If you were to die today, why should God let you into heaven? It’s a great question, right? So how would you answer? To put it another way, on what basis would God allow anyone into heaven? It was a revolutionary question in the life of the early church, as Acts 15 makes clear, and it was essential to articulate a clear answer. The future of the church depended on it. At the end of the previous chapter, Paul and Barnabas reported to the church at Syrian Antioch how God had worked mightily on their missions trip. The Gentile mission was gaining momentum. Non-Jews were coming to faith in Christ also! (14:27). It was an answer to prayer, a cause for great rejoicing! Unfortunately, it also disturbed the peace and unity of the church. A major dispute arose when some people began teaching that these Gentiles had to be circumcised and keep the law of Moses in order to be saved. Paul and Barnabas strongly disagreed. So they were sent to Jerusalem, the church headquarters, where a council was organized to resolve the issue (v 1-6). Today, many people trust in their own behavior, being told that all they have to do to get into heaven is to live a good life. This is not good news, however, for in God’s eyes, no one is good. All have broken His law. If you are good, you don’t need Jesus or the gospel. But no one fits this category. God sent His Son for people like us—undeserving sinners, entirely dependent on His grace. The council of apostles and elders came together to address this very issue. Are we justified before God by faith alone, or is it faith plus something else? Peter is first to speak, gently reminding everyone how the issue first arose when God led him to present the gospel in the home of a Roman centurion (v 7-11). Paul and Barnabas share their stirring testimony (v 12), and then a wise judgment is rendered by James, the brother of Jesus and head of the church in Jerusalem. Like Peter and Paul, James understands that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone. He also quotes Scripture to show how God’s salvation was always intended to include Gentiles (v 13-18). At the same time, James says that Gentile believers should be encouraged to abstain from a few practices which might offend their Jewish brothers and sisters. While they don’t have to become Jews, a little sensitivity would go a long way in the eyes of those who cherished those Jewish laws and customs. And believers must still obey God’s unchanging moral law, so a timely reminder about sexual purity is highlighted also (v 19-21). A letter is personally delivered to convey this encouragement, and the church in Antioch rejoices (v 22-35). For further meditation: