The Jerusalem Council

Christianity has come to a crossroad, or if you prefer, a watershed. The Church was born on the Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended on 120 witnesses of Jesus' resurrection (Acts 2). She expanded rapidly and led a communist life for a while. The community was admired and found favour among the Jerusalem people. At that time, the major threat came from the Jewish Council. Yet, they managed to convert even priests from the Jewish establishment.
And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith (Acts 6:7).
Stephen was the first casualty (Acts 7) and Saul began a series of ferocious arrests to stamp out this Jewish heresy. Christianity began to spill over to the neighbouring regions, winning mainly Samaritans, a traditional Jewish enemy. Peter then opened the door to admit Gentiles (Acts 10). With the conversion of Saul, more Gentiles were converted. Here tensions began to build up from within and without.
Firstly, we had Herod the king who killed James, the brother of John.
He killed James the brother of John with the sword;
and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also (Acts 12:2-3).
It seems that Christians had lost their popularity and appeal among the people in Jerusalem. Not only did opposition come from the religious authority, but the political authority as well. Perhaps it was due to the admission of Samaritans into the Church. The general public should have frowned on such an outrageous action of the Church. Herod was cunning enough to smell blood in the air. That explains why it pleased the people to kill an apostle. Had Herod not met his unbecoming death (Acts 12:23), the Church would have suffered a higher death toll for a much longer period of time.
Meanwhile, Barnabas and Paul began their first missionary journey and other Gentile centres arose. Within the Jerusalem Church, Pharisees also grew in significance. Though the gospels give us an impression that the Pharisees were among the major opponents of Jesus, in fact, Jesus had recruited several prominent Pharisees such as Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea as disciples. Now, the church was facing a schism within because the Pharisees Christians insisted that Gentiles should also be circumcized and follow the Mosaic law. To settle this crisis, the Church called up the Jerusalem Council to settle the matter once and for all.
After much debate, Peter rose to speak. He made it clear that it was God's will to admit Gentiles into the Church by giving them the Holy Spirit. Nobody present could deny this. But deep in the hearts of the Jewish Christians, they felt that it would only be fair for Gentiles to be circumcized as they themselves had been circumcized. Why should the Gentiles be exempted? Should Jews be exempted as well? Without circumcision, would Jews be Jews anymore? This issue cut deeply into the very heart of their Jewish identity. Jewish Christians still felt that they were first and foremost Jews, then Christians. Their concern was legitimate and Peter had to deal with it squarely. Was Peter ready to forsake his Jewish root as well? Peter needed to convince his audience to put Christian identity before their Jewish identity. He proceeded as follow.
and he (God) made no distinction between us and them, but cleansed their hearts by faith.
Now therefore why do you make trial of God by putting a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?
But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will (Acts 15:9-11).
God made no distinction between Jews and Gentiles. If they belonged to God, they should do the will of God and should not make any distinction as well. Probably, Peter remembered Jesus' words in Mark 3.
Whoever does the will of God is my brother, and sister, and mother (Mark 3:35).
Faith and not circumcision, doing the will of God and not the law of Moses bring us salvation. Here, both Peter and Paul agree with each other. That was why Peter put a serious charge against those who insisted on circumcision. They put God on trial, suggesting that God was wrong! But God could not be wrong. Therefore, they should not impose unnecessary burden on the Gentile brethren. Once again, we see Peter's trump card, calling upon the authority of God to silence his opponents.
James, the brother of the Lord and the head of the Jerusalem Church, stood up to support Peter by quoting Amos. James was prudent as well. He did not aim at an all-out victory for the party of Paul. He compromised by imposing some insignificant dietary laws on the Gentiles.
Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God,
but should write to them to abstain from the pollutions of idols and from unchastity and from what is strangled and from blood.
For from early generations Moses has had in every city those who preach him, for he is read every sabbath in the synagogues (Acts 15:19-21).

My God, our mission is to do Your will. However, time and again, our vision is clouded by our prejudice and our attention is paid upon insignificant issues. Remove the veil over our sights so that we may be able to discern Your will clearly and do it. Amen.

Appendix:
After this I will return, and I will rebuild the dwelling of David, which has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will set it up,
that the rest of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name,
says the Lord, who has made these things known from of old.μετὰ ταῦτα ἀναστρέψωκαὶ ἀνοικοδομήσω τὴν σκηνὴν Δαυὶδ τὴν πεπτωκυῖαν καὶ τὰ κατεσκαμμένα αὐτῆς ἀνοικοδομήσω καὶ ἀνορθώσω αὐτήν,
ὅπως ἂν ἐκζητήσωσιν οἱ κατάλοιποι τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὸν κύριονκαὶ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη ἐφ' οὓς ἐπικέκληται τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐπ' αὐτούς, λέγει κύριος ποιῶν ταῦτα
γνωστὰ ἀπ' αἰῶνος (Acts 15:16-18)
ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἀναστήσω τὴν σκηνὴν Δαυιδ τὴν πεπτωκυῖαν καὶ ἀνοικοδομήσω τὰ πεπτωκότα αὐτῆς καὶ τὰ κατεσκαμμένα αὐτῆς ἀναστήσω καὶ ἀνοικοδομήσω αὐτὴν καθὼς αἱ ἡμέραι τοῦ αἰῶνος,
ὅπως ἐκζητήσωσιν οἱ κατάλοιποι τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, ἐφ' οὓς ἐπικέκληται τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐπ' αὐτούς, λέγει κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ ποιῶν ταῦτα (Amos 9:11-12).