The objective of this lesson: to affirm that primary accountability among Christians who differ with each other is to God. Each Christian must live as one who will explain his/her convictions to God.
A major divisive issue in the first century Christian community was the relationship between Jewish Christians and gentile Christians. Neither Jewish Christians nor Jewish people were opposed to the conversion of people who were not Jews [gentiles]. Jews had been converting gentiles for a long time (Matthew 23:15).
Help your students understand there were difficult problems in the early church. You can use 1 Corinthians 5 and Galatians 2:11-14 as illustrations. Do not get into an in-depth discussion about 21st century concepts of disfellowship. If necessary, state simply to your class that you cite these two incidents to illustrate that the church of the first century also confronted problems.
There were two types of gentiles who were attracted to Judaism [the Jewish religion]. One type was known as 'god fearers.' Cornelius was that kind of gentile (Acts 10:1,2). These gentiles believed in the God the Jews followed, often attended synagogues, and adopted some Jewish practices [Cornelius was benevolent to Jews in need and offered daily prayers]. However, these people did not submit to circumcision and other acts involved in full conversion.
Stress that a "God fearer" believed in the God the Jews worshipped and obeyed, but did not leave his/her culture and fully convert to Judaism.
The second type was proselytes. These gentiles fully converted to Judaism. Though they were born to gentile parents in a gentile environment, they adopted Jewish culture and Jewish traditions in the conversion process. Basically, they abandoned their old culture and immersed themselves in the Jewish culture.
Stress that a proselyte was a gentile who fully converted to Judaism and adopted Jewish culture as his/her own culture. Jewish tradition and teachings determined the way he/she lived. For an example of proselytes and the existence among Jewish people, turn to Acts 2:5,10.
The critical step in gentile conversion to Judaism was circumcision. All devout Jews were circumcised eight days after birth (Genesis 17:12). Please remember this was a religious rite, not a hygiene practice. Circumcision was the Jewish family's affirmation of Israel's covenant with God and their commitment to continue allegiance to that covenant into the next generation. Among devout Israelites, it was unthinkable that anyone could be a part of 'God's chosen people' without submitting to the rite of circumcision (see Genesis l7:13 and Exodus 12:48). If gentiles were to enter a covenant relationship with God, they (a) must become a part of the nation of Israel and (b) they must be circumcised [the two acts were mutually inclusive].
Devout Jewish people placed enormous importance and significance on the religious rite of circumcision (see Genesis 17:9-14 and Exodus 12:43-48). Numerous non-Jewish people regarded circumcision as a physical mutilation of the body. All such mutilation was to be rejected. For many reasons including this one, the decision to be circumcised was a huge decision for many gentiles.
One can note the seriousness of this matter among Jewish Christians by reading Acts 11:1-3 (the Jewish Christians' response to Peter's association with Cornelius, his relatives, and close friends--Acts 10:24) and reading Acts 15:5 (the reaction of some Jewish Christians to the baptism of uncircumcised gentiles--Acts 15:1).
Devout Jewish people commonly regarded circumcision to be one of the dividing lines between Jews and gentiles.
This intensely emotional debate WAS NOT about the right of gentiles to be saved by entering covenant with God. It WAS about HOW gentiles could be saved by entering a covenant relationship with God. Paul in preaching the gospel to gentiles did not require them to be circumcised or to follow Jewish traditions. Paul did not oppose Jews doing such things, but he did not bind Jewish practices on gentiles (see Galatians 2:7-9).
It is important that today's Christians understand the foundation issue in this debate. Stress the foundational issue was not may gentiles enter a saved, covenant relationship with God. The foundational issue in this disagreement centered on how gentiles were to receive a saved relationship with God. First century Jews [the greater majority of them] affirmed gentiles could be saved and have a relationship with God. The issue concerned how gentiles entered that saved relationship with God.
The majority of the Jewish Christians, especially many in the first congregation, declared Paul's approach to saving gentiles was wrong and would not work. God's grace and mercy, alone, would not erase the gentiles' pagan past. Jews knew how to get paganism out of these former idol worshippers. They had experience in that matter! They were qualified to declare to Paul, "Your way will not work! Your way is wrong!"
Most Jewish Christians rejected Paul's teaching that God's grace and mercy in Jesus Christ were all that was necessary for gentiles to be forgiven of and escape from their lifestyle in idolatry. Jewish Christians commonly affirmed gentiles could escape their idolatrous past through an indoctrination process that ended in circumcision.
Paul wrote letters to two different groups who were distressed by the opposition of Jewish Christians--Galatians and Romans. To verify to yourself that this was the critical issue as Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, read Romans 11 [the entire chapter] and Romans 16:4 [noting the reference to the churches of the gentiles].
Paul wrote the letter of Galatians because of undesirable Jewish Christian influence/teachings in congregations of Asia Minor [or congregations in the Roman province of Galatia]. He wrote the letter called Romans because of the same undesirable influence/teachings of Jewish Christians in Rome.
In the collective church at Rome, there were two distinct and identifiable groups. One group was strictly vegetarian [in a desire to eat nothing sacrificed to an idol], observed special religious days, and refused to drink wine. The other group purchased meat anywhere and ate any meat, considered every day to be alike [there are no religious days], and drank wine. The first group was Jewish Christians. The second group was gentile Christians.
Romans 14 documents both groups existed in congregations in Rome. The religious practices of each group was quite different. Religious convictions separated the groups!
Paul's basic instruction to both groups was to leave each other alone. (1) Accept each other, do not hold each other in contempt or judge each other. (2) All of you are God's servants, not each other's servants. God will make both groups stand! (3) Never forget the actions of each group arise from a desire to honor God.
Stress that God's concerns and priorities are represented by these three understandings.
Special attention is called to Romans 14:11,12: For it is written, "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall give praise to God." So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God (quoting from Isaiah 45:23).
The issue was not 'does this brother/sister in Christ agree with my convictions as a Christian.' The issue was 'know you will explain your convictions [including your motives] to God.'
The central point: each person will explain his convictions and deeds to God. In the context of Romans 14, the issue is not focused on what's in these two Christian groups, but on how their convictions (a) honored God and (b) showed respect to Christians who disagreed with them. It is sobering to realize (a) we were not charged to force Christians who disagree with us to conform to our convictions and views, but (b) we were charged to remember that we will explain our convictions and views to God Himself.
Stress the focus is not on a process but on relationship. 'In' and 'out' was not based on an approved system to be defended, but on motives to be affirmed.
The point of Romans 14 was not centered in personal frustrations or an adamant determination to control. The point of Romans 14 centered on destroying Christians who disagree with 'me.' Paul spoke of those who were in Christ leaving Christ. Paul spoke of Christians abandoning salvation in Christ, not the 21st century practice of 'changing congregations' in order to be among those who 'see things like I do.' Paul said to Jewish and gentile Christians that it was a serious matter to cause one in Christ to abandon the Savior who died for him/her. For that action, one will answer to God. To declare to God that the Christian who left did not agree with 'my' views will be an unacceptable answer.
This scripture is frequently misused by today's Christians. It is not about giving control to weak Christians. It is not talking about frustrated Christians who keep their faith but go to another congregation. It is about men and women who are Christians but leave Christ because another Christian demands control of emphasis or procedures. It is about respect and caring that seeks to nurture rather than to abandon. Problems are not resolved among Christians by drawing lines. Problems are resolved among Christians by having and showing respect.
For Thought and Discussion
The discussion must include the fact that Jewish Christians and gentile Christians expressed faith in God [the same God] quite differently.
God fearers and proselytes look favorably on Judaism. God fearers believed in the God the Jews honored, but had not been circumcised. Proselytes had been fully converted to Judaism, were circumcised, and lived according to Jewish culture and tradition.
The vast majority of Jewish Christians insisted on the circumcision of the gentile convert.
The issue was what must gentiles do to be saved. The issue was not can gentiles be saved.
"Be fully convinced within yourself as to your motives, but leave each other alone."
Each Christian shall explain to God the reasons for and motivations behind his/her convictions.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 12