Acts 15 asks a question the church has never fully escaped: Who put us in charge of grace?

In this Acts 15 Bible study and sermon, Pastor Jim Wilhelm examines the Jerusalem Council, Peter’s defense of Gentile believers, James’s use of Amos 9, and the church’s decision not to burden people whom God had already welcomed. When some believers insist that Gentiles must be circumcised and obey the Law of Moses to be saved, Peter stands and makes a startling confession:

“We believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” — Acts 15:11

Peter does not merely argue that Gentiles can be saved like Jewish believers. He reverses the comparison. The uncircumcised Gentiles—welcomed by God, cleansed by faith, and given the Holy Spirit—become the evidence that everyone is saved on the same terms: through the ...