Location and TimesActs 15:10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
In Acts 15 the church will have a large meeting of the apostles and leaders. They are there to discuss the Jewish desire to cause the Gentiles to live by the rules that the Jews have grown up with.
Paul is the apostle to the Gentiles and Peter is the apostle of the Jews. Grace has been hard for the Jews to understand. They are delighted to be saved and forgiven but are sure that God’s people always keep the traditional rules that they have always followed.
Paul is here to let them know that the rules are not necessary for salvation nor holy living. This was a major problem for the early church.
It is still a problem today. I have a very hard time as I see what I have always done not be followed by younger believers. I just feel like what I was taught has to be right even if I do not have clear, specific Bible verses nor teaching on the matter.
I want to learn that I do not need to put a yoke on the neck of the disciples. I want to remember that I haven’t even enjoyed many of the rules so I should never try to make others conform.
This is a very difficult step in the life of any believer as we learn that old rules aren’t always right or even best.