Acts 15:1-12 Saved by Grace or by the Knife?

Acts 15:1-12 Saved by Grace or by the Knife?
The Council at Jerusalem

      1Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2And when Paul and Barnabas had great dissension and debate with them, the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue. 3Therefore, being sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and were bringing great joy to all the brethren. 4When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them. 5But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.”
      6The apostles and the elders came together to look into this matter. 7After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8“And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; 9and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. 10“Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11“But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.”

      12All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were relating what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.


 “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
Leviticus 12:3
'On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.

5But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.”

10“Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?

11“But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.”

Why do men "put God to the test"? Why do we always add to the Grace of God for salvation?
Grace is mentioned in the King James Old Testament 39 times and in the New Testament 131 times!
Here is an interesting bible word count website  link.
http://www.christianbiblereference.org/faq_WordCount.htm

The Jews in the Old Testament added to the Law which one might be cleansed from sin. Jesus spoke many times of the yoke they added to the people.
Here we have man adding to the salvation through Jesus Christ another stumbling block, the use of a knife for circumcision to be saved.
Did Jesus tell the thief on the cross before I see you in paradise you must be circumcised? Did He tell him you must be baptized before you can enter heaven? Did He tell him you must go to church on the Sabbath before you can be saved?

We must be careful and weary of the legalists that "put God to the test", that burden you with a yoke around your neck and make a requirement above Grace for salvation! Jesus made it abundantly clear, believe in Him, receive Gods gift of Grace and be saved. Doing so removes your sinful past from your soul and enter heaven by the Grace through His Son, Jesus Christ!

Does your church add a requirement to Grace for salvation?
If so try changing your church or change churches!

Blessings David

http://www.christianbiblereference.org/faq_WordCount.htm