Bringing great joy.

Acts 15:1-3, And some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” And when Paul and Barnabas had great dissension and debate with them, the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue. Therefore, being sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and were bringing great joy to all the brethren.

The purpose of the trip was to decide a vital question: whether salvation is by faith or by circumcision. Given the importance of this question, it’s impressive that along the way they did not discuss this controversy or complain to the other believers to try to build their faction; they shared with them all that God was doing among the Gentiles. Do we look for ways to share His joy or are we consumed with dissension and debate?

Convict us when we are tempted to dissent, debate; fill us with Your joy because we are saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus, as were Peter and the Apostles.