Grace Church Eden Prairie

Pastor Troy taught from Acts 15, showing how the early church gathered to address a major question: whether Gentile believers needed to follow Jewish law to be saved. He explained that false teachers were adding requirements to the gospel, saying “Jesus plus works” instead of salvation by grace alone through faith alone. Peter responded by affirming that both Jews and Gentiles are saved the same way - through faith in Christ and the cleansing work of the Holy Spirit. James confirmed this by pointing to Scripture, showing that the inclusion of the Gentiles was always part of God’s plan. The council ultimately agreed that salvation is by grace alone, not human effort or religious rule-keeping. However, they also encouraged Gentile believers to live in ways that promoted unity and avoided unnecessary offense to Jewish believers. The sermon emphasized that grace must both be defended as sufficient in Christ and displayed in how Christians love and live with one another.