This Is The Way We Do Things Around Here

 "And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question." (Acts 15:1-2) 

Since the early Church came out of Jewish culture, with it's Jewish customs, there was the problem of leaving behind some of the practises that God had required in maintaining Jewish identity, and practice. Circumcision was one of those customs, (that according to some of the Jewish Christians) had to be apart of the requirements, for the Gentile people in becoming Christians.

In their defense, they had been bred up in the observance of it, all of their lives. It's as if they were saying: "This is how we do things around here." They embraced their faith in Jesus Christ, but at the same time, they were zealous for the law. In time it was made known, that the Gentile people were not to have the burden of keeping the law, but to place themselves under the grace of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, for their salvation. (Acts 15:8-11)

They were to leave behind the things of their culture that was offensive: They were to" abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from eating meat of strangled animals and from blood." (Acts 15:20)  

As Christians, we are to stand together on the teachings of Christ, concerning our salvation, and Christian walk. It must be what Jesus says, not what men say. There must be humility, concern, and understanding, in helping one another to come to agreement on what Jesus teaches us.

Too often the church is hurt, because of the attitude: "It has to be done the way I think it should be done, around here!" GP

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