I think that sometimes we make things more difficult than they need to be, this is true not only of our everyday lives and how we approach some of the challenges that inevitably come, but also in our faith lives and how we approach our relationship with Jesus. In our first reading, it is apparent that some of those who were trying to bring about conversion, were placing undue burden upon those they were trying to convert. The issue of circumcision as a requirement of salvation through Christ is discussed, and in the end the debate requires the intervention of the Apostles and elders to quell the dissention that this teaching created. I have no doubt that based on their experience under Mosaic law, the intentions of those who presented this as a requirement were likely good, they simply had not fully grasped the transformation that had taken place through Christ, and the subsequent fulfillment which rendered much of this no longer necessary. Our Lord’s commands that we are to follow are remarkably straight forward and can be summed up with the two commands that He acknowledged as the greatest. Love God and love one another. All else is predicated on these two basic commands, and if we follow these, we will be doing well.
With respect to how to go about following our Lords commands, we are not without direct help throughout our lives if we will only allow it. God has given us the gift of the Spirit to guide us in our lives, and to work within each of us to always draw us closer to Him. I think that most of us have experienced that little voice within us when we come to a crossroads where we must make a moral choice. We may try to sometimes tell ourselves that the choices are not that simple and come up with a myriad of excuses why we need to consider more than just the obvious moral guidance that comes from the Holy Spirit. I see this so often in what politicians who claim to be Catholic say when trying to skirt around an issue of a moral choice, usually because they do not want to lose part of their constituency that might take exception to them following what they actually know to be morally correct. It happens in our daily lives as well, and when we find ourselves stumbling in conversation about a moral question or trying to justify to ourselves that the choice is not as clear as just following God’s word, we are kidding ourselves. The God of the universe has yet to encounter a problem, dilemma or issue that is beyond His understanding, and that is not covered in His perfect commands. Period. The only lack of clarity to any of these situations is that which we inject because we are arrogant enough to think that the choices, we deal with are somehow beyond His teaching. He gave us His Holy Spirit to guide us, and to free us from undue burden of figuring these choices out solely of our own accord – all we need to do is listen, acknowledge our Lords wisdom, and follow His word. There is literally nothing more to it than that. If we love God, we then innately trust Him, and if we love one another who were each created in His image, then we seek to do what is right for each other, with our focus placed on the good of our brothers and sisters, even before our own. That is the example that Jesus left us, and it is as relevant today, as it was the day He gave us his Spirit for our sakes.
Podcast Link
The Deacons Bench 
The debate in Antioch (Acts 14:26-15:2) was stirred up by some Jewish believers from Judea, who were zealous observers of the Torah. They believed that for Gentiles to be saved, they had to be converted to Judaism (be circumcised) and observe all the commandments in the Torah.
The practice of conversion of gentiles to Judaism, was a common practice among the Jews of that time. These Christian Jews as much as well intended they were, were misguided perhaps by their lack of knowledge of the Torah and its application to different groups of people. Certain Torah commandments are universal, such as, not to steal, murder, adultery and idols; but other commandments were limited to certain groups, such as Jews as a whole, or Male Jews, or Female Jews, Levites, Priests and the High Priest; commandments such as observance of the Sabbath & Festivals, dietary restrictions (kosher), ritual purifications, just to mention a few.
It took a Pharisee of Pharisees, who studied at the feet of Gamaliel, Shaul (Saul) or as he his known by his Roman name Paul, to understand that what these Judean Christians were teaching was incorrect. As beautiful that the Torah is, it is of much lesser value when compared to Christ (see Philippians chapter 3:1-11).
Saul (Paul) did understand that certain Torah observances were not required to be followed by the Gentiles. The 12 Apostles did not have a full grasp of this, since none of them were experts in the Torah as Paul was, and until recently this understanding had remained hidden to them. This changed when God revealed to Peter through a vision in Joppa, while he was in fast and prayer; and through the subsequent conversion of a God-fearing* gentile named Cornelius (see chapter 10 of Acts). God showed to Peter that gentiles could be made part of the Church through faith on Christ and that full Torah observance by gentile believers in Christ was not required for God to pour out His Spirit as He had previously done at Shavuot (Pentecost) with the disciples and the BVM.
Back to Antioch, a debate regarding the required conversion or not, arose between Paul and these Judean Christians. Though they did not agree on this issue, they did agree to take up the matter to the Apostles and the Elders in Jerusalem, with Peter as the leader among them as it is later confirmed during the Council. Upon their arrival in Jerusalem at the convened council, a great debate ensued on this issue between the Christian Pharisees, and Paul and his party. Then Peter, the leader of them all, made a motion to speak by raising his hand and made the decision on this issue explaining how God had revealed to him and his Jewish companions at Cornelius house, that conversion to Judaism (circumcision) was not necessary and that even Torah observant Jews are not saved by these observances but by placing their trust on Christ. The issue was settled, and afterwards the Apostle Jacob (James) the Lesser (son of Cleophas and ‘brother’ (cousin) of the Lord Jesus Christ), made the recommendation to write a letter from this council to the Gentile Christians in Antioch regarding the decision of the council and the Holy Spirit, on this issue (see Acts 15).
Interesting to note that this same Apostle James, was himself a Jewish Torah observant Christian and was also proud of how many Zealous Jewish Torah observants were among them (see Acts 21:20). The decision made by the council regarding limitations of Torah observance by the Gentiles did not impose the same limitations on the Christian Jews. This can be seen throughout the book of Acts and the Apostolic letters how these Christian Jews did continue observing the Torah in those commandments not required by Gentiles, such as feast observance and circumcision. For example. – Timothy (a Jew) is circumcised by Paul himself, while Titus (a Gentile) was not. Though these were not required for salvation in Christ.
* In Judaism, proselytism occurs in phases: Paganism God Fearing (rejection of idols & acceptance of the Jewish God) Conversion to Judaism (circumcision & mikvah). Cornelius was in the 2nd phase.
LikeLike