Acts 15 sets the stage for the controversial issue of salvation by faith or by lawkeeping and circumcision. It threatened to divide Gentile churches from Jewish churches, and the issue needed to be dealt with decisively. Yet, there are some principles that can help the 21st century church as we deal with controversy as well.

We have seen that Satan wants controversy and will do all that he can to make it happen.

We have seen that in dealing with controversy, issues must be dealt with, not personalities. We need to be willing to humble ourselves, step out of the picture and not allow our pride to keep us from resolving the issue.

We need to be willing to allow all to have their say, yet no one to have their way. Truth must prevail, and the Lord’s church must be glorified in all that we do. The first thing that needs to be on our mind is the LORD and HIS church.

As we continue to look at this issue, we need to be sensitive to everyone’s conscience. In the letter that was written to the Gentile churches about this matter, we find some concessions that were right and acceptable to the Lord and His commands, and were true from both the Old and New Testaments.

The Gentiles were instructed to abstain from four things: things polluted by idols, fornication, things strangled and from blood. They were not to practice idolatry (because such is an offense against the jealous and One God); they were not to practice fornication (associated with many of the pagan cults of that day), and they were not to eat things strangled and with blood (this law had been given to Noah and his family after leaving the ark—preceding the Old Testament law of Moses—Genesis 9:4-5). These things could be practiced by all, and if the Gentiles would do this, they would not offend the consciences of the Jews among them.

Let us pray to God that all Christians were sensitive to the consciences of others. Would that we knew one another well enough to know what would offend and seek not to offend for the sake of offending, but for the promotion of the truth. When truth is preached, some will be offended, yet this is not what we are discussing. We are discussing the consciences of a well meaning brother or sister who, for whatever reason (their background, their knowledge or lack of knowledge, etc.), is offended by something that is right, or offended because a stronger brother does something that they believe to be wrong. When they grow more, they will realize that it is a non-issue.

As we have looked at this subject and learned some things that will help us as we deal with controversy, there is one thing that becomes so clear to all—the souls of all of us are at stake, and we must do all we can to prevent the loss of even one precious soul. This is why your way, my way or the other person’s way must not be followed. We must follow the Lord’s way! WE MUST LOVE ONE ANOTHER ENOUGH TO DEAL WITH CONTROVERSY FORTHRIGHTLY, BUT WE MUST LOVE ONE ANOTHER ENOUGH TO SEEK THE GOOD OF EVERYONE’S SOUL—NOT JUST OURS. This recaptures the sense of community and unity the early church had that we seem to find so lacking today. Do we love one another enough to be sensitive?