Good News

One day some ex-Pharisee believers from Jerusalem, without authorisation from the Apostles and Elders, came down to Antioch, to tell the Gentile-believers there that they needed to become Observant of Moses' Law.

Paul was irreconcilably upset - he knew that such an idea threatened the very truth of the Gospel itself.

So it was decided that Paul should make the 500km journey to Jerusalem, to the Apostles and Elders, to settle the matter once and for all.

There it was agreed that it was pointless to require Gentile-believers to become Observant of the Law, seeing the Jews themselves had never been able to keep it...

...and seeing God had evidently already shown His acceptance of the Gentiles anyway, by having filled them with the Holy Spirit (which the Apostle Peter knew, because he'd heard them speak with tongues).

Any Jewish members of Gentile-churches who wished to hear readings of Moses' Law, could readily avail themselves of that opportunity, by simply attending their regional synagogue any given Sabbath-day.

It was therefore decided that a letter be sent to all the churches of the Gentiles, informing them to that effect.

Which, when the Gentile-churches heard it, they rejoiced at the good news of the grace of God!

Thereafter the churches of the Gentiles flourished unhindered, enjoying a time of growth and multiplication.

The message of salvation - freely by the grace of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, without the deeds of the Law - is good news for every language-group in the world!