c. AD 49
The early Church gathered to resolve whether Gentile converts must follow the Mosaic Law, especially circumcision. After hearing testimonies from Peter, Paul, and Barnabas, and guided by James, the council decided that Gentiles were saved by grace through faith, not by keeping the Law.
The Council of Jerusalem was the first church council and a defining moment for Christianity. Its decision that salvation is by grace alone, not by works of the Law, preserved the universal nature of the Gospel and prevented Christianity from remaining a Jewish sect.
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