Faith & Love: A One Year Bible Reading Plan - Part 6Prøve

Today's passage from Acts 15 is all about faith and love - two of the most important aspects of being a Christian. In this passage, we see the early church coming together to decide on a difficult issue in which their faith and love are tested. The issue is whether believers should be required to keep certain Jewish customs and laws. After much debate and prayer, the church decided that believers should not be subjected to such demands but should be encouraged to show their faith and love through their actions. In fact, Peter goes as far as to say, "Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?" Acts 15:10 (ESV) The church in Acts 15 chose to show their faith and love by rejecting the notion that believers should be required to keep certain customs and laws from the Old Covenant. Rather, they encouraged them to express their faith and love through their actions. We, too, must strive to do the same. We can show our faith and love by living out the commandment to love as Jesus loved. We can also show our faith and love by being generous and kind to those around us, making it easy to follow Jesus. We can express our faith and love by serving those in need and helping those who are struggling. Just as the apostles and elders had to come together and work through their differences, so too we as believers must come together and seek unity. We must put aside our differences and focus on our common faith and love for Jesus. Finally, this passage reminds us that God will always provide a path to peace and unity. He is our peace and through Him, all things are possible. As we seek to live in unity, let us remember the words of Jesus: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” When you think about your journey as a follower of Christ, what beliefs or ideas do you still carry with you that reflect a religious mindset? How can you help others and make it easier for them to be part of a life-giving Christian family?