Luke did a great job of recording the history of the birth of the church in his book The Acts of the Apostles. One of the dilemmas we face when reading the Bible is reading each verse with a magnifier as compared to reading for lighthearted enjoyment. Once we put on our super-sleuth hats we see that Acts chapter 15 has a lot of different faith factions and moving parts. People did not all agree on policy or procedure, and as the church was new, the one thing they all had in common was believing Jesus was the Messiah. Everything else had to be hammered out. Paul records some of these events differently from Luke. Paul sees this as a spiritual war. We are in a similar dilemma as we have many organizations, religions, denominations, and factions, that disagree on everything except that Jesus is the Messiah. The fractions and factions in Christianity allow Satanas’ to slip in unaware. Paul describes subverters, spies, and hypocrites. Because we have these divisions in the Body of Christ we are not looking at people within our organizations as being sent from Satanas, we are instead focused on all our differences in beliefs. Instead we have to look at those who disturb, annoy, and put obstacles in the way of others. Let’s explore.
As Paul and Barnabas established churches, there were groups of Jews who did not believe that Jesus is the Messiah. They were damaging all of the evangelism, dividing cities, and causing confusion among the people. These people were blatantly evil. Blatant evil is seen openly. There were others who were covertly evil as we will soon see. Paul and Barnabas had healed a lame man in Lystra and then Paul was stoned and presumed dead. The disciples raised Paul from the dead, and Paul and Barnabas continued their journey, all the while the unbelieving Jews followed them around. Paul and Barnabas sailed to Antioch Syria and told everyone how God opened the door of faith to the nations. Peter had already come to this realization, so just by the hand of the Elohim the apostles are finding out what the church is to become. It is not a “converted Jews only” club but open to everyone. However, when men from Judah came to Antioch, they tried to covertly put the people in bondage.
Acts 14:27 Arriving there, they gathered the church together and declared all that God had accomplished with them and how He had opened to the Gentiles a door of faith [in Jesus as the Messiah, through Whom we obtain salvation in the kingdom of God].
28 And there they stayed no little time with the disciples.
The Amplified Bible (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1987), Ac 14:27–28
There is a word used in scripture that is often mistranslated. It is the Greek word ethnos which is translated back to Hebrew fifteen different ways, one of which is gôy or plural (three or more) gôyim. The Jews made the word gôyim a slang word with the English translation Gentiles. They try to denote that the Gentiles are a lesser race of people, when in fact the word is used of Shem and his lineage as well as Ham and Japheth. Ethnos is the word “nations”. The word in the Septuagint is consistent, so the Hebrew translation which was taken from the Septuagint should have agreed, but like with most things, fifteen variations used for one word only confuses the issue. I always use the word “nations” or ethnos because that is the correct word. If the Jews want to use slang to demean others with the word Gentile we can simply see it for what it is, an attempt to elevate themselves over others.
Acts 15:1 AMP BUT SOME men came down from Judea and were instructing the brethren, Unless you are circumcised in accordance with the Mosaic custom, you cannot be saved. [Gen. 17:9-14.]
“Some men from Judea” is the first group of people we see in this chapter. They obviously disagree with the apostles and were instructing the people to keep the circumcision for salvation. They are covert in their mission or stealthy about what they are attempting to do. No one ever said one must be circumcised to be saved. One was to be circumcised if they were from the seed of Abraham. Circumcision was never a requirement for salvation. This is a lie.
Gen 17:10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
Gen 17:11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.
Not everyone who is saved is from Abraham’s physical seed. All are derived from the adam, and Noah, but Noah had three sons, Shem, Japheth, and Ham. The covenant of circumcision was between Abraham, Abraham’s seed, his household, and Yahweh Elohim, not between Japheth’s heirs, Ham’s heirs, and Yahweh Elohim. Salvation is not part of this original covenant. Just because one is circumcised does not mean that he has an automatic salvation. Someone could be circumcised and not adhere to the laws of Moses and thus not be saved. Someone could be circumcised and not believe that Jesus is Lord or that he rose up on the third day, and therefore not be saved. Circumcision was a sacrificial act proving that a covenant was made with Yahweh Elohim.
Circumcision was required to participate in the passover, Exodus 12:48. However we know that there were hardly any passovers observed. The original passover in Egypt, when the devourer passed over the houses with blood on the door posts, occurred before the Israelites were circumcised. The Israelites were all circumcised at Gilgal, after the Exodus. Since the only observed passovers were recorded by Samuel, Hezekiah, and Josiah, we have to wonder if Exodus 12:48 applied in those years. We do not see a national circumcision before those passovers.
Additionally, Moses did not circumcise his sons. When they were on the road back to Egypt, Zipporah did it because Moses and the boys became sick. The boys were young teens. She threw the foreskins at Moses and called him a bloody man. Moses didn’t want to take the time to circumcise the boys and wait for their healing before going into Egypt. If Satanas had an opportunity to accuse Moses after going into Egypt to rescue the heirs of Jacob, people would not have listened to Moses. Moses didn’t understand this, he wanted to hurry to free the people but Yahweh knew that they all needed to be circumcised before Moses led the people out of Egypt.
Acts 15:2 And when Paul and Barnabas had no small disagreement and discussion with them, it was decided that Paul and Barnabas and some of the others of their number should go up to Jerusalem [and confer] with the apostles (special messengers) and the elders about this matter.
Paul and Barnabas decided to get the opinions of the Elders and other apostles. If we remember Peter at Cornelius’ house, Peter didn’t circumcise anyone.
Acts 15:3 So, being fitted out and sent on their way by the church, they went through both Phoenicia and Samaria telling of the conversion of the Gentiles (the heathen), and they caused great rejoicing among all the brethren.
All along the way to Jerusalem Paul and Barnabas told everyone about the nations coming to salvation in Yahweh Jesus Messiah.
Acts 15:4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were heartily welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they told them all that God had accomplished through them.
5 But some who believed [who acknowledged Jesus as their Savior and devoted themselves to Him] belonged to the sect of the Pharisees, and they rose up and said, It is necessary to circumcise [the Gentile converts] and to charge them to obey the Law of Moses.
There were believing Pharisees. Paul was a believing Pharisee. Gamaliel and Nicodemus were believing Pharisees. By understanding verse five we recognize that the Pharisees had had a split or a division. There were believing Pharisees and non-believing Pharisees. Many of the believing Pharisees joined Paul in Essene schooling in the desert. These are the Assideans, the holy men from the time of the Maccabees who left Jerusalem because of the defilement of the high priesthood and moved to Damascus. These later became known as the Essenes. The Pharisaical order was shaken by Jesus Messiah in so much that they were losing their core conviction that the Messiah had not come and was not coming. Now among their order they had Pharisees who believed Jesus is the Messiah. The problem was that they adhered to their traditions and the rituals that were now of none effect. They wanted to force new Christians to live under the Abrahamic covenant.
Who are the groups we see now? We have non-believing Jews. We have men from Judah. We have the apostles. We have nations. We have the church leaders and elders. And we have the believing Pharisees. What we know is that the non-believing Jews simply wanted people to stop believing in Yahweh Jesus Messiah. The men from Judah, the apostles, the nations, church leaders and elders, and believing Pharisees, all believed Yahweh Jesus Messiah. Yet they all thought different things concerning the Mosaic law, traditions, and procedures. Ultimately the issue of circumcision is not an issue of salvation. It is a covenant between Abraham, his heirs, his household, and Yahweh Elohim. It is doubtful that we can trace our lineage to Abraham although many people try. They wish to appropriate the status of an heir of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, dividing themselves from the masses as heirs of the promise, and especially dividing themselves from Ishmael.
Let’s remember the heart of the matter. People from Judah came to Antioch Syria and said that the nations had to be circumcised to be saved. Circumcision was not an act that brought salvation. Circumcision set the heirs of Jacob apart from the heirs of the Nephilim at that time. Today the heirs of the Nephilim are circumcised along with many other cultures and religions. Paul sees these men from Judah as evil. Who sent them and why were they overthrowing the faith of the Antioch Christians? If we recognize the Pharisees had a two hundred year history of overlording and oppressing people, we can see that it may be that the “men from Judah” were sent by believing Pharisees, but were not Pharisees themselves. Or did someone else send them?
Acts 15:6 The apostles and the elders were assembled together to look into and consider this matter.
7 And after there had been a long debate, Peter got up and said to them, Brethren, you know that quite a while ago God made a choice or selection from among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the message of the Gospel [concerning the attainment through Christ of salvation in the kingdom of God] and believe (credit and place their confidence in it).
8 And God, Who is acquainted with and understands the heart, bore witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit as He also did to us;
9 And He made no difference between us and them, but cleansed their hearts by faith (by a strong and welcome conviction that Jesus is the Messiah, through Whom we obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God).
Peter says that what all the nations need to do is to believe the gospel message of Jesus being Lord and Messiah and believe that he rose up on the third day. There were no sacrificial acts to perform. No temple sacrifices to adhere to. No other rituals necessary. Peter gets a bit testy.
Acts 15:10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting a yoke on the necks of the disciples, such as neither our forefathers nor we [ourselves] were able to endure?
11 But we believe that we are saved through the grace (the undeserved favor and mercy) of the Lord Jesus, just as they [are].
This settles the entire matter as to whether we keep circumcision as a condition of salvation. It also settles whether we keep the Mosaic laws. We do not. The temple was defiled for many years. There were hardly any national passovers. The priesthood after the exile in Babylon had been defiled by Jonathan Apphus. By the time of the first century, the temple was desecrated with polluted rituals again. Jesus shed light on the phony religious leaders and their new rules and laws. Now the apostles recognize they have entered an age of grace. Paul and Barnabas add to the conversation.
Acts 15:12 Then the whole assembly remained silent, and they listened [attentively] as Barnabas and Paul rehearsed what signs and wonders God had performed through them among the Gentiles.
13 When they had finished talking, James replied, Brethren, listen to me.
14 Simeon [Peter] has rehearsed how God first visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people [to bear and honor] His name.
15 And with this the predictions of the prophets agree, as it is written,
16 After this I will come back, and will rebuild the house of David, which has fallen; I will rebuild its [very] ruins, and I will set it up again,
17 So that the rest of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles upon whom My name has been invoked,
18 Says the Lord, Who has been making these things known from the beginning of the world. [Isa. 45:21; Jer. 12:15; Amos 9:11, 12.]
James recognizes that Yahweh will bring the nations to himself.
Acts 15:19 Therefore it is my opinion that we should not put obstacles in the way of and annoy and disturb those of the Gentiles who turn to God,
Do not annoy and disturb people turning to the Elohim. Do not put obstacles between the nations and Yahweh Elohim.
Acts 15:20 But we should send word to them in writing to abstain from and avoid anything that has been polluted by being offered to idols, and all sexual impurity, and [eating meat of animals] that have been strangled, and [tasting of] blood.
21 For from ancient generations Moses has had his preachers in every town, for he is read [aloud] every Sabbath in the synagogues.
When people seek after the Elohim they will know where to look for instruction. They will go to the synagogues, churches, Bible studies, and youth groups. Don’t annoy them, let them go. Don’t put obstacles in their way.
Acts 15:22 Then the apostles and the elders, together with the whole church, resolved to select men from among their number and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, [both] leading men among the brethren, and sent them.
23 With [them they sent] the following letter: The brethren, both the apostles and the elders, to the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings:
24 As we have heard that some persons from our number have disturbed you with their teaching, unsettling your minds and throwing you into confusion, although we gave them no express orders or instructions [on the points in question],
25 It has been resolved by us in assembly to select men and send them [as messengers] to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
26 Men who have hazarded their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ.
27 So we have sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will bring you the same message by word of mouth.
28 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to lay upon you any greater burden than these indispensable requirements:
29 That you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from [tasting] blood and from [eating the meat of animals] that have been strangled and from sexual impurity. If you keep yourselves from these things, you will do well. Farewell [be strong]!
Notice how James implies the men from Judah went on their own to Antioch and that he didn’t tell them to go. He also doesn’t call them “believing Pharisees” which implies that they were not believing Pharisees. This is the type of side step that every politician can dance to. Who sent them? Someone else.
James sends two prophets, Judas and Silas, to the church at Antioch to make sure they understand this is not just the words of Paul and Barnabas, but the words of the people in Judah. These church leaders and elders conferred with the Holy Spirit about this issue. It is a fair question to ask how many times our leaders and elders confer with the Holy Spirit before telling people what to think, how to feel, or what to do.
Acts 15:30 So when [the messengers] were sent off, they went down to Antioch; and having assembled the congregation, they delivered the letter.
31 And when they read it, the people rejoiced at the consolation and encouragement [it brought them].
32 And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets (inspired interpreters of the will and purposes of God), urged and warned and consoled and encouraged the brethren with many words and strengthened them.
33 And after spending some time there, they were sent back by the brethren with [the greeting] peace to those who had sent them.
34 However, Silas decided to stay on there.
35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch and with many others also continued teaching and proclaiming the good news, the Word of the Lord [concerning the attainment through Christ of eternal salvation in God’s kingdom].
When Judas and Silas had been there a while the people sent Judas back to Judah, however Silas stayed on. The interesting thing is that the people were happy and rejoiced that the “rules” were not unto salvation. Salvation comes by believing and believing brings salvation by grace. The rules were not to eat things offered to idols, don’t eat or drink blood, don’t eat the meat from strangled animals, and stay away from sexual impurity. Easy rules the people can follow. Now every time some men from other places come to Antioch trying to annoy, disturb, or put obstacles in their way, they already know the answer. Paul tells us what started these events in Galatians.
As we know, unity in the church usually brings divisions. It is Satanas’ way of doing things. If he sees the church unite, he will cause a split. The sad part is that no one really recognizes that it’s happening and all parties go their own way and do their own things. This happened to Paul and Barnabas. They determined that they should revisit the churches they established but they split up instead.
Acts 15:36 And after some time Paul said to Barnabas, Come, let us go back and again visit and help and minister to the brethren in every town where we made known the message of the Lord, and see how they are getting along.
37 Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark [his near relative].
38 But Paul did not think it best to have along with them the one who had quit and deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone on with them to the work.
John Mark was Barnabas’ cousin, not nephew. Barnabas was a Levite who was a believer in Jesus as Messiah. He was from Cyprus. Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark, had gone from Cyprus to Paphos, to talk to Sergius Paulus, the deputy of the country. There they met the Jewish sorcerer and false prophet, Elymas Barjesus. After that adventure they all left for Perga. John Mark did not continue with Paul and Barnabas but quit. For most of us, if we were involved in such exciting ministry we would boldly press on, but in this case, John Mark wanted to leave. Did he have a better offer?
Acts 13:13 G321 And having embarked G1161 G575 from G3588 G* Paphos, G3588 the ones G4012 around G3588 G* Paul, G2064 they came G1519 unto G* Perga G3588 G* of Pamphylia. G* And John G1161 G672 retreated G575 from G1473 them G5290 and returned G1519 unto G* Jerusalem.
Colossians 4:10 G782 [3greets G1473 4you G* 1Aristarchus G3588 G4869 2my fellow-captive], G1473 G2532 and G* Mark G3588 the G431 cousin G* of Barnabas, G4012 concerning G3739 whom G2983 you received G1785 commands, G1437 (if G2064 he should come G4314 to G1473 you, G1209 receive G1473 him!)
It is possible that John Mark wanted a leadership position in the church organization? Paul seemed to believe John Mark was not a good fit for the mission. The disagreement was fierce.
Acts 15:39 And there followed a sharp disagreement between them, so that they separated from each other, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus.
There had already been a disagreement between Paul and Barnabas. At the time of this very incident, “the men from Judah incident”, Barnabas was swayed to hang out with the believing Jews.
Galatians 2:THEN AFTER [an interval] of fourteen years I again went up to Jerusalem. [This time I went] with Barnabas, taking Titus along with [me] also.
2 I went because it was specially and divinely revealed to me that I should go, and I put before them the Gospel [declaring to them that] which I preach among the Gentiles. However, [I presented the matter] privately before those of repute, [for I wanted to make certain, by thus at first confining my communication to this private conference] that I was not running or had not run in vain [guarding against being discredited either in what I was planning to do or had already done].
3 But [all went well!] even Titus, who was with me, was not compelled [as some had anticipated] to be circumcised, although he was a Greek.
4 [My precaution was] because of false brethren who had been secretly smuggled in [to the Christian brotherhood]; they had slipped in to spy on our liberty and the freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might again bring us into bondage [under the Law of Moses].
5 To them we did not yield submission even for a moment, that the truth of the Gospel might continue to be [preserved] for you [in its purity].
The Amplified Bible (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1987), Ga 2:1–5.
First we note the men from Judah were brought in secretly. Who sent them? Were they sent by someone in Jerusalem? Paul says that they are pretend Christians. Shouldn’t the leaders and elders have noticed that they were pretend Christians? Paul says they stealthily entered to inspect insidiously (kataskopeō) or were a downward sentinel. Who sent the downward sentinels? Was it the prince of the power of the air? They were there to spy on their freedom. It is one thing to have a bunch of rules and laws that no one can keep, but make people free and Satanas’ head explodes. He cannot condemn anyone who is free in Christ. Satanas wants people enslaved. The men from Judah were not sent from James as he states, but they were part of their group. Paul points them out as evil and has no tolerance for them. We see the contrast here.
The men from Judah came to spy out their freedom in Christ. Were they hiding behind the precepts of the believing Pharisees who believed in keeping circumcision and the law? Were they a front group attempting to stop Christianity from spreading? James says he didn’t send them and he didn’t tell them to disturb them, but Paul says they were spies wanting to put them in bondage. Are there insidious sentinels sent down from Satanas in the church today, spying on us, trying to put us into bondage? Was this a retaliation for the Elymas Barjesus blindness episode? Remember the letter, James says the men from Judah came from the Jerusalem group but were not sent, and then says not to annoy, disturb, or put obstacles in front of the nations. This pretty much quashes the disruptors with a smile. Notice this next part of Paul’s letter.
Galatians 2:9 And when they knew (perceived, recognized, understood, and acknowledged) the grace (God’s unmerited favor and spiritual blessing) that had been bestowed upon me, James and Cephas (Peter) and John, who were reputed to be pillars of the Jerusalem church, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, with the understanding that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised (Jews).
The Amplified Bible (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1987), Ga 2:9.
James, Peter, and John Mark, were the “pillars” of the church leadership and elders. This is where John Mark ended up. He probably liked being a pillar for a while and not traveling the world. They aren’t the most spiritually observant “pillars” in Christianity. The pillars decided that Paul and Barnabas should go to the nations and they would go to the circumcised Jews. I suppose they didn’t think going to the nations would amount to much, but they probably liked the offerings collected for them.
Galatians 2:11 But when Cephas (Peter) came to Antioch, I protested and opposed him to his face [concerning his conduct there], for he was blameable and stood condemned.
12 For up to the time that certain persons came from James, he ate his meals with the Gentile [converts]; but when the men [from Jerusalem] arrived, he withdrew and held himself aloof from the Gentiles and [ate] separately for fear of those of the circumcision [party].
13 And the rest of the Jews along with him also concealed their true convictions and acted insincerely, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy (their example of insincerity and pretense).
14 But as soon as I saw that they were not straightforward and were not living up to the truth of the Gospel, I said to Cephas (Peter) before everybody present, If you, though born a Jew, can live [as you have been living] like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how do you dare now to urge and practically force the Gentiles to [comply with the ritual of Judaism and] live like Jews?
The Amplified Bible (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1987), Ga 2:11–14.
Here we see the whole story. When Peter came to Antioch he hung out with the nations, the gentiles, the people of Antioch. He ate with them, prayed with them, and sang praises with them until the men from Judah came, those who were spies that bind. It frightened Peter, the pillar from Jerusalem, to be seen with non-Jews, the people of Antioch. Peter probably didn’t know what to do. There was some type of spiritual pull on Peter to lure him into behaving this way. But he wasn’t the only one behaving like a hypocrite. If it had only been Peter, then that would have been one thing, but Barnabas got carried away too. The downward insidious sentinels had some spiritual power over these believers.
It is always a disappointment to find out that someone who we thought was a super spiritual Christian is not. It is a sad state of affairs to recognize that people are fallible humans and not perfect. People get lured and sucked in by demons, or principalities and powers, all the time. Paul was sharp. Barnabas and Peter were not. This does not mean that Barnabas and Peter were not good Christians, they were simply not spiritually sharp Christians at this time. But then we see Peter got up and torched the council meeting with his fiery speech. This tells us that Paul’s words here at Antioch woke Peter up.
Notice here how the Amplified Version calls Gentiles, “heathens”. The gôy or gôyim are no more sinners than the Jews are. Just keep the perspective clear.
Galatians 2:15 [I went on to say] Although we ourselves (you and I) are Jews by birth and not Gentile (heathen) sinners,
16 Yet we know that a man is justified or reckoned righteous and in right standing with God not by works of the Law, but [only] through faith and [absolute] reliance on and adherence to and trust in Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). [Therefore] even we [ourselves] have believed on Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the Law [for we cannot be justified by any observance of the ritual of the Law given by Moses], because by keeping legal rituals and by works no human being can ever be justified (declared righteous and put in right standing with God). [Ps. 143:2.]
The Amplified Bible (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1987), Ga 2:15–16.
Paul hammered the people who were supposed to know better. Remember in Acts 10 when Peter had the visions on the roof of the animals, both clean and unclean. That is what made sense to Peter later when he went to Cornelius’ house. Peter should have known better as he got Cornelius’ entire household saved and spirit filled before even baptizing them in water. Some people would say that Peter did it backwards, but Yahweh did it that way for a reason. Because no one is justified by works of the law. There are no observances or rituals that justify us, we are not saved by works. There is no prescribed order, only the direction of Yahweh. Peter the pillar was an apostle to the Jews who stayed in Babylon and he evangelized them and established churches there.
Barnabas went to Cyprus which is where he was from, with his cousin John Mark. Barnabas wrote an Epistle that we can learn a great deal from. However Luke doesn’t record anything else from this point on regarding Barnabas. Barnabas may have spiritually missed the insidious downward sentinel spies, but he was still a believer in Christ.
Acts 15:40 But Paul selected Silas and set out, being commended by the brethren to the grace (the favor and mercy) of the Lord.
41 And he passed through Syria and Cilicia, establishing and strengthening the churches.
The Amplified Bible (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1987), Ac 15:1–41.
Paul tells the Galatians the story of going to Jerusalem with the back story of the insidious sentinel spies as hindsight. Then Paul goes on to tell us the details as to how Peter and Barnabas were fooled, without mentioning they were fooled, by asking the Galatians a question.
Galatians 3:1 O YOU poor and silly and thoughtless and unreflecting and senseless Galatians! Who has fascinated or bewitched or cast a spell over you, unto whom—right before your very eyes—Jesus Christ (the Messiah) was openly and graphically set forth and portrayed as crucified?
2 Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the [Holy] Spirit as the result of obeying the Law and doing its works, or was it by hearing [the message of the Gospel] and believing [it]? [Was it from observing a law of rituals or from a message of faith?]
The Amplified Bible (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1987), Ga 3:1–2.
Who cast a spell over you? Who bewitched you? What a great question. Peter and Barnabas became spellbound, and did not see what was happening to them. Paul confronted them and woke them up. Paul says the false brothers were there to spy out their freedom. It is possible the insidious sentinels sent from Satanas bewitched John Mark as well? All we know is that this doctrine of circumcision and bondage to the law comes by witchcraft to steal our freedom in Christ. Why wouldn’t Satanas send his evil workers to annoy, disturb, and put obstacles in the way of Christians?
Galatians 3:3 Are you so foolish and so senseless and so silly? Having begun [your new life spiritually] with the [Holy] Spirit, are you now reaching perfection [by dependence] on the flesh?
The Amplified Bible (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1987), Ga 3:3.
The work of the ministry is not easy. Putting together many groups and factions and getting them to all agree is a hard job. We may never all agree. But we know that we are free in Christ Jesus. We do not need rituals or sacrifices to be saved. What the men from Judah said was a lie and we have to be bold like Paul to cut through those types of spells with the sword of the Spirit. There are many deceivers and false Christians in the world, they are everywhere. Don’t be fooled by them, simply remember what James said. If someone puts obstacles in the way, or annoys or disturbs you, you have a clue from scripture that this is wrong. Also don’t fall for a spell or bewitching, the enticing or luring to do something or to behave in a way not normally aligned with the Christian faith. Scripture is our standard. The men from Judah were fake Christians using the believing Pharisees doctrines to destroy the church at Antioch. They brought spiritual power with them but we can send the men of Judah packing if we know their tricks. There is nothing new that will happen to people in the church that can’t be overcome by the Holy Spirit. Live Free in Christ!
