Harmonious Resolution of Controversy (Acts 15:1-35) Panacea for Integral Development of Any Society.
Jesus, the head of Christianity, left few adherents mainly from among the Jews. He urged his disciples (those he had already made his followers) as he was about leaving the world to go into the world and make disciples of all nations, ordering them to "Baptize them, In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" ( Matt 28:19). This admonition coupled with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, vivified the disciples in their missionary enterprise to the extent that Christianity embraced various nations with their various cultures and natural inclinations. In Acts 15:1-35 the meeting of different cultures brought about controversy which nearly rocked the Gentile mission and indeed the entire missionary enterprise. Peaceful resolution of the misunderstanding brought about proper definition of what Christianity is all about (which is salvation by faith in Jesus Christ) and subsequent universal development of the church. It was as a result of the harmonious resolution of that controversy that made both the Jews and Gentles to feel welcomed in the one family of Christ hence the innumerable number of Christians today. In our society today, integrated development is hindered because of various unresolved controversies. This article aims at identifying the reason why there is no integral development in very many societies and organizations and proffering solution to that effect. It argues that if the leaders of various organizations and societies were to understand properly the actions of the apostles, elders and the church in Acts 15:1-35 and imbibe it, then integral development would be assured. The method we shall adopt is library research which is mainly an exegetical analysis of Acts 15:1-35.