耶路撒冷會議
1有幾個人從猶太下來，教訓弟兄們說：「你們若不按摩西的規條受割禮，不能得救。」 2保羅、巴拿巴與他們大大地紛爭辯論；眾門徒就定規，叫保羅、巴拿巴和本會中幾個人，為所辯論的，上耶路撒冷去見使徒和長老。 3於是教會送他們起行。他們經過腓尼基、撒馬利亞，隨處傳說外邦人歸主的事，叫眾弟兄都甚歡喜。 4到了耶路撒冷，教會和使徒並長老都接待他們，他們就述說神同他們所行的一切事。 5惟有幾個信徒， 是法利賽教門的人，起來說：「必須給外邦人行割禮，吩咐他們遵守摩西的律法。」
6使徒和長老聚會商議這事； 7辯論已經多了，彼得就起來，說：「諸位弟兄，你們知道神早已在你們中間揀選了我，叫外邦人從我口中得聽福音之道，而且相信。 8知道人心的神也為他們作了見證，賜聖靈給他們，正如給我們一樣； 9又藉着信潔淨了他們的心，並不分他們我們。 10現在為甚麼試探神，要把我們祖宗和我們所不能負的軛放在門徒的頸項上呢？ 11我們得救乃是因主耶穌的恩，和他們一樣，這是我們所信的。」
12眾人都默默無聲，聽巴拿巴和保羅述說神藉他們在外邦人中所行的神蹟奇事。 13他們住了聲，雅各就說：「諸位弟兄，請聽我的話。 14方才西門述說神當初怎樣眷顧外邦人，從他們中間選取百姓歸於自己的名下； 15眾先知的話也與這意思相合。 16正如經上所寫的：
此後，我要回來，
重新修造大衛倒塌的帳幕，
把那破壞的重新修造建立起來，
17叫餘剩的人，
就是凡稱為我名下的外邦人，
都尋求主。
18這話是從創世以來顯明這事的主說的。
19「所以據我的意見，不可難為那歸服神的外邦人； 20只要寫信，吩咐他們禁戒偶像的污穢和姦淫，並勒死的牲畜和血。 21因為從古以來，摩西的書在各城有人傳講，每逢安息日，在會堂裏誦讀。」
各位平安，我們今天讀的是使徒行傳第十五章前半段，初代教會一個相當重要的會議，耶路撒冷會議。
建立一個信仰體系、確立教義以及傳承的方法，其實需要相當多時間的討論、沉澱、辯論，甚至爭吵才能夠打造出來。在基督教的歷史中，也發生過多次努力，致力於確立信仰的核心內容，才能建立一個正確的信仰根基。這樣才能確保在傳承信仰時，能夠正確地被教導，而不是在中間被加油添醋，造成許多的偏差。
比較近的時代，我們看到宗教改革。在1517年，馬丁路德在歐洲發起的這場改革，引起了整個歐洲的不僅僅是宗教界，甚至包括政治局勢和國土的改變。這場宗教改革的歷史影響非常深遠。
而在初代教會剛剛建立的時候，也發生過許多異端的錯誤教導和思想，不斷產生並造成了很大的危害。這種危害當時影響了相當多的人，因為一旦信仰出現偏差，隨之而來的行為也會嚴重偏離正道。這也是為什麼今天會出現一些所謂的異端和邪教，問題其實在於教義的傳遞出現了問題，或者沒有找到好的教導方式和正確的核心價值。這樣一來，信仰的傳遞就會偏離正軌，最終變得越來越偏激或錯誤，導致更多的人受到傷害。
這個會議的起源，當然是因為猶太基督徒和外邦基督徒之間所產生的討論和爭執。起初，有一些人從猶太下來，教訓他們說必須要按照摩西的規條受割禮才能夠得救。這個堅持與保羅和巴拿巴所分享的教義有極大的不同。這個問題在後來的宗教改革中再次被討論：我們到底是 ”因信稱義” 還是 “因行稱義”。
這件事情的影響非常大。雖然聽起來好像沒有什麼大的差異，但當我與你分享為什麼這兩個概念根本性的不同時，你就會明白 “因信稱義” 這一核心教義思想是多麼重要。
在舊約的時代裡，我們看到許多的律法和規條。上帝說，如果遵守這些律法，就必蒙福。然而，在猶太人的歷史中，我們不斷看到悖逆和失敗、叛變等問題。
當我們這樣看時，其實也可以把同樣的道理放在自己身上。我們知道道德的標準，我們知道什麼是良善，我們知道什麼是美好。但是，當我們把這些標準放在自己身上檢視時，我們會發現其實沒有人能夠在行為上完美，沒辦法一輩子都守住所有的教義和規條。所以，靠行為稱義，意思是說基於行為來達到義，是充滿了失敗且完全做不到的，因為人本身就是軟弱的。我們終究不能夠以所謂的行為完美來完成。
歷史上，人們在嘗試以行為稱義的過程中，往往會陷入一種以人為本、以行為為重點的宗教行為中。這樣的做法會產生幾個問題。
首先，這會產生驕傲。我們會開始比較：“我做的善事比你多，我捐的錢比你多，我比你好。” 因為行為上總是有差別，有些人做得多，有些人做得少。當我們用行為來判定一個人的好壞時，那些沒有能力行善事的人就會被自動認為是無用的人。而那些有能力行善事的人，比如捐很多錢的人，未必他的錢是乾淨的，未必他的心是善良的，但卻因為他捐的錢多，就被認為是好人。這種以行為為基礎的判斷標準，不僅會導致驕傲，還會引起不公平和偏見。
在宗教改革的時候，馬丁路德強調了一個非常重要的事情，就是扎根在聖經裡的教義。羅馬書中，保羅一再重複，在許多新約書信中也不斷重複：我們從來不是靠自己的行為稱義，而是靠耶穌基督在十字架上為我們一次獻上的贖罪祭。
耶穌基督成為了完美的贖罪祭，所以我們依靠的不是我們自己的行為，而是祂的作為。這是宗教改革中一個根本性的教義，也是聖經中一在強調的重點。這也提醒我們，信仰的核心是相信上帝的恩典，而不是依靠我們自己的努力來獲得救贖。
我曾經問過一些弟兄姊妹，“你覺得你做得夠不夠多讓你得救？” 我通常聽到的反應是“我也不敢說“或是 “我希望是”。對於這個問題的看法，從因信稱義的角度來看，是個陷阱題。因為我們怎麼做都不夠。當我們信仰基督教了以後，如果我們還把功德論給帶入這個信仰之中，那我們只是從過往的“做好事行善積德可以上天堂”從別的信仰現在穿上一套基督教的外衣而已。基督教的內涵重點就是在於，一切都是上帝的恩典，一切都是基督的功勞。就如這一段經文裡，第十一節，彼得宣告的：我們得救乃是因主耶穌的恩。羅馬書3:22清楚宣告：神的義，因信耶穌基督加給一切相信的人。世人都犯了罪，虧缺了神的榮耀，如今卻蒙神的恩典，因基督耶穌的救贖，白白稱義。
因信稱義代表的是以神為中心，以恩典為中心的信仰。而因行稱義代表的是以人為中心，以行為為中心的信仰。當我們倚靠的，哪怕只有一點點，是自己的行為的時候，所帶來的只有驕傲或是自卑，帶來的是我永遠不夠好的恐懼。唯有當我們轉向恩典的時候，才明白，上帝的愛不是因為我做的夠不夠多，而是因為耶穌代替我完成我完不成的事情，我可以白白稱義了。
所以，在基督教的善行，不再是為了累積功德去進行的行為，而是對已經獲得的恩典的回應。傳福音不是讓你獲得更多救恩，而是分享已經得到的救恩的本能。
失之毫釐，差之千里。只差一個字的教義，就決定了信仰的真正重心，也決定了我們一生的行為和態度。
在這場會議之後，耶路撒冷總會發了信給外邦信徒的信就闡明這一點了。這一場會議確立了因信稱義的核心，也重大影響了後續教會的發展。
感謝各位，我們明天繼續閱讀十五章的下半段。
The Council at Jerusalem
1Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. 3The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the believers very glad. 4When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.
5Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.”
6The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? 11No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”
12The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. 13When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me. 14Simon has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles. 15The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:
16“ ‘After this I will return
and rebuild David’s fallen tent.
Its ruins I will rebuild,
and I will restore it,
17that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,
even all the Gentiles who bear my name,
says the Lord, who does these things’—
18things known from long ago.
19“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. 21For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”
Peace be with you all. Today we are reading the first half of Acts Chapter 15, an important meeting in the early church, the Jerusalem Council.
Establishing a system of faith, defining doctrine, and finding methods of transmission actually requires a considerable amount of discussion, reflection, debate, and even arguments. Throughout Christian history, there have been many efforts aimed at establishing the core contents of faith, in order to build a correct foundation. This ensures that the faith is taught correctly during its transmission, without embellishments that could lead to significant deviations.
In more recent times, we witnessed the Reformation. In 1517, Martin Luther initiated this reform in Europe, which not only shook the religious community but also brought political and territorial changes across Europe. The historical impact of this Reformation is profound.
Similarly, in the early church, there were many instances of heretical teachings and ideas that continuously emerged and caused significant harm. These false teachings affected many people at the time because once faith deviates, subsequent behaviors will also deviate seriously from the right path. This is why today we see the emergence of so-called cults and heresies. The problem lies in the transmission of doctrine, the lack of good teaching methods, or the absence of correct core values. As a result, the transmission of faith goes off track, becoming increasingly extreme or erroneous, leading to harm for more people.
The origin of this meeting, of course, stemmed from discussions and disputes between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians. Initially, some people came from Judea, teaching that one must be circumcised according to the law of Moses to be saved. This insistence was vastly different from the doctrine shared by Paul and Barnabas. This issue was later revisited during the Reformation: are we justified by faith or by works?
The impact of this issue is immense. Although it may seem like a minor difference, when I explain why these two concepts are fundamentally different, you will understand how crucial the doctrine of justification by faith is.
In the Old Testament, we see many laws and regulations. God said that if these laws are obeyed, blessings will follow. However, throughout Jewish history, we repeatedly see rebellion, failure, and apostasy.
When we reflect on this, we can apply the same principle to ourselves. We know moral standards, we know what is good, and we know what is beautiful. But when we apply these standards to ourselves, we realize that no one can be perfect in their actions, and it is impossible to uphold all doctrines and regulations throughout one's life. Therefore, relying on works for justification—meaning achieving righteousness through actions—is filled with failure and is completely unachievable because humans are inherently weak. We ultimately cannot achieve the so-called perfection of works.
Historically, when people tried to be justified by works, they often fell into a man-centered, works-oriented religious practice. This approach leads to several issues.
Firstly, it breeds pride. We start to compare: “I do more good deeds than you, I donate more money than you, I am better than you.” Because actions vary, some people do more, some do less. When we judge a person’s goodness based on their actions, those unable to do good deeds are automatically deemed worthless. Meanwhile, those capable of good deeds, like donating a lot of money, may not have clean money or a kind heart, but they are considered good people just because they donate more. This works-based judgment standard not only leads to pride but also causes unfairness and bias.
During the Reformation, Martin Luther emphasized a crucial point: the doctrine rooted in the Bible. In the book of Romans, Paul repeatedly emphasizes, as do many New Testament letters: we are never justified by our actions but by the sacrificial offering of Jesus Christ on the cross.
Jesus Christ became the perfect atoning sacrifice, so we rely not on our own actions but on His. This is a fundamental doctrine of the Reformation, continually emphasized in the Bible. It reminds us that the core of our faith is trusting in God’s grace, not our own efforts for salvation.
I have asked some brothers and sisters, “Do you think you’ve done enough to be saved?” The usual responses are, “I don’t dare say” or “I hope so.” From the perspective of justification by faith, this question is a trap because nothing we do is ever enough. If we incorporate the merit-based thinking into Christianity after believing, we are merely cloaking the old belief of “doing good deeds to go to heaven” with a Christian façade. The essence of Christianity emphasizes that everything is by God’s grace, and all credit goes to Christ. As Peter declares in Acts 15:11: “We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved.” Romans 3:22-24 clearly states: “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
Justification by faith represents a God-centered, grace-centered faith, while justification by works represents a human-centered, works-centered faith. When we rely, even slightly, on our own actions, it only leads to pride or despair, to the fear of never being good enough. Only by turning to grace can we understand that God’s love is not because we do enough, but because Jesus accomplished what we could not, allowing us to be freely justified.
Therefore, good deeds in Christianity are no longer actions to accumulate merit but responses to the grace already received. Evangelism is not to earn more salvation but an instinct to share the salvation already received.
A slight deviation in doctrine can determine the true focus of faith and influence our lifelong actions and attitudes.
After this council, the Jerusalem church issued a letter to the Gentile believers, clarifying this point. This council established the core of justification by faith and significantly impacted the subsequent development of the church.
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