Jewish Christians Wore Life Jackets

God’s laws and blood sacrifices were life jackets on a sea of sin for Jews until His Son became the real sacrifice.

Christians were on dry ground but the ‘faith plus works’ Jews kept their life jackets and insisted the Gentiles wear one.
‘Life Jackets’ were:
1. Believing Pharisees: “...must be circumcised and follow all the Jewish customs.” (Acts 15:5)
2.“...friends of James...who insisted that circumcision was necessary for salvation.” (Gal. 2:12)
3. Men...from Judia “...taught the brethren...‘Except ye be circumcised...ye cannot be saved.” (Acts 15:1)
4. “friends who think you have to obey the Jewish laws to be saved.” (Gal. 4:21)
5. “Many who walk along the Christian road who are really enemies of the cross of Christ.” (Phil. 3:18)
6. “There are many who say all Christians must obey the Jewish laws. It must be stopped.” (Titus 1:10)
7.“You are being fooled by those who twist and change the truth about Christ.” (Gal. 1:7)
8. Thousands of Jews, James and elders: “Thou seest, brother, [Paul] how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law.” (Acts 21:20)
9. Christians Jews practiced the ‘Day of Atonement’ where the church removed sins with a scapegoat.

What heartache for Jesus to see them believing that leader’s prayers and a scapegoat removed their sins.
Ten years before he was charged with being against God’s laws, Paul tried to teach them:
“The Jewish laws were our teacher and guide until Christ came to give us the right standing with God through our faith. But now that Christ has come, we don’t need those laws any longer to guard us and lead us to him. For now we are all children of God through faith in Jesus Christ.” (Gal. 3:24-26)
“He died to annul that whole system of Jewish laws.” (Eph. 2:15)