A Simple Man with a Simple Faith

Introduction

I am a simple man with a simple faith. Here Is my question.
Why does mankind always have to complicate the simplicity of everything? When it comes to TRUTH, and the Good News of God’s unconditional love through faith in Jesus Christ, we are to believe and receive, period!

But from the very beginning of the expansion of the Good News through the Apostles, as we read Luke’s account in the Book of Acts, someone is always, as we say in the Mid-West, “stirring the stick.”

There was this great rejoicing after Pentecost, and the infilling of the Holy Spirit. And then strife. God gave the Apostles wisdom to solve the problem and not deter the advancement of the Gospel.

Act 6:1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecian’s against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
Act 6:2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
Act 6:3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
Act 6:4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

Then in Acts 15 we have some believers, these were not non-believers trying to disrupt the advancement of God’s good news, no, there were Brethren,from Jerusalem, traveling into Gentile areas, meeting with new Believers, saying they could not receive Christ without being circumcised, committing the sin of Eve, adding to the word of God. If you have ever wondered why we have over 1000 different Denominations in Christianity, you now have the answer. Someone is always “stirring the stick”, adding something to truth.

Act 15:1 And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
Act 15:2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
Act 15:3 And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
Act 15:4 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.
Act 15:5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
Act 15:6 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.

Are you kidding me? I though we were released from all that law stuff, through faith in Jesus Christ. Yes we were. Here is the determination of the leaders of the Church in Jerusalem:

Act 15:24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
Act 15:25 It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
Act 15:26 Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Act 15:27 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.
Act 15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
Act 15:29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

It is very easy to see how people would become confused at the onset of Christianity. They had the Old Testament, The Torah, and the Talmud, which were writings of varies Rabbis’ who interpreted or explained the teachings in the Torah for the people. But they did not have any new writings because they were just then being written. Yet we are told that their teachings had “turned the world upside down!” How could that be possible? It couldn’t with out the working of the Holy Spirit, and what I call, the simplicity of the truth.

Allow me to tell you the story of a simple man and how I obtained a simple
faith.

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