Today I read Acts 15 which is about the Gentile converts and whether or not they should be circumcised and have to live the law of Moses. Apparently this was very hotly contested because the Saints in those days took it all the way to the Apostles to make a decision. The most vocal proponents of having them be circumcised were some of the Pharisees that had been converted that found old habits hard to break apparently because not only did they want to see all the new converts circumcised but they wanted the Gentile converts to have to live the law of Moses too. They did not understand that Jesus had fulfilled the law apparently.
Now the Apostles understood that the Gentiles did not have to live the law of Moses but they weren't sure what to do about the question of circumcision. Peter stood up in what is probably the first General Conference of the Saints. He laid before them the sequence of events as had transpired to that point, how the Lord had told Peter that the Gentiles could hear the Gospel and be baptized. Now if I might pause for a moment, I find a very interesting parallel here. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sometimes takes a lot of flak for not allowing those with African ancestry to hold the Priesthood until 1978 despite the fact that it was Heavenly Father that forbade it, not man. And yet here in the early days of the church we see the exact same form of supposed "elitism" that the LDS church was accused of. The early Saints were not allowed to take the Gospel to non-Jews until the Lord told them it was ok. But where is the outcry and the howls of outrage? There really aren't any because it is quite obvious that it was God's choice, not mans. I wonder why such benefit of the doubt is not afforded to the Latter-day Saints on the Priesthood? Oh well, I digress.
Now Peter is talking to them rehearsing the events of how they were even allowed to hear the Gospel. Peter goes on further that there is no point to yoke them to a law that no one in it's history has been able to keep, not them and not their fathers. He is referring to the law of Moses of course. I guess even Peter did not understand that the Law of Moses had been fulfilled or perhaps he was tailoring his message to his audience, I'm not sure. But regardless what he says strikes a cord with his listeners. He then goes on to remind them that salvation does not come through the Law of Moses but rather is through the grace of Jesus Christ and that is the same for Gentiles as it is for Jews.
He then has Paul and Barnabas stand up and tell the Saints what miracles the Lord has performed among the Gentiles at their hands and reminds them that all are equal in the sight of God. This is a hard concept for some of the Jews to accept I would imagine. They had a sense of elitism their entire lives since they were the chosen people and really resented the Gentiles, especially the Romans for taking away their cultural freedom. But it's a lesson they had to learn, just as everyone has to learn it for themselves in this life. We are not better than anyone else, we are all equal in God's sight. That is important to remember and to keep in mind, because if we don't remember it on our own, God will help us remember it by helping us to be humble, an experience I'm sure most of us would like to do without.
But it is good to be reminded that we are all equal in the sight of the Lord. King Benjamin taught his people that in the Americas as recorded in Mosiah 4. God loves us as individuals and loves each of us, including those who we deem as evil. I imagine it is similar to if we had a child that murdered several people. We would be revolted and horrified by what they did, but you would still love them. So too does God love all His children and wishes they could be better than they are. But He has to rely on us, His imperfect tools to help influence their lives. But when we offer ourselves up to Him to use as He sees fit, we will be part of some wonderful experiences that will not be had any other way. It is so worth it. All you have to do is surrender your will to His, which is not always easy. But He will help you and will even help you in stages if that is what you need. Remember, He wants you to succeed. Until tomorrow.
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