The Apostles faced a continuous challenge, both from within the Community and from outside: the desire to impose the Mosaic Law upon the Church: "unless you are circumcised according to the Law of Moses, you cannot be saved." Since Jesus Himself had given no clear instruction on the matter, the Apostles had to open their hearts to the Holy Spirit so as to understand the truth of Jesus' life and death and thus face these difficulties and come to a solution.

Nowadays, no one would suggest the necessity of circumcision for salvation. Yet today we still face a similar problem. All over the world, different groups try to impose their own ways and doctrines upon us, things which we cannot in conscience accept.

Most pervasive of all, of course, is the constant attack from secularism and relativism, doctrines which would reduce all truth and morality to a matter of taste. The Gospel we believe in is a Gospel of truth and light; it is a Gospel which promotes life. Any worldview based on denying either the existence of God or the relevance of God will only generate an even more pervasive culture of death.