You cannot be saved. All the external and ceremonial activities of jewish law do not provide salvation. All the traditions of men in any religion do not afford salvation. What can a man give in exchange for his soul?
The fervency of debate and dissension among the disciples as they wrestled through this, being witnesses of the Glory of Christ, gives weight to the importance and difficulty of dealing with this. In all generations since, the same challenge has been on the church and individuals of tradition, that we are somehow made worthy by what we do. It is our natural expression of self. It is the response of Cain to God requiring of him something different than he thought best to provide as an offering.
The heart of the pharisee in me wants to press on others the kinds of traditions that i think are getting me in the door. But my witness or expectation in a natural sense does not give light to God's way of dealing with us.
God who knows the heart, bore witness to them by giving them the Holy Spirit. The testimony of the gentiles is not external. It is the witness of the Holy Spirit. Their faith is no different to the faith of the Jews who trust the risen Jesus Christ. We are saved just as they are through the grace of the Lord Jesus.
The wonder of the assembly as they silently listened to the amazing things God was doing through signs and wonders have been thrilling.
The calling of the gentiles, opening the promise of eternal life, Jesus who loves me, calling me to repent, to be purified from sin, to be brought into loving fellowship, to have eternal security. I should be grateful. I should dwell on it often. I should rejoice in how he loves me. You can be saved. By the Grace of the Lord Jesus. You are known, you can be rescued through faith in him. You may have to have a challenging debate internally to unravel the reliance on your works. You're not good enough. But He is perfectly Good. You're not holy, He is. Whatever you're banking on, it better be the bank of Heaven, for all our traditions, observances, are filthy rags, but Jesus is the one we can call on to set us free into His Love, to give us an eternal inheritance, to fill us with joy. Jesus saves.
Nothing in my hands I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress,
Helpless, look to Thee for grace:
Foul, I to the fountain fly,
Wash me, Savior, or I die.
Rock of Ages - Augustus Toplady
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