dybmh
דניאל יוסף בן מאיר הירש
With all due respect what you are claiming here is nonsense, but let me show you why it is you who is dancing around the truth and avoiding the truth by simply adding the context back into the scriptures are quoting to try and support claims that gentile believers are not to follow God's law.
I will preface my response to you though by saying that we are in the new covenant now not the old covenant and for all of Gods people we no longer fall under the Levitical Priesthood, and the Sanctuary laws of atonement and animal sacrifices and sin offerings, circumcision, and annual Feast days that are linked directly into these Sanctuary laws. These were all shadows of things to come pointing to Gods promised Messiah in Jesus and are now fulfilled and continued in Him (see Hebrews 7:1-25; Hebrews 8:1-13; Hebrews 9:1-27, Hebrews 10:1-22 and Colossians 2:16-17).
However Gods 10 commandments and other moral laws, and other dietary and health and hygiene laws are still a requirement for all believers of Gods Word in the new covenant (Matthew 5:17-19) and to break these laws when we have been given a knowledge of the truth of Gods Word is sin according to the scriptures (1 John 3:4; Romans 7:7; James 2:10-11).
Now lets add the context back in from the scriptures you posted to see if they agree with what you are claiming that Gentiles are not required to follow any of Gods laws. You need to go back to the CONTEXT of the chapter to understand what ACTS 15 is talking about here to define the topic of conversation that the chapter is trying to address. Let's determine the topic of conversation and the question that the chapter is trying to decide on.Lets start with the context of Acts 15:1-2 which states what the problem is and what the Apostles are seeking clarification over.
ACTS 15:1:21[1], And certain men who came down from Judea taught the brethren, and said, EXCEPT YOU BE CIRCUMCISED AFTER THE MANNER OF MOSES, YOU CANNOT BE SAVED.
NOTE: ACTS 15:1 is the question that needs to be answered and the topic of conversation and CONTEXT of the chapter of ACTS 15. Here we have Jewish believers coming to Paul and Barnabas saying if the new gentile believers are not circumcised and made proselytes then they cannot be saved. This is the chapter context.
[2], When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, SHOULD GO UP TO JERUSALEM UNTO THE APOSTLES AND ELDERS ABOUT THIS QUESTION.
NOTE: ACTS 15:2 there was much arguing over the claims of the Jewish believers who are claiming that unless the gentiles are circumcised they cannot be saved. They then determined that Paul and Barnabas must go to Jerusalem to the Apostles and elders ABOUT THIS QUESTION. Which question? Weather your salvation depends on being CIRCUMCISED. This is the scripture context you disregard. The question was never over the question are gentile Christians now free to break every law written in Torah. The topic context is over the question "is circumcision a requirement for the salvation of new gentile believer?" It was this question they were seeking to answer at Jerusalem.
[5], But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying, It is needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
NOTE: Remember as shown through the scriptures earlier, the question was never over if gentile believers should obey God's 10 Commandments or other laws. The scripture context tells us that Acts 15 is over the question is circumcision from the law of Moses a requirement for the salvation of new gentile believers as shown in Acts 15:1-2).
[6], And the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter.[7], And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, you know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.[8], And God, who knows the hearts, bore them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us;
NOTE: After much discussion between the Apostles, Peter then rose up showing that God gave the gentile believers the Holy Spirit being uncircumcised.
[9], And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.[10], Now therefore why test God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?[11], But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
NOTE: They came to the conclusion that salvation is not by being circumcised but by what circumcision pointed to. A new heart by faith. This is made plain latter in other scripture written by PAUL here...
ROMANS 2 [25] For circumcision verily profits, if you keep the law: but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision is made uncircumcision. [26], Therefore if the uncircumcision keeps the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? [27], And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfils the law, judge you, who by the letter and circumcision do transgress the law? [28], FOR HE IS NOT A JEW, WHO IS ONE; NEITHER IS THAT CIRCUMCISION, WHICH IS OF THE OUTWARD FLESH: [29], BUT HE IS A JEW WHICH IS ONE INWARDLY; AND CIRCUMCISION IS THAT OF THE HEART, IN THE SPIRIT AND NOT IN THE LETTER; WHOSE PRAISE IS NOT OF MEN BUT OF GOD.
If ACTS 15 was talking about Gods 10 Commandments or other laws of Torah then Paul's writings to the Corinthians gentile believers makes no sense at all where it is written...
1 CORINTHIANS 7 [19] CIRCUMCISION IS NOTHING, AND UNCIRCUMCISION IS NOTHING, BUT THE KEEPING OF THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD.
Back to Acts 15...
[12], Then all the multitude kept silence, and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring what miracles and wonders God had done among the Gentiles by them.[13], And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:[14], Simeon has declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.[15], And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,[16], After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:[17], That the rest of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, says the Lord, who does all these things.[18], Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.[19], Therefore my judgment is, that we trouble not them, who from among the Gentiles are turned to God:[20], But that we write unto them, that they abstain from defilements of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.[21], FOR MOSES OF OLD TIME HAS IN EVERY CITY THEM THAT PREACH HIM, BEING READ IN THE SYNAGOGUES EVERY SABBATH DAY.[23], And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greetings unto the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:[24], Since we have heard that certain who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, YOU MUST BE CIRCUMCISED AND KEEP THE LAW: TO WHOM WE GAVE NO SUCH COMMANDMENT:[25], It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,[26], Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.[27], We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.[28], For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;[29], That you ABSTAIN FROM ANYTHING OFFERED TO IDOLS, AND FROM BLOOD, AND FROM THINGS STRANGLED, AND FROM FORNICATION: FROM WHICH IF YOU KEEP YOURSELVES, YOU SHALL DO WELL. Farewell.
CONCLUSION So the conclusion of the matter (Acts 15:1-2). v19-20 We are not to trouble the new gentile believers with CIRCUMCISION as a means of salvation. They are new converts they will learn more about God as Moses is taught to them. When? EVERY SABBATH. In the meantime you should abstain from anything offered to idols, and from blood (torah laws), and from things strangled, and from fornication. Context proves your claims here are in error.
complete irrelevance. the point is, there is a different law for Christians. This means, Christians are not Israel. If they were Israel, they would not have a different law.
To the brothers among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia:
Greetings.
24It has come to our attention that some went out from us without our authorization and unsettled you, troubling your minds by what they said.c 25So we all agreed to choose men to send to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to tell you in person the same things we are writing.
28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond these essential requirements: 29 You must abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.
Farewell.
The law was not given to you. You clearly don't know it.
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