In today’s world, we are all experiencing Culture Wars to some extent. The media is full of the unrest. Whether it’s what we stand for or what we’re against, it’s easy to fall prey to divisive rhetoric, but this is nothing new. The Bible speaks clearly to every issue we face, and Acts shows us they even had Culture Wars then too.

Read: Acts 15:1-3

Respond: Over which Old Testament law were they arguing?

This was an Old Testament sign and seal of God’s covenant people that no longer applied, yet the people of Antioch were so deep in their legalism that they could not let go. They couldn’t accept that the New Testament sign and seal was water baptism and the Holy Spirit. Therefore, Paul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem to speak to the apostles about it. Along the way, they stopped and ministered to the people of Phoenicia and Samaria, carrying out the Great Commission as mentioned earlier in Acts.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” —Acts 1:8

Notice that it took a little opposition to push them out of their comfort zone. Before then, they made excuses for sticking close to home. There were many right there who needed to hear the Word. Jesus had instructed them to go into all the world, but they put it off. So He made things a little uncomfortable for them.

Journal: Has there ever been a time that you made excuses for not following the call of God? Did uncomfortable circumstances prod you to obey? Share the experience here.

One of the hardest things we deal with in the church is legalism. Many find comfort and security in our laws; but this can cause us to put faith in our works and not the grace of God. Great theology shouldn’t give us confidence in God’s covenant; the Holy Spirit is the only one who can.

Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.” But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die. —Galatians 2:16-21

We cannot be a people of freedom and a house of legalism. The two can never reside together. God sent His Son to die on the cross so we could have true freedom in Him. Why then would we need to work for it? The Holy Spirit empowers us through our imperfection; His grace is the greatest when we are weak. The Spirit is the conduit of grace in our lives.

Legalism does the opposite; it severs us from all of God’s grace. When we make our personal convictions law for someone else, it can divide. In a culture that shares so much on social media, we often find ourselves divided by what others say and do. This is not how God intended us to live. When we fully acknowledge God’s grace in our own lives, we can extend it to others.

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. —Ephesians 2:8-9

Only the Holy Spirit can bring a diverse house together. He enables us to operate in unity even though we are not all the same. We must lay aside our sinful nature and preferences and submit to the Holy Spirit to guide our way.

Whatever you are struggling with today, His grace is sufficient. His forgiveness is enough. It is for freedom that Christ set you free. He is all you need.

Journal: Recall a time that you operated out of your sinful nature or preferences, and it caused division between you and someone else. After listening to “Culture Wars: Acts Part 10,” how would you handle this differently?

Activation: Using the prayer below, ask the Holy Spirit to help you identify any area of legalism in your life and write them down.

Prayer:

Holy Spirit,
Thank You for loving me and sending Your Son to die on the cross and rise again so I can have true freedom in You. I have spent far too many years trying to earn Your acceptance when You have already given it freely. Forgive me for not standing firm in Your new covenant of grace. I’ve allowed legalism to weigh me down. I ask that You would bring to mind any areas of legalism still in my life and deliver me from its bondage so that I may live freely in the love and acceptance You have extended to me and so that I may also extend that same love and grace to others. Amen