“Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are” (Acts 15:10-11).

When Paul and Barnabas returned from their first missionary journey, they were able to report that a large number of Gentiles had become believers. This led to a controversy that resulted in the Church’s first Council. Some former Pharisees stated that Gentiles had to be circumcised. In other words, they had to come to Jesus but also keep the Jewish laws.

Peter stood up and resisted them. He pointed out two things. First, he called the laws they were discussing a yoke that he and his ancestors weren’t able to bear. That’s the key truth about the law. Nobody could keep it. That’s why Jesus came and kept it for us. Since Jesus had kept the law there was no need for us to add it to believing in Him.

The next thing Peter said saved the Church from division. Everyone is saved the same way—by the grace of Jesus. There aren’t two ways into the Kingdom, the grace way and the law way. Everyone comes through grace. The Church leaders sided with Peter. That settled the question for all time. The one way to God is through the grace of Jesus. The law reveals the problem—we are sinners. Grace reveals the solution. God has intervened in our lives with the gift of righteousness.