BY FAITH ALONE
ACTS 15:7-11
7 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.
8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us.
9 He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.
10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?
11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."
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The message Paul preached was simple: Salvation is by faith alone. What could be clearer? But some of the ancient Jews thought Gentile believers had to do more than believe to be saved. They believed a person must also keep the law of Moses--that system of dietary restrictions and behavioral directives that goverened Jewish life in Old Testament times.
Like those Jews, some Christians today try to add to the gospel message. They insist that certain religious practices and other good deeds are necessary for salvation. But Paul would vehemently disagree. He insisted that people were saved by faith in Jesus Christ alone, not faith combined with pious activities. And he argued that God had validated the Gentiles' faith by giving them the Holy Spirit.
Paul's words are as appropriate for us today as they were back then. Salvation isn't about you doing something for God. It's about accepting what God has done for you. (For more insight on how to become a Christian, (Click Here)
