When I read the book of Acts, it seems evident to me that the apostles, and other leaders, of the church community were not always right in what they believed and how they led. They were all called by God to be leaders, they all loved the Lord, they all wanted the best for the community… but, at times, they were also dead wrong on some very important points of theology. The way they came to realise this was normally through another believer, either inside their group or out, who helped them, gracefully, see their error in thinking.

For example, Peter didn’t even want to go into a gentles house, because, in his thinking, they were considered ‘unclean.’ Indeed, he went so far as to think that the new covenant wasn’t even available to them. When he returned to Jerusalem, we find that Peter’s lack of understanding was not so unique. All the other apostles and leaders had also heard of the salvation of the gentles, but they cared little about this wonderful fact, they were far more concerned with was how Peter had broken rank with them regarding their theological position.

The apostles and the brothers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him and said, “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.” Acts 11:1-3

It was only after Peter’s long speech, testifying to his own incorrect theology and how the Lord had corrected him, and showed him his theology (and that meant their theology as well) was actually wrong, and God wanted him (and them) to change their thinking in this area and move forward with a greater clarity of truth.

In Acts 15 we find this situation again arising, this time the entire church leadership is brought together to seek an answer to a very important question: Is the gospel a new covenant of grace alone, or is it a mixed covenant of new covenant grace, but also old covenant law?

Here we find the leaders of the church still not understanding the basic foundation of the gospel. This point in time was not only a few weeks after Jesus was resurrected, it was about 15 years later; that’s a long time to be leading the church not really being sure of what the gospel foundation actually is. This time it was with the help of Paul, who was not in the inner circle of the Jerusalem leadership, but nonetheless was used by God to graciously help them all see the greater reality of what Christ had accomplished upon the cross, setting up a brand new covenant of grace, apart from law. Peter too confirmed this during the council, stating:

“Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” Acts 15:7-11

There are more examples in Acts that show the need for leaders to accept that they had been wrong in some of their beliefs and actions, and the need to be open, to listen, and to actually change their theology when needed.

When leaders in the church think that anyone challenging their leadership direction, vision or theology is not a believer who loves them, but rather an agent of the enemy, such as what Eric is doing in today’s comic, they place themselves in a position of infallibility, and this is terribly dangerous indeed. For the only one who is infallible is God, the rest of us are growing ‘together.’ Not with perfect leaders on top, and the rest on the bottom, but rather all of us side by side, in Christ, living and growing in our understanding of the gospel.

Leaders can be wrong; seriously wrong sometimes. It is important for leaders to accept this fact so that they can be more open, like the early apostles were, to addressing their wrong mindsets and theology when they are highlighted to them, instead of just dismissing them and blaming the person sharing with them as being rebellious or critical.

Let’s be open, and let us all grow together in our understanding of our new covenant life. And whatever we share with one another, let us always seek to do it graciously; for our God is the God of all grace.