Acts of Worship

How Should We Worship?

The Word of God will be the final say as we shall be judged by it (Jn. 12:48).  Let us therefore turn to the Bible to learn the answer to the above Question.

How should we worship to be pleasing to God?

How should we worship to be pleasing to God?

“And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.  Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.” (Rev. 22:8-9)

Man is a worshiping creature.  Without command from the Bible, the history of man has been that of worship.  He has bowed himself down to different objects made by his own genius.  Without authority from God, regardless of were men dwell, they worship some one or some thing.  In order to worship God acceptably, we must do that which God has prescribed in his word.  God in his word has taught you and me the proper object of worship and the proper way and manner in which to render the acts required. Everyone that worships does not worship the right object.  Everyone that worships the right object does not necessarily worship in the right spirit or in the right way.  The combination of the above must be present in order for man to worship God.  The majestic writer of the book of Revelation would have us to know that the right object of worship is God.  Men have worshiped angels and other lesser beings, but the Bible prescribes that we worship God.  That should settle thee matter in the mind of honest people.  However, what acts do we perform in worship?

Some folks count beads as part of their worship.  Others will throw their new born babies into the Ganges river to appease the gods of wrath that have taken their punishment upon them.  Neither one of these acts are approved unto God as worship.  A long list of other things that men do and pass off as worship could also be outlined.. There is the god of fashion, the god of recreation, the god of sports and hunting, the god of mammon, and the list continues.  All of these are gods that men worship, but these are in contrast with the God of the Bible.

Remember that worship must be in spirit and Truth.  Truth is as the Bible commands it.  Jesus said, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (Jn. 17:17).  Since the word of God is truth and God cannot lie (Heb. 6:18), then we need to turn to the Bible to see what God accepts as acts of worship.

In Acts 2:42, the scriptures says, “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”  The apostles’ doctrine was simply the things which the apostles taught.  That which the apostles taught is further enumerated by the rest of the verse.  The apostles taught breaking of bread as an act of worship.  The Lord’s supper was partaken of on the first day fo every week (Acts 20:7).  The people were taught to give as they had been prospered (1 Cor. 16:2).  Notice that men were no longer commanded to tithe, but to give as they had been prospered.  For other pertinent facts on giving see 2 Cor. 8-9.

The apostles also taught that prayer was an act of worship unto God.  Paul, an apostle, commanded, “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17).  Jesus taught that men should pray and not faint (Lk. 18:1).  Also, in this list and completing it, we are commanded to sing and make melody in our hearts unto God (Eph. 5:19).  Unless we do these things in the prescribed manner., we cannot say that we have worshipped God acceptably.  What does it take to constitute and act of worship which meets God’s approval?  The act must be directed unto God, the right object; second, it must be done in spirit, which means prompted by the right motive and third, the act must be in truth or according to God’s word, with is the Truth.

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Your Bucket List

Your Bucket List

Over the last few years, individuals have started making lists of the things they want to be sure they accomplish before they die. The term used for these lists is bucket lists. This phrase likely is used because it contains the goals a person plans to reach before they “kick the bucket.”

Is your bucket list full? Do you have any goals?

Is your bucket list full? Do you have any goals?

I have a niece whose list contains the goal of visiting all fifty states. This came about because years ago her friend challenged her to see which of them would be the first to do this. Another friend’s list was to visit all seven continents before he died. Because his father had connection with the airlines, he was able to visit the Antarctica and checked that goal off his list.

David had a “bucket list.” Because of the book of Psalms, we know so much about the heart of this godly man. By reading the psalms, we can change our hearts to be like the heart of the man who had a heart like God. It may seem strange, but David only had one item on his “bucket list.” Take time to meditate on the one thing David wanted to accomplish more than anything else. “One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple” (Psa. 27:4).

Paul had a “bucket list.” Paul wrote half of the books of the New Testament. In one of these, he looked at all which he had done. Compared to what was still on his list they were rather meaningless. He said, “I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead” (Phil. 3:13-14). He wanted one thing above everything and that was to reach the prize awaiting those who respond to the upward call of God.

Do you have a “bucket list”? A bucket list may help you to keep focused and give you goals to drive you to do more in your life. They are sometimes “fun” to make and compare them with others to see what they have on their lists. However, just make sure that you have something on your list which is like that one thing both David and Paul wanted to accomplish and had on their list.

Also, take time to make sure that it heads your list. What things do you want above all others to accomplish in your life? If you make a list, just remember that whether or not you accomplish everything on your list really will not matter as long as you do the first thing on the list. Even if you do not have a formal list, make sure that written on your soul are words of David and Paul.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years you will be thankful for the first thing you had on your list!

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Difficult Words

 The Most Difficult Words to Say

Difficult words are hard to say...

Difficult words are hard to say…

The four most difficult words to say: “I have done wrong.” We generally do not like to admit that we have done wrong. One reason is pride. Pride is one of the most dangerous sins that affect humanity. It was the first one listed in God’s list of hated sins: “These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look…” (Prov. 6:16-17). Another reason is denial due to self- deception. As we have often stated tongue-in-cheek, “‘Denial’ is not just a river in Egypt.” The danger of deception is always prevalent (1 Cor. 6:9; 15:33; Gal. 6:7; Eph. 5:6; 2 Thess. 2:3; 1 John 3:7), but the most dangerous is self-deception. “Let no man deceive himself” (1 Cor. 3:18; cf. Gal. 6:3; James 1:22, 26; 1 John 1:8). Satan is the great deceiver (Rev. 12:9), and he has convinced many who are plagued with sin that they have not done wrong. Thus, we must be true and honest with ourselves whenever we look to the word of God as a mirror of our souls (cf. James 1:22-25).

The three most difficult words to say: “I am sorry.” Closely akin to the aforementioned words, this is the next step of digression. Even when one may be willing to admit that he has done wrong, he may not be willing to apologize for it. This is where rationalization enters. We know that we have done whatever action, but we are unwilling to say, “I am sorry.” Apologies are often difficult to express. It must come from a heart free from selfishness and pride. Those who find it difficult to apologize have developed hard hearts. Conversely, the psalmist declared, “…a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise” (Ps. 51:17). How many times have we planted ourselves behind our pews during the invitation song and refused to walk down the aisle because we are ashamed to say, “I am sorry” whenever we know we have done wrong?

The two most difficult words to say: “Thank you.” Ingratitude is among the ugliest sins (cf. Rom. 1:21). Even from youth, we as parents teach our children to express gratitude. Nevertheless, children who never learn to say, “Thank you,” grow up into adults whose character reflects unkindness. When individuals do things for us, whenever people help us, when friends even do little things to express kindness and love, we ought always to say, “Thank you” (cf. Luke 17:11- 19). How amazing it is that these two little words can signify so much!

The single most difficult word to say is, “No.” All sin comes from an unwillingness to say this single word. Whenever Satan tempted Jesus in the wilder – ness, He responded three times by quoting scripture that reiterated His expression: “No!” Whenever we face temptation, we are at a crossroads—do we give in and yield by saying, “Yes,” or do we stay resolute to what we know the Bible teaches and resoundingly say, “No.” It is so easy to give, but it is very difficult in the heat of various trials and temptations of life to say, “No.”

Let us resolve to learn how to say these difficult words. What a blessing our lives to God will be!

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Elijah Prophet of God

Elijah Prophet of God

It would become one of the most spellbinding historical accounts of the power of God. This showdown was bigger than any NFL Super Bowl or the Summer Olympics. This was an event that would be verbally passed on for hundreds of generations to come. A single man had come to stand up against some of the abominations that were occurring, and hundreds were present to watch. The teams were grossly uneven, yet a man named Elijah was not afraid. He exclaimed to the crowd gathered there: “I alone am left a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men” (1 Kings 18:22). Elijah was ready and willing to serve on the front-line.

The Bible does not give much indication of the outward appearance of this courageous man. The only indication comes after King Ahaziah heard from his messengers, the King inquired: “What kind of man was it who came up to meet you and told you these words?” They answered him, “A hairy man wearing a leather belt around his waist.” And he said, “It is Elijah, the Tishbite” (2 Kings 1:7-8 emp. added). Yet we know that God does not look on the outward appearance. It was Elijah’s courage and righteousness that separated him from the mainstream people of his day. A cursory glance around his society would quickly reveal devotion to false gods (Baal), ritual prostitution, and child-sacrifice. Elijah refused to give in to the religious tolerance of his day, and he was determined to do something about it. Thus, we find him taking center stage at a showdown on Mt. Carmel.

His decision to stand for truth and righteousness had earned him the nickname “troubler of Israel.” Like many individuals before him and many individuals who would follow, Elijah was ridiculed for pointing out that the societal norms were sinful. In 1 Kings 18:16-19 we learn:

So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah. Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?” And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and have followed the Baals. Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table” (emp. added).

Not wanting to be marked as a “troubler of Israel,” many today remain silent and watch as the world continues to imbibe on a diet of ungodliness. The very next verse tells us: “So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel” (1 Kings 18:20).

The location of Mt. Carmel was one of panoramic beauty. A mountain that rises over 1600 feet in elevation, it is located majestically beside the Mediterranean Sea. But we can safely assume this grandiose setting was no home-field advantage for Elijah, for we learn he “repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down” (1 Kings 18:30). This was a place that had long forgotten the importance of worshipping the One True Living God. Additionally, at this showdown Elijah did not jump up and demand a coin-toss so that he could go first. Instead, he encouraged those who were doing wrong to step up to the plate and demonstrate the power of their beliefs. Elijah asked the prophets of Baal to prepare their bull first and validate the power of their false god.

The outcome of this showdown was nothing less than phenomenal. After watching the prophets of Baal beg, pled, and later cut themselves so that Baal might hear and light their altar, Elijah mocked them, ridiculing their efforts. He even suggested that maybe Baal was “meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened” (1 Kings 18:27). Then Elijah took center stage and lay bare of the power of the Jehovah God. He built a trench around the altar and requested water be placed all around the trench, sending them back even a third time for additional water. The stage for the final showdown was set. This soldier for God had come to fight.

Rather than doing some amazing feat or ritual dance, Elijah then turned to God in prayer. He prayed: “Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again” (1 Kings 18:36-37). Elijah’s prayer was immediately answered in a powerful fashion. Fire from God reigned down and “consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench” (v. 38).

Before we finish the account regarding this man who was proud to serve on the front-line, I want to consider a radically different ending to this showdown. If the showdown at Mt. Carmel were presented on a modern-day DVD, we could theoretically press “Disc Menu” on our remote and select “alternative endings.” Think about where you would be today if the Bible contained the following alternative endings:

  • On the day he was to go to Mt. Carmel for the showdown, Elijah became nervous and scared, and he decided that maybe those religious abominations were not really that bad. After all, he realized he could live a lot easier life if he simply found a home and faded away from the spotlight. With the pressure and stress of the upcoming showdown mounting, Elijah decided to forego the entire spectacle. And so, on that life-changing day, Elijah was a no-show. (Years later we find Elijah further compromising and joining the prophets in their worship to Baal.)
  • On the day he was to go to Mt. Carmel, Elijah realized he had some important business at work that needed to be finished, so he decided to put off the showdown. After all, he was busy now and he could demonstrate his religious zeal at a time that was more convenient for his career. Surely, God did not expect him to take time from work or lose some prospective business. And so, on that life-changing day, Elijah was a no-show.

But Elijah is not the only religious person who has been on the front-line. Consider some additional alternative ending from other biblical accounts:

  • Noah, a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5) got fed up with preaching the Truth and not converting anyone outside of his family, so he abandoned the Truth in favor of a more “appealing” message to those around him. He began preaching cotton-candy sermons that tickled the ears of his neighbors. Having been ridiculed for decades for wasting his time building the ark, Noah decided to stop construction and began to devote his time to “programs” that would entertain the masses. His new attitude and his new message helped convert thousands. Then it started to rain. The animals came together to be placed on an ark, only to find it uncompleted. And so, on that life-changing day, Noah was a no-show.
  • Peter, a fisherman had the distinct honor of preaching the first Gospel sermon in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. His named was forever etched in history. So why did it fall to his lot to teach a Gentile? You can’t be serious! After all, it had taken him a great deal of time to get over grief and embarrassment of denying Jesus. He was still being singled out for that moment of weakness. And now he was supposed to introduce salvation to this dirty bunch of Gentiles? Surely God didn’t want the first gospel preacher to lower himself and spend time with a man named Cornelius. Peter, realizing the intense scrutiny and embarrassment this single event might bring upon him, decided to postpone setting up a study with Cornelius, and instead focused his efforts in a more comfortable works of the church. And Cornelius died, having not been baptized. And so, on that life-changing day Peter was a no show.
  • Mary knew Jesus was supposed to “grow and become strong in spirit, filled with wisdom” (Luke 2:40), but she was tired. She’d been working all day, and she really didn’t have the energy to fill His mind with wisdom from the Scriptures. After all,
    Jesus would probably get enough Bible teaching from the priests in the Temple. So like she did most days, she sent him out to play games with the neighborhood kids. She even justified her actions because on a recent trip to Jerusalem, Jesus had stayed at the Temple when they went for the Feast (Luke 2:42). I mean really, how weird is it to have a child that interested in the ancient Scriptures? That’s not “normal.” Obviously, Jesus needed to get out and experience some of the joys of life. What would a life filled with games and entertainment hurt? Besides, with Jesus out of her hair she could enjoy some of her own hobbies. So for the next decade Jesus was able to grow up unencumbered by home Bible study or devotionals. He was free to play. And then Jesus “was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil” (Matthew 4:1). Having not prepared his mind to combat the devil with Scripture, Jesus fell back on what He knew—entertainment, games, and fun. Years earlier, on the life-changing days when Jesus should have been growing in wisdom, Mary was a no-show.
  • Esther had it made. She was the new queen (Esther 2:8-22). She was living a comfortable life until her cousin Mordecai asked her to approach King Ahasuerus on behalf of the Jews. Who was Mordecai to ask her to do something like this? She was busy. She had so much going on in her life at that moment. After all, she was just a woman, and she was comfortable on her throne (pew). Esther knew going in front of the King could result in her losing her life! Why make any ripples or endure a confrontation when things were so peaceful? So she decided rather than stepping out on the front-line that she would continue her busy weekly routine and “hope” things got better. As a result, Haman’s evil decree was enforced, and many Jewish families met their demise. And so, on that life-changing day, Esther was a no-show.

This is just a small sample of “alternative endings.” Thankfully, the people we read about in God’s Word were not satisfied with simply sitting in the pew or doing the minimum. They knew they needed to serve God on the front-line. Who can forget the life-changing moment when Mordecai reminded Esther: “Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14, emp. added).

How many times have zealous new Christians looked around auditoriums to find apathetic Christians who are satisfied with giving God 1-2 hours per week, only to then walk back out into the world? Where does the zeal of these new Christians come from? Could it be these individuals have a fresh reminder of what God really did for them, and now they are willing to “spend and be spent” in service to God? They look around and see the sin that we overlook each day, and they want to do something about it. Many newly baptized Christians become surprised and discouraged by New Testament Christians who are willing to tolerate (and maybe even embrace) secular abominations. If you were to hold a mirror to your life (and actions), would that mirror reveal a life that is tolerant or one that is ready to defend the tenets of God? Are you zealous or comfortable sitting in the pew? If we are going to make positive changes in our nation, we must rekindle our zeal and remind ourselves what God has done for us. It’s only when we fully understand the complete picture of His beautiful plan for salvation that we realize being a Christian is more than “clocking in” on Sunday morning.

So what happened to Elijah? He won the showdown on Mt. Carmel. Ironically, however, after Elijah went through his Mt. Carmel experience, he ran off scared and became depressed. He had probably hoped for an immediate change, and was unable to see God’s full plan for him. In 1 Kings 19:9-10 we read: “And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ So he said, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.’”

How many times have we felt alone in a world drunken with sin? However, God reminded Elijah that he was far from alone. After telling Elijah to get up and go to the Wilderness of Damascus, God stated: “Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him” (1 Kings 19:18). God wanted Elijah to know that he was not alone on the front-line. And neither are we. Elijah’s ultimate fate is revealed in 2 Kings 2:11 where we learn “as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.” His ending resulted in him being taken directly by God, having not tasted death. What will be your ultimate ending? Are you ready to serve on the front line or are you content with alternative endings? Too many Christians view their Christian voyage as if from the deck of a luxury cruise ship. They want to remain comfortable. And yet, the Lord has called faithful Christians to serve on battle ships. Only then can we know we are prepared for that life-changing day, for “who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

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Trying to Find Paul

Forget About Waldo, Where’s Paul?

Forget Waldo, Where is Paul?

Forget Waldo, Where is Paul?

The Bible is consistent and inspired. However, many try to find “mistakes” or “contradictions” in the holy text. One area where this is the case, is that of Paul’s whereabouts following his conversion. Important areas of text which cover this time frame are: Acts 9:17-30, Acts 11:19-30, Acts 15:1-4, Acts 22:16-21, Gal. 1:15-21, and Gal. 2:1.

The items to be examined for contradiction/clarification are:

  1. Does the Bible contradict itself regarding where Paul went immediately following His conversion?
  2. Does the Bible contradict itself regarding how long Paul was away from Jerusalem?

Question One: Where did Paul go immediately following His conversion?

Acts 9:18 – Paul was baptized.

Acts 9:19 – states for several days he was in Damascus.

Acts 9:20 – uses the word “Straightway” (immediately) he preached Jesus.

Acts 9:22 – Paul was proving Jesus as Christ (From Scriptures?)

Acts 9:23 – the Jews were plotting to do away with Paul.

Acts 9:24 – Paul learns of Plot

Acts 9:25 – Paul either shared this knowledge with disciples or they found out as well.

The next passage in this text, Acts:26, discusses “when” Paul had come to Jerusalem. The assumption by many readers is that Paul immediately went to Jerusalem from Damascus.

Let’s now view text in Galatians concerning this matter.

Gal. 1:15-16 – Paul is converted and does not consult with men (learn their understanding of the gospel).

Gal. 1:17- Paul did not go up to Jerusalem but to Arabia, then returned to Damascus.

Gal. 1:18 – this states it was three years before Paul went to Jerusalem to get to know Peter.

Gal. 1:21 – Paul went to Syria/Cilicia which is the area of Tarsus.

The cries of “Biblical Contradiction” come at this point. For was it not Acts 9:26 that said Paul went to Jerusalem following his conversion? Well, no. Actually, the passage said “when”. That “when” could have been at any time. According to Gal. 1:18 states that “when” was three years following Paul’s return to Damascus.

Let’s look at more text confirming Gal. 1.

Acts 22:17 – talks about “when” Paul returned to Jerusalem (Thus his return would be the first time).

Acts 22:18 – Paul is told in a vision by Jesus that he is to leave Jerusalem.

Acts 22:21 – Paul is sent to the gentiles (Tarsus/Cilicia)

Acts 9:26 – This is the same time as Acts 22:17 and Gal. 1:18. The disciples were afraid of Paul.

Acts 9:30 – Paul is sent to Tarsus (Syria/Cilicia)

Acts 11:25 – Barnabus goes up to Tarsus (Syria/Cilicia) and takes Paul to Antioch.

Following this, we have very clear Biblical reference as to where Paul Goes.

Thus, No Contradiction exists. We have two confirmations of Gal. 1 from Acts 22 and Acts 9 about where Paul goes following His conversion. He teaches in Damascus and then goes to Arabia. We know as soon as he visits Jerusalem that he ends up in Tarsus. We have clear documentation about his travels following that. From Acts 11, he goes to Antioch, then a contribution to Jerusalem and back to Antioch. Finally, he goes on his first missionary Journey. Thus, he could not have went to Tarsus before he went to Arabia for three years. That would definitely be a contradiction of scripture.

Side Question: When did Paul receive the Holy Spirit?

Acts 9:17 – Ananias said he was sent to enable Paul’s sight and Paul’s filling with the Holy Spirit.

Gal. 1:12 – Paul received the Gospel from Christ directly.

These are the only verses we have in regard to this topic. These do not specify at what moment Paul received the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit.  My opinion, is it is likely Paul did receive gifts shortly after baptism. We know he immediately started to preach Christ – Acts 9:20. However, we do not see his first recorded miracle until Acts 13:11.

Question 2: Does the Bible contradict itself regarding how long Paul was away from Jerusalem?

Gal. 1:17-18 – Following trip to Arabia and a return to Damascus for three years, Paul goes to Jerusalem.

Gal. 1:21 – “Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia”

Gal. 2:1 – “Then after an interval of 14 years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabus.”

The focus of the passage of text in Galatians from Gal. 1:11- 2:21 is that Paul did not consult any supposed leaders of the Gospel to determine what he should teach. He lists time frames in which he sought out or met the apostles as examples of his independence (yet unity) in the Gospel. Noting in those time frames he was not looking for knowledge about the Gospel. In Gal. 2:1, the text does not say he stayed away from Jerusalem for 14 years. It merely mentions another time in which he went to Jerusalem seeking the apostles.

Let’s look at a bit more text:

Acts 9:26 – Paul came to Jerusalem (three years after return to Damascus)

Acts 9:27 – Barnabus takes him to the apostles.

Side Question: What apostles?

Gal. 1:19 – Paul meets “Apostles” Peter and James the Lord’s brother.

Contradiction? Many know that James the Lord’s brother was not one of the 12. Why would they call him an apostle? There is great discussion regarding this passage. However, rather than dwell on it, there were others in the Bible referred to as apostles at times: Barnabus being one of them. The word apostle means messenger or one set forth with orders. Also it is used in reference to eminent Christian teachers. Thus, while in reference to the twelve in the Bible, it was not exclusive to them.

Now let us continue with our second question:

Acts 9:30 – Paul is sent away to Tarsus.

Note: This is in the region of Syria and Cilicia. Exactly where our Gal. 1:21 text said he went after Jerusalem.

Acts 11:25 – Barnabus is sent to Tarsus to look for Paul (having already been acquainted with him).

Acts 11:26 – Barnabus brings Paul to Antioch.

Acts 11:30 – Barnabus and Paul go to Judea (of which Jerusalem is a part)

Acts 12:25 – Barnabus and Paul return from Jerusalem

Acts 13:2 – Barnabus and Paul are sent on the first missionary journey by the Holy Spirit.

Acts 14:26-27 – Paul and Barnabus return to Antioch.

Acts 15:1-4 – Paul and Barnabus are sent to Jerusalem to discuss the issue of circumcision.

An examination of the council at Jerusalem in Acts 15 and the text of Gal. 2:1-10, show this is the same instance. This was the 14 year time span since Paul’s conversion. From the above text, we see that the reference could not be a 14 year absence from Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabus had been there years earlier. Rather, the time of 14 years was simply a notable visit in which Paul approached the apostles there. Thus, No Contradiction exists.

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