Council of Jerusalem

The Council of Jerusalem, described in Acts 15, was convened by the early church leaders around 50 AD to resolve a dispute over whether Gentile converts must undergo circumcision and fully observe the Mosaic Law to be saved. Jewish believers from Judea insisted on these requirements, but apostles including Peter, Paul, Barnabas, and James gathered to examine the matter through testimonies, the Holy Spirit's work among Gentiles, and scriptural interpretation. The council ultimately ruled that circumcision was unnecessary for salvation, issuing a letter directing Gentile believers only to avoid food sacrificed to idols, blood, strangled animals, and sexual immorality. This decision proved pivotal in Scripture by affirming salvation through grace alone, enabling the church's expansion beyond Jewish boundaries, and modeling Spirit-led resolution of doctrinal conflict for future generations.