing grace and works, for free will unaided by God is
human work. Augustine opposedPelagius and said that men were saved by
grace through faith in Christ alone and tracedthe salvationroot of a person
to the elective purpose of God. If we truly understand free grace, we will

never get hung up with adding anything to salvation. Salvationis a total act
of God flowing from His pure, unadulterated, free and sovereigngrace.
Let it go on record that I am committed to the grace ofGod in salvation alone.
I believe in free grace whichis related to the doctrines of election,
predestination and particular redemption and the infallible callto salvation.
Grace is free. Grace is unmerited. Grace is sovereign. Gracewill be my
theme until I die!
One of the greatestevangelists who everlabored for Jesus Christwas George
Whitefield. He was the most dynamic evangelistthe nation of England every
produced and America has even seen. He was an evangelistwho had his
doctrine straight and saw the importance of grace. He said,
The doctrines of our electionand free justification in Christ Jesus are daily
more and more pressedupon my heart. Theyfill my soul with a holy fire and
afford me greatconfidence in God my Savior. I hope we shall catchfire from
eachother and that there will be a holy emulation amongst us who shall most
debase man and exalt the Lord Jesus. Nothing but the doctrines of the
Reformationcan do this. All others leave free will in man and make him at
leastin part a Savior to himself. My soulcome though not near the secretof
those who teachsuch things. I know Christ is all and all. Man is nothing. He
has a free will to go to hell but none to go to heaven till God workethin him to
will and to do of his goodpleasure. Oh the excellencyofthe doctrine of
electionand the saints final perseverance. Iam persuadedthat until a man
comes to believe and feel these important truths, he cannotcome out of
himself. But when convinced of these and assuredof their application to his
own heart, he then walks by faith indeed. Love, not fear, constrains him to
obedience.

CITATION OF GOD’S BLESSING UPON GENTILES (Acts 15:12)
“And all the multitude kept silent, . . .” – The Judaizers, the legalists, were
silencedby Peter’s arguments. That probably meant they stopped talking and
started listening as they realized they had missedthe whole point of grace in
salvation.
“ . . . and were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were relating what signs
and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.” – Paul and
Barnabas told of what God was doing with the Gentiles. He was saving them
and they knew hardly anything of the Mosaic law. Whenwe understand the
biblical meaning of grace, we stoptalking about ourselves and start talking
about God and His Son, Jesus Christ.
CONCLUSION
Saved
Christian, are you concernedabout doctrine? Are you desirous to know and
proclaim the pure and true gospel? If you are, then you must expect
opposition because the non-Christian world hates grace and much of the
Christian world does not understand it. We are indebted to Paul and
Barnabas who stood for the truth. We are indebted to Peterwho stoodup for
the truth of salvationby grace. We are indebted to men like Augustine,
Wycliffe, Huss, Tyndale, Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, Whitefield, Spurgeonand
many others who have stoodin their generationfor the truth of grace in
salvation, and we, too, must stand in our generation. If we do not stand, this
generationmay lose the whole meaning of the gospel. MayGod grant us
grace to stand for the truth of grace!

Unsaved
Non-Christian, unsaved man, you are shut up to the grace ofChrist to save
you. If you are to be saved, Christ will have to work grace in you. However,
do no think you do nothing in the salvationprocess, forsalvationis by grace
through faith and you will never be saveduntil you trust Christ as Lord and
Savior. You must trust in Christ alone to save you. If you trust in Christ, you
don’t need anything or anyone else to save you. The Mosaic law, goodworks,
human acts, evenyour faith, cannotsave you. Only Christ can save you by
His grace and you must cling to Him for salvation. Trust Christ and you shall
know that He has workedgrace in your heart and that grace is FREE!
W. BARCLAY
PETER STATES THE CASE (Acts 15:6-12)
15:6-12 The apostles andelders met togetherto investigate this question. After
a greatdeal of discussionPeterstoodup and said, "Brethren, you know that
in the early days God made his choice among us, so that through my mouth
the Gentiles should hear the goodnews and believe. And God, who knows
men's hearts, bore his own witness to them by giving them the Holy Spirit just
as he had done to us too. He made no distinction betweenus and them for he
purified their hearts by faith. So why do you now tempt God by placing on the
necks of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we had the
strength to bear? But it is through the grace of Jesus Christthat we believe
that we have been saved in exactly the same, way as they too have been." The
whole assembly was silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul as they told the
story of all the signs and wonders God had done amongstthe heathen through
them.

JESUS SALVATION BY GRACE

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