The Baptism of the LORD (NT)

Acts 15:1-21

But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” ² And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. ³ So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers. ⁴ When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. ⁵ But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”

⁶ The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. ⁷ And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, 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 gospel and believe. ⁸ And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, ⁹ and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. ¹⁰ Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? ¹¹ But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”

¹² And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. ¹³ After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. ¹⁴ Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. ¹⁵ And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,

¹⁶    “ ‘After this I will return,

       and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen;

       I will rebuild its ruins,

and I will restore it,

¹⁷    that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord,

and all the Gentiles who are called by my name,

says the Lord, who makes these things ¹⁸ known from of old.’

¹⁹ Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, ²⁰ but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. ²¹ For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”

The Apostles recognized that Moses should be or just plain is read every Saturday. The Torah should be read on a weekly basis, we should remember the instruction and witness of Moses. Moses instructed us to circumcise on the eighth day. The Apostles tell us that circumcision is not as important as other things. The Gentiles need not be circumcised, but they must abstain from idolatry, sexual immorality, and bloody food. 

Somewhere through the years bloody food has become more of the modern staple. People likewise in our modern age are more than happy to make idols for themselves and openly commit sexual immorality. It is necessary for us to follow the Law of Moses. You have failed to hear, listen, or obey the Word of God.

St Paul bears witness to the real testimony of God. "we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” It is the gracious gift of God to save us from our shortcomings. Jesus has died for the forgiveness of our sins. He even forgives the idolaters, and sexually immoral. He washes us clean in the waters of Baptism, claiming us to be his own just as the removal of foreskin marked one to be a son of God. God continues to mark his people upon the forehead and upon the heart as one redeemed by Christ the Crucified.