DAILY TEXT Today Sunday June 16, 2024 Unless they are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, they cannot be saved (Acts 15:1).

DAILY TEXT, Today Sunday June 16, 2024, Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved (Acts 15:1).

Let us examine the Scriptures every day 2024.

Sunday June 16, 2024

Unless they are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, they cannot be saved (Acts 15:1).

In the first-century congregation there were those who insisted that non-Jewish men who became Christians should be circumcised, perhaps so that people would not criticize them (Gal. 6:12). Although the apostle Paul did not agree with that way of thinking at all, he did not want to impose his opinion, but humbly brought the matter before the apostles and elders of Jerusalem (Acts 15:2). By his handling of the situation, he helped maintain the peace and happiness of the congregation.​—Acts 15:30, 31. If a serious disagreement arises, we can foster peace by seeking guidance from the brothers Jehovah has appointed to care for the congregation. We will usually find Bible-based guidance in our publications and organizational guidelines. If we focus on following those instructions instead of promoting our personal opinions, we will contribute to peace in the congregation. w22.08 22 paras. 8, 9.

How else did Paul foster peace in the congregation?

Paul promoted peace in another way. Instead of highlighting the brothers' faults, he focused on his good qualities. For example, before finishing his Letter to the Romans, he mentioned many Christian men and women, and in most cases he added a positive comment or some personal detail about them. How can we imitate his example? Talking openly about the good qualities we see in others. In this way, we help siblings love each other more and become better friends.

How can we regain peace when disagreements arise?

Sometimes even mature Christians may have a disagreement or even an argument with others. That happened to Paul and Barnabas, who were good friends. The reason for their disagreement was whether or not they should take Mark on their next missionary journey. How did the discussion end? The Bible says, “This caused a strong outburst of anger, and everyone went his way” (Acts 15:37-39). But Paul, Barnabas, and Mark made things right. Thus they showed that for them the peace and unity of the congregation were very important. Later, Paul spoke well of Barnabas and Mark (1 Cor. 9:6; Col. 4:10). We must also resolve any differences we have with other brothers in the congregation and focus on their good qualities. In this way, we will foster peace and unity (Eph. 4:3).

What are some of the difficulties our brothers face?

12 We also edify our brothers when we strengthen their faith in Jehovah. Some have to endure ridicule from non-Witness relatives or from work or school colleagues. Others are very sick or coping with hurt feelings. And others may have been baptized for many years and are still waiting for the end to come. All of these situations can test a Christian's faith. Members of the first-century congregation experienced similar difficulties. What did Paul do to strengthen them?

How did Paul help those who were mocked for being Christians?

Paul used the Scriptures to build the faith of his brothers. For example, Jewish Christians may not have known how to respond when their relatives told them that Judaism was above Christianity. The letter Paul wrote to the Hebrews surely strengthened them greatly (Heb. 1:5, 6; 2:2, 3; 9:24, 25). Those Christians could use Paul's powerful reasoning to leave those who criticized them without arguments. And we? How can we help brothers who suffer from other people's ridicule? Teaching them to use our publications well to defend their beliefs. For example, with the pamphlets Is Life the Work of a Creator? and The Origin of Life. With five questions worthy of analysis, we can help young people find arguments to explain why they believe life was created.

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