The Holy Spirit Prevents Conflict

Acts 11:1-18

Several years ago, I was working at a home in Window Rock Arizona. The owner, a school teacher, attended a small local church. He was resentful that the Navajo people wanted to sing some of the songs in Navajo and some times they prayed in Navajo. To him it just didn’t seem right.

As we talked, I learned that he had grown up in a Germanic community in Minnesota and as a boy, the church they had attended spoke mostly German, although some of the people who attended didn’t speak the language. It had never occurred to him that the Navajos were just doing the same thing his home church did.

So often we decide something is not right because it is not the way we are accustomed to, and never check to see whether it is Christian or not. After all, we’ve been Christians for years and that’s the way we’ve always done it, so it must be right.

The Jews had always shunned associating with other peoples. The Old Testament warned them against marrying certain groups because they would turn them toward idolatry. The Jews had applied the practice to everyone, refusing to associate with any but Jews. In doing so, they overlooked God’s instructions in Leviticus 19:34. “But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.”

Having practiced the policy for hundreds of years, the Jews viewed it as right. When they became Christians, they just carried the custom over without questioning whether it was right. When the churches in Israel heard that Peter had ignored their accepted norm, they were upset and challenged his actions when he returned.

“And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.” (Acts 11:1-3)

This is the first major conflict in the Church that we know about. It had tremendous potential for splitting the church or for hindering the spread of the gospel to the gentiles. Philip had gone to the Samaritans, but even they were part Jewish. If they decided Peter was wrong, he would be forced to decide whether to listen to them or to what the Holy spirit directed him to do.

"But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying, I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me: Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.

And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat. But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth. But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. And this was done three times: and all were drawn up again into heaven. “ (Acts 11:4-10)

Peter started out by explaining the vision he had seen, and the instructions not to reject what God had cleansed because it didn’t meet his own standards or ideals. He then described the events that followed which made him believe the vision applied particularly to reaching out to the gentiles.

“And, behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the house where I was, sent from Caesarea unto me. And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house: And he showed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter; Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.” (Acts 11:11-14)

As confirmation that going was God’s will, the Holy Spirit had directed Peter to go, and when he arrived, Cornelius’ explanation of why he’d asked him had further confirmed it. That the Holy Spirit came on the gentiles in the same way he’d come on the group on the day of Pentecost made it clear there was no difference.

“And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?” (Acts 11:15-17)

It was when the Holy Spirit came on the gentiles that Peter fully understood the difference between being baptized in water and being saved, or baptized with the Spirit. As Romans 6:3-6 explains, baptism in water portrays the spiritual baptism, in much the same way as the communion portrays our acceptance of Christ’s sacrifice.

To have refused to witness to them, or to have refused to baptize them and recognize them as part of the church would have been to refuse to obey God. Because the others were also Spirit filled people, having experience with the Holy Spirit themselves, and having his discernment, they accepted what Peter shared, especially as there were six witnesses.

“When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.” (Acts 11:18)

This situation could easily have become a source of conflict. The reason it didn’t was that those involved were spiritual men. I Corinthians 3:3 tells us that conflict is the result of an unspiritual attitude. “For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?" Proverbs 13:10 names the only source of conflict. “Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.” The Holy Spirit produces meekness instead. The conflicts in Christianity today are the result of not walking in the Spirit.

That the Holy Spirit used Peter to show that Christianity was for gentiles as well as Jews avoided future conflicts between the churches Paul started and the churches in Israel.