Two Yokes - in the early church, Jewish believers wanted non-Jewish believers to go through the ritual of circumcision to prove their faith. Peter and other apostles understood that faith in Christ was enough — that salvation wasn’t assured or demonstrated by the act of being circumcised. There was no reason to put such a burden (yoke) on believers. Instead, Jesus invites His followers to work by His side using a different kind of yoke: “My yoke is easy to bear and the burden I give you is light”

Read Acts 15:1–41

A yoke is figuratively “something that causes people to be treated cruelly and unfairly.” 

The literal definition involves the bar or frame around the necks of working farm animals so they can pull a plow or heavy load.

Yokes are restrictive — even oppressive. 

In the early church, Jewish believers wanted non-Jewish believers to go through the ritual of circumcision to prove their faith.

Peter and other apostles understood that faith in Christ was enough — that salvation wasn’t assured or demonstrated by the act of being circumcised.

“Why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear? 

"We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus” - (Acts 15:10–11).

There was no reason to put such a burden (yoke) on believers. 

Instead, Jesus invites His followers to work by His side using a different kind of yoke: 

“My yoke is easy to bear and the burden I give you is light” - (Matthew 11:30).              

Thought for Today: Jesus did not provide salvation in order to impose an oppressive burden on believers.

Quicklook: Acts 15:10–20

The Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, are verbally inspired of God and are the revelation of God to man, the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct.

The one true God has revealed Himself as the eternally self-existent "I AM," the Creator of heaven and earth and the Redeemer of mankind. He has further revealed Himself as embodying the principles of relationship and association as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

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