The Jerusalem Council is recorded in Acts 15 and represents a critical moment in the early church, where the apostles and elders met to resolve a major doctrinal issue: whether Gentile converts must be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses to be saved.
The dispute arose when certain men from Judea came to Antioch teaching, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved” (Acts 15:1). This led to sharp debate with Paul and Barnabas, who were then sent to Jerusalem to discuss the matter with the apostles and elders.
At the council, after much discussion, Peter stood and reminded the assembly how God had used him to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 10), saying that God “made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith” (Acts 15:9). He emphasized that salvation is through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, not through the law (Acts 15:11).
Paul and Barnabas then testified of the miracles and conversions among the Gentiles during their missionary journey. Afterward, James, the Lord’s brother and a key leader in the Jerusalem church, spoke. He affirmed Peter’s words and cited the prophets, showing that the inclusion of the Gentiles was consistent with Scripture (Acts 15:14–17).
James proposed a resolution: that Gentile believers should not be burdened with the Law of Moses but should abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood (Acts 15:19–20). This decision was agreed upon and written in a letter sent to the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia.
The Jerusalem Council affirmed that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. It rejected legalism and preserved the unity of the church, showing how the early church sought guidance through Scripture, the Holy Spirit, and godly leadership.
