ACTS 15 ALTERNATIVE INTERPRETATION

Acts 15:1-22 (first half)

Acts 15 Metaphysical Bible Interpretation

(by Charles Fillmore in the early 1900s)

https://www.truthunity.net/books/unity-bible-lessons

Metaphysical Bible Interpretation of Acts Chapter 15

Acts 15:1-21

15:1And certain men came down from Judaea and taught the brethren, saying, Except ye be circumcised after the custom of Moses, ye cannot be saved. 15:2And when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and questioning with them, the brethren appointed that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. 15:3They therefore, being brought on their way by the church, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren. 15:4And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church and the apostles and the elders, and they rehearsed all things that God had done with them. 15:5But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying, It is needful to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the law of Moses.

15:6And the apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider of this matter.15:7And when there had been much questioning, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Brethren, ye know that a good while ago God made choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. 15:8And God, who knoweth the heart, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us; 15:9and he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. 15:10Now therefore why make ye trial of God, that ye should put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 15:11But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in like manner as they.

15:12And all the multitude kept silence; and they hearkened unto Barnabas and Paul rehearsing what signs and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles through them. 15:13And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Brethren, hearken unto me: 15:14Symeon hath rehearsed how first God visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. 15:15And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,

15:16After these things I will return,
And I will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen;
    And I will build again the ruins thereof,
    And I will set it up:
15:17That the residue of men may seek after the Lord,
    And all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called,
    15:18Saith the Lord, who maketh these things known from of old.

15:19Wherefore my judgment is, that we trouble not them that from among the Gentiles turn to God; 15:20but that we write unto them, that they abstain from the pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from what is strangled, and from blood. 15:21For Moses from generations of old hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath.

Sunday, July 26, 1925: Acts 15:1-11

What is the main idea in today’s lesson? The main idea in today’s lesson is that man is to be saved, not by his observance of outer religious rites, but by doing the will of God.

Moses taught circumcision as a commandment from Jehovah to be observed by every Jew. What does circumcision represent to one in spiritual understanding? Circumcision is a symbol of the elimination of sex lust from consciousness.

Does physical observance of the law of circumcision eliminate the sin of sex lust? No. All sins originate in the mentality. The desire for sensation crops out in physical lust and its cause is not removed by mere physical mutilation. “Circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter.” Paul says that one may be circumcised in the flesh and still be unrighteous. The important thing is that one become a new creature in Christ Jesus.

Why was there contention among the early disciples of Jesus in regard to the relation which the observance of symbols bears to inner righteousness? Why does the same contention prevail to this day among the followers of Jesus? Lack of spiritual understanding is the cause of contention between those who hold for an outer symbol and those who see the fulfillment of the law in spiritual consciousness. When the followers of Jesus attain the real spiritual consciousness they will perform in Spirit the rites and ceremonies of the church.

What do we mean by performing rites and ceremonies in Spirit? Every outer thing represents some spiritual idea or principle. Through the development of his spiritual that lie back of material symbols. When these faculties are brought into action they fulfill the spiritual law, which is the law of God. When the spiritual law is fulfilled, the reform which the outer symbol represents is made complete, and the external ceremony becomes unnecessary.

Peter taught that Jews and Gentiles were equal under the divine law; that the Holy Spirit cleansed the hearts of the Gentiles exactly as it cleansed the hearts of the Jews. What great Truth is involved in this teaching? Peter's teaching revealed the universality with which the one Mind works, regardless of the religious status of the individual. God is no respecter of persons. “And he made no distinction between us, and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.”

June 22, 1941: Acts 15:6-21

What two aspects of the Christ life need to be considered by one who is undertaking to follow it? The individual and the social aspects should both be taken into consideration. He who tries to follow the Christ receives a rich reward of blessings. This individual inflowing of good fits him to bless others, to give as he has received.

Does faith play a part in settling the question whether principles or ceremonies are the more vital? Faith appeals to the conviction of man (the heart). In fact faith and conviction are one and the same thing. He whose faith is in principles holds to them and sees ceremonies as unimportant.

What determines whether one is to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit? The measure of one's faith in the Christ.

Are any rites or ceremonies necessary in connection with this baptism? Baptism with water is a rite, but the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a flooding of the whole mind, heart and soul, with the presence and power of divine love, and with this, rites and ceremonies have nothing to do.

What effect have needless rites and ceremonies on man's observance of the divine law? They make the keeping of the law more difficult for man. Giving much thought to rites and ceremonies obscures the principles they are intended to symbolize. “Why make ye trial of God, that ye should put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?”

Why are the imagination and the will (Barnabas and Paul) not more generally recognized as having power to transform the worldly side of man's nature (represented by the Gentiles)? Because rites and ceremonies are often accepted as the receptacles of religious truth and because these have little connection with the practical side of life, men sometimes keep their religious life and their worldly life of every day in separate compartments. As they realize that the imagination and the will, when illumined by faith in Christ, have power to transform all life, they give these faculties broader scope with good results.

What metaphysical meaning have the words “grace of the Lord Jesus” (by which man is “saved”)? The grace of the Lord Jesus here means the good will or favor of the Christ. All who follow the Christ way of life come to know this good will or grace as an overflowing consciousness of good.

On what basis did the abstinences rest that were required of Gentile converts to Christianity? On the basis of the principle that to be a child of God man must serve Him with the whole heart, mind, soul, and strength, and be willing to give up whatever interferes with such whole-hearted service as an individual or as a member of society.

Was the keeping of the Mosaic law discouraged by the apostles and elders? No. On the contrary they called attention to the fact that the law of Moses was preached and read every Sabbath in the synagogues of every city. The Jewish Christians could still attend these services and keep the Mosaic law and thus preserve an untroubled conscience. Any Gentile who wished to embrace the Jewish faith likewise had an opportunity to attend.

February 19, 1950: Acts 15:1-6

Under the law of Jesus Christ what is circumcision? It is purification of a person from the law of sin and death, purification of the soul.

What is the effect of this purification? The purification of the soul is expressed outwardly in the body and affairs and sets a person free from all sensual, corrupting thoughts and activities. Man thus becomes a new creature in Christ Jesus, manifesting wholeness and perfection throughout his being.

What fundamental principle of Truth was acknowledged by implication at the council of Jerusalem? The right of the individual to follow the dictates of his conscience, instead of being forced to observe traditional religious rites.

Should the observance of traditional religious rites and customs be insisted upon in Truth? The observance of traditional religious rites and customs is of spiritual value to the person observing them, only to the extent that he perceives and is inspired by their inner spiritual meaning. Observing them merely from a sense of duty does not help the individual to grow spiritually.

September 17, 1950: Acts 15:13-20

What faculty do we find most prominent in this lesson? Order, which is represented by James, the brother of Jesus.

Why are law and order of such prominent importance? Both law and order are absolute necessities to a state of peace.

What was the purpose of the conference outlined in the lesson text? The insuring of freedom in Christ for the Gentiles and peace among all the brethren. When all the thoughts are gathered together in the abiding place of peace (Jerusalem) under the authority of the Christ, they are lifted up and set free from bondage to the limitations of the sense consciousness.

What do the Gentiles represent? They represent an unregenerate state of mind that is unaware of Truth (the Christ).

Is the state of mind subject to the influence of the Christ? Yes. It is to be lifted up and reclaimed by the Christ “Galilee of the Gentiles, The people that sat in darkness Saw a great light.”

Metaphysically speaking, what “people for his name" does "God take out of” the Gentiles? The whole of life outside of the domain of the religious thoughts, ideas, and aspirations (the Jews). If only the latter are developed and made a “chosen people” in consciousness, life lacks poise and balance, but, when the intellect, the emotions, the will, and the other faculties ordinarily expressed in everyday living are called into full expression through the mind and heart of the Christ, our world becomes irradiated with the light of the Holy Spirit.

What freedom in Christ is accorded the so-called secular side of our life that is not accorded to the religious instinct? We are not required to surrender the secular altogether, but all that we do is to be permeated by the mind and Spirit of the Christ. Our religious instinct is to be dedicated wholly to God.

September 16, 1951: Acts 15:1-2

Are the bonds of custom and tradition easily broken? They are often very difficult to break, for inbred religious convictions take deeper root in the soul than almost anything else.

What is our best defense against fear? The stabilizing of our faith in God, which will lead us to rest in the assurance of divine love and power. We need a change of consciousness and of thought away from the fearful attitude that brings dread and insecurity.