Having never lived under the Jewish law, we do not by and large really understand the significance of this statement. But this was a watershed event in the life of the young Church. There was a segment of people among the believers who were Jews who sincerely believed that the gentiles who were believing on Christ were not really complete in their salvation unless they were circumcised and committed to keep the Mosaic law. So they went out to the churches among the gentiles and began to preach this doctrine. As you can imagine, this caused no small stir both among the young believers as well as the leadership — which included Paul.
Having met at Jerusalem in conference to determine what would be the official doctrine that would be espoused by all the leaders everywhere, the group listened to Peter’s reminder about the gentiles being given the gift of the Holy Spirit through faith only. Paul and Barnabas declared what God had done through them. And then James summed up the matter as recorded in the verse listed above.
Just remember, it seems GOOD to the Holy Spirit not to put upon you ANY unnecessary burden. In a world where we are sometimes overburdened with the expectations from saint and sinner alike, it’s good to remember that. God is not trying to find an empty spot in your pack to add one more bit of weight. He wants you to live a life of freedom and liberty. And He really wants you to embrace this freedom and enjoy it.
God bless you today with true liberty that can only come from Him.
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