So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren. And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them. But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses." Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter. Acts 15:3-6

The question of whether God was saving Gentiles as Gentiles, or whether they had to become Jews in order to become Christians was heating up. So the young Church did the right thing: key leaders met to seek the Lord’s will concerning the matter.

The two sides were clearly defined, and just as clearly divided. In (v.3-4) Paul and Barnabas were not only eyewitnesses of how God graciously saved many Gentiles—but they were His instruments in doing so!

In (v.5) the more religiously inclined Jewish believers (the Judaizers) were firmly entrenched in their belief that only Jews could be saved. If Gentiles were to become Christians, they had to become Jewish as well.

Who was right? We know, not only from history and personal experience, but more importantly from the Word of God, that Paul and Barnabas were right and the “Judaizers” were wrong.

Gathering together to seek God’s will, and thus maintaining unity in the Church was greatly to be preferred to being divided into two churches (Jewish and Gentile). This is especially true since this is not a “doubtful matter about which sincere believers may disagree.

Let us learn from this that in matters of essential doctrine (which this matter was), we must seek unity. In matters about which differences of opinion are acceptable, let us disagree agreeably. And let us, as Paul bids us in Ephesians 4:3, “endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”