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The theme for our reflection is “Where have we seen this before?” It is a rhetorical question that expresses an impossibility of the existence of a thing or phenomenon. The expression also means something that is unheard of, has never happened before or unprecedented. We shall deliberate on the question where have we seen this before, that grace is obtained through the law?

Dear friend in the Lord, some Jews who had become Christians were under the erroneous impression that Gentiles who have been saved should also be circumcised like the Jews under the Abrahamic covenant in Genesis 17:10-14 , “But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.” (Acts 15:5). Peter explained to the leadership of the early Church that it is impossible for grace to be obtained through circumcision or the requirement of the Mosaic law. “Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.” (Acrs 15:7-12). In other words, in the New Covenant, circumcision is not a requirement.

Beloved in the Lord, salvation is the free gift of God to humanity through faith in Jesus Christ. In the New Covenant, the only requirement is the circumcision of the heart and not of the flesh. The Gentiles were saved because they believed in Jesus Christ. There was no need for circumcision as proof of their salvation. Paul also re-emphasized Peter’s words when he wrote that “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9). In other words, circumcision does not qualify a person for God’s salvation and grace. What qualifies us for God’s grace and salvation is repentance, regeneration through the power of the Holy Spirit, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. It is important to reiterate that faith and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is sufficient for our salvation. African christians, do not need any form of additional ritual cleansing, ceremony, and the adornment of herbs, beads and the application of anointing oil and the consumption of special concoction before our salvation will be made complete in Jesus. Dear friend in Christ, where have we seen this before? Apart from repentance and faith, did Jesus ever mention any other means of obtaining salvation? When we come to Jesus, we must have nothing to do with our former ways. The Council’s letter to the Gentiles stated that “For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.” (Act 15:28-29). Genuine repentance and faith in our Lord Jesus as our Lord and Saviour and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit is all we need, nothing else is needed!

In summary, we have reflected on the theme and rhetorical question: “Where have we seen this before?” We have learned that it is unheard of or unprecedented for grace and salvation to be obtained through other means except through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. In other words, repentance and faith are the only requirements needed for salvation in the New Covenant.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, thank you for saving us and also making our salvation unburdensome through the gift of repentance, regeneration, and faith. May the Holy Spirit grant us deep insight and knowledge of the Scriptures so that we will not be misled. Amen.