The apostle Paul takes the doctrine of the Kingdom of Heaven to the pagan world in his three missionary trips, as a consequence of this, a division is produced between the pagans converted to Christianity, and the believers from the Jewish religion. The first council of Jerusalem is the first attempt to resolve this first division within the Church. The apostle James exposes in the assembly the judgment that prevails: "It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God" Acts 15:19.
Paul knew that concepts such as circumcision and the Pentateuch's rules about clean and unclean could not be imposed on Greek and Roman converts to the faith. Spiritual concepts such as the final judgment and the resurrection of the dead were already causing great scandals between philosophers outside the religion, and believers within the Church.
The doctrine of the Kingdom of Heaven was a doctrine that came from the East and was something completely different from what they were used to in the pagan world, but by the constancy in the preaching and the help of the Holy Spirit, the Church was continually expanding.
About the rules about what is clean and unclean, the apostle Paul follows the teachings of our Lord Jesus in the epistle adressed to the church in Rome: "I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself" Romans 14:14.
The apostle Paul is precise, the Kingdom of God, the dominion of God's perfections, is a spiritual doctrine that is not related to what enters through the mouth of man but what comes out of it, we have to choose between a life plenty of mercy or a life dominated by sin: "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit", Romans 14:17.
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