During this counsel of church leaders, some argue against the Pharisees demands, while others support this idea. Peter stands before them and reminds them of the revelation he received prior to first preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, indicating that the gospel is for EVERYONE now: "and God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts through faith." (Acts 15:8,9)
To put it simply: God knows everything. He knows the hearts and personalities of each of his children. He understands how each of His children interacts and feels about His other children. He knows each of our strengths and weaknesses. We, however, do not have such a broad perspective and perfect understanding of each and every situation since the dawn of time and then everything that has happened since and will continue to unfold. That being said, God has a plan for each of us. He knows exactly what each of us are capable of while here in mortality and wishes each of us to make the most of our time here on earth. What might be right for one of his children, or one group of people at one time, may not be right for someone else.
For example, the Pharisees are so caught up in their traditions, like circumcision and keeping the law of Moses, that they are completely missing the incredible revelation that is happening right in front of them. Those things were important for their time and served their purpose, but none of that was necessary for the salvation of the Gentiles because Christ had already come to fulfill everything the law of Moses was building up to. It wasn't circumcision that saved the Pharisees. It wasn't the law of Moses that provided their salvation. It was the atonement of Jesus Christ. If the Pharisees really understood the purpose of those traditions, how those outward actions were a symbol of their faith and devotion to Christ, they would understand that God's plan for the Gentiles was different than His plan for them. And they would also understand that the gospel of Christ is always consistently being revealed through living prophets, and that they would continue to learn something new each and every day. Both the Jewish people of that time and the Gentiles would still receive the same blessings from living the gospel. Both groups would still qualify for eternal life through Christ- they would just have a unique, individualized journey on how they would get there.
Eventually, the counsel agreed that the spirit was testifying of Peter's perspective, and they sent a few of the apostles to give the good news to the Gentiles, telling them: "For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well." (28,29)
When we choose to be a part of the gospel of Christ, we will be asked to live a certain way and change some of our behaviors. Those changes may be easy for some, but more challenging for others. I feel I learned from this study that it is so important to remember that everyone has a unique experience in finding the gospel of Christ, as well as what is expected from them by God. What is right for one of us at one time may not be right for someone else. And that's ok. God knows each of our hearts, he knows our desires, our goals, our dreams, our fears, and each of our capacities here in mortality. Don't worry about everyone else's journey- focus on your own and you'll find more peace, joy, and satisfaction with what you've been given.
I'm so grateful for a loving Father in Heaven that knows and understands each of his children. I know not everything makes sense right now, but I know that He has a specific plan for each of His children to receive all the blessing of the gospel of Christ in His time.
Hope you have a great week!
Emily
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