[Act 15:25 ESV] 25 it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, [emphasis mine]

I read Acts 15 the other day and verse 25 hit me – particularly when it says, “having come to one accord”.  That phrase means that they were all of the same mind and all on board with the same idea.  If I hadn’t been familiar with the first part of the chapter it would have almost sounded easy – as if a group of people did some praying and brainstorming and the lightbulbs on top of everyone’s heads all went off so that the room was glowing with synergy and all of them knew at the exact same moment exactly what should be done.

But this wasn’t exactly how the first part of the chapter went and coming to “one accord” wasn’t and isn’t always easy.

The chapter starts with dissension.  Verse 1 shows us the issue.  Some guys who came from Judea started teaching that people had to obey the law of Moses in order to be saved.  Paul and Barnabas disagreed and debated the topic with them to the point that verse 2 says that they had “no small dissension and debate with them”.  That means that this was a big deal, actually a huge deal.  Paul and Barnabas held to the position that the Gentiles did not need to keep all the laws of Moses in order to be saved while the others maintained that the Gentiles did need to obey the law of Moses.  And after debating this for some time they realized that it wasn’t going anywhere and that they needed to present this issue to the apostles and elders at Jerusalem.

Once in Jerusalem here is what took place.

[Act 15:6-7 ESV] 6 The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. 7 And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them…” [emphasis mine]

…In other words, they debated the subject some more – a lot more.

Afterward Peter addressed the people who gathered to debate this, then Paul addressed them, and then finally James (the leader of the church at Jerusalem) made a decision.  In other words, once the facts were heard and the will of God was sought a decision was made.  Now here is where is starts to feel more like “one accord”.

[Act 15:22 ESV] 22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas… [emphasis mine]

That’s right, the “whole church” was on board with this idea and this brings us back to the phrase that we started with, “having come to one accord”.  They most certainly did come to one accord, but it came at the cost of fighting for it.

I am reminded what Paul said to the disagreeing Corinthian church.

[1Co 1:10 ESV] 10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.

Paul knew first hand that his command to the Corinthians wasn’t going to be easy, but he also knew that it would be worth it and that it would please the Lord and strengthen the church.

I can’t tell you how many times that I’ve seen the path that leads to one accord abandoned because it was too difficult – in marriages, in friendships, and in the church.  Being of one mind is a commandment of Scripture.  Although it might not be easy, let’s fight for being “of one accord” that the Lord might be glorified and His church strengthened.