A people for His Name

Q: Would you interpret Acts 15:14 & 17. Especially, in verse 14: taking from among the Gentiles a people for HIS NAME. And, in verse 17: And all the Gentiles who are CALLED BY MY NAME.

A: James is basically describing how the Gentiles accepting of Jesus Christ as their savior is both an expression of God's love for all mankind and the fulfillment of prophecy. In verse 14, we read that God "first showed His concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for himself." The use of the word "concern" indicates that God loved the Gentiles enough to offer them salvation. This section of scripture comes in the midst of a debate between members of the early Church over the issue of circumcising Gentile converts to Christianity. Many in the early Church believed that Gentiles must first become Jews before they could be saved (Acts 15:1) and, therefore, be required to be circumcised and obey the law of Moses (Acts 15:6). Even others didn't believe Gentiles could become Christians much less be loved by God. It is with that thought in mind that Peter was inspired to get up and proclaim that "God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe (Acts 15:7)." The message of the Gospel is that, in Christ, God has created a people for HIS NAME from both Jews and Gentiles.

In Amos 9:11-12, there is a prophecy that states God will restore the Davidic Kingdom. This prophecy is retold in Acts 15:17. Part of the fulfillment of this prophecy is God gathering His people from amongst the nations of the world, the Gentiles, through faith in Jesus Christ. In God's eyes, there are only two types of people in the world, Jew and Gentile. As stated earlier, from those two He makes His Church. Through faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ we have the right to call ourselves children of God (John 1:12). "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28)." Those who are CALLED BY MY NAME are the Christians who have been called by the Lord from amongst the ranks of the Gentiles and the Jews. The focus of this particular chapter is to establish that the Gentiles were not called to Christ in order to obey Jewish laws. All believers, regardless of whether we are Jews or Gentiles, are "a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17)!"

God did not call us to Christ in order that we burden ourselves with Jewish laws. The purpose of the law is to lead a person to Christ. "So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith (Galatians 3:24)." Paul didn't wish to be cursed and cut off from Christ, for the sake of his Jewish brothers, if adding Jesus to Jewish law was what salvation entailed. There would not have been any need for Christ to have come and died for our sins if righteousness could be attained through obedience to the law. Gentiles were already converting to Judaism prior to the beginning of Christ's ministry. That is why Acts 15 begins with the debate over circumcising Gentile converts to Christianity. As 2 Corinthians 5:17 states, "the old has gone, the new has come." Not only are we a new creation in the sense that Jews and Gentiles are one in Christ, we are a new creation in the way that we approach the life we live as Christians as well. We don't live by obedience to the law of Moses or the law of Christian denominations.

God called us to be a people for His name so that He alone would be the source of our life as Christians. It is through relying on and trusting in Him that He lives His life in and through us. And what does being called by His name mean to us? "In his name the nations will put their hope (Matthew 12:21)." "[R]epentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all the nations... (Luke 24:47)." By believing Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, "you may have life in his name (John 20:31)." "[E]veryone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name (Acts 10:43)." When Adam sinned, we all died. In Christ, we all live. God set aside the Jewish people in order that His plan of salvation would come to fruition in Christ Jesus. Now, because of what Christ has done, we Gentiles, who were once far away from God, have been made at peace with Him. Therefore, along with our Jewish brothers and sisters in Christ, "we both have access to the Father by one Spirit (Ephesians 2:18)." We have been called to so much more than to try and live a life of obedience and repentance to laws designed to modify our behavior. We have been called to a life of faith and trust in a God who guides us from within in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen!