The question soon became bigger than circumcision and the conclusion also was bigger than circumcision and was that the Gentiles should not be required to keep the law of Moses.
The Gentile Christians had to mix with Jewish Christians who were zealous for the law however and so it seems that the Noahide laws were recommended for that purpose.
Noahide laws also are not a requirement for Gentile Christians if the Law of Moses is not.
Acts 15:5 Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.”
6 The apostles and elders met to consider this question.
You should read more of 1 Corinthians 7 and get the gist of what is being said.
So why are you saying "keeping the commandments of God" means that Gentiles should keep the Sabbath which was given as part of the Law of Moses as a sign for Israel.
Certainly someone who remains a slave when called to be a Christian will not be expected to keep the Sabbath.
That is not true at all Brian, Circumcision is from the law of Moses and is a Mosaic law given by God. So is animal sacrifices and sin offerings, as well as the Levitical Priesthood and Sanctuary laws for atonement of sin, all of which are shadow laws fulfilled in Christ pointing to Jesus in the new covenant as Gods sacrifice for the sins of the world and Gods new covenant promise in Jeremiah 31:31-36 representing circumcision of the heart through the Spirit to obey Gods law through a new heart that loves.
The law of Moses was written by Moses under Gods direction in the book of the covenant (Exodus 24:7) and it is not the same as Gods law (the 10 commandments) that was written on two tables of stone by the finger of God alone. Gods 10 commandments are never called the law of Moses in the bible. They are called Gods law (Nehemiah 10:28-29) which was given to Moses to give to the people.
Now let's add back in the CONTEXT you have left out of ACTS 15
- 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 GENTILES believers are not circumcised and made proselytes then they cannot be saved. This is the chapter context and issue of contention.
- [2], When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, THEY DETERMINED THAT PAUL AND BARNABAS AND CERTAIN OF THEM SHOULD GO UP TO JERUSALEM UNTO THE APOSLTLES AND ELDERS ABOUT THIS QUESTION.
NOTE: ACTS 15:2 Which question? Weather your salvation depends on being CIRCUMCISED. They then travelled to Jerusalem about this question to determine if new gentile believers needed to be
CIRCUMCISED in order to be saved. Once they got to Jerusalem, the question was then asked and the discussion continued with the Pharisees stating their case first..
- [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: KEEP in mind here the question was never over if gentile believers should obey God's 10 Commandments but to keep the Shadow laws of Moses, in this case CIRCUMCISION as a means of salvation. CIRCUMCIONS is from the law of MOSES not God’s 10 Commandments written by God on two tables of stone.
- [6], And the apostles and elders came together TO CONSIDER THIS MATTER.
NOTE: Again the topic of discussion and chapter CONTEXT that is being considered is the question stated in ACTS 15:1 which was IS CIRCUMCISION A REQUIREMENT OF SALVATION?
- [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 then that salvation is not by being circumcised but be 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 the 10 Commandments then Pauls writings in to the CORINTHIANS do not make any sense.
- 1 CORINTHIANS 7 [19] CIRCUMCISION IS NOTHING, AND UNCIRCUMCISION IS NOTHING, BUT THE KEEPING OF THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD.
The scripture above is a contradiction of how some interpret the outcome of ACTS 15. You do not believe Brian, that we are now free to break any of God's 10 Commandments now do you?
- [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 THE GENTILES ARE TURNED TO GOD:
- [20], BUT WRITE UNTO THEM THAT THEY ABSTAIN FROM THE DEFILEMENT OF IDOLS, FORNICATION AND THINGS STRANGLED AND FROM BLOOD.
NOTE: JAMES conclusion is that new Gentile believers should not be troubled with CIRCUMCISION as a requirement of salvation which was the matter being considered and the question being discussion as shown in *ACTS 15:1-2; ACTS 15:6 but asks them to abstain from idols, 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.
NOTE: The reason why JAMES sends this letter to the new Gentile believers is that they would continue learning God's WORD
EVERY SABBATH.
Lets now look at your contradiction in the interpretation of Acts 15. If you are applying Gods 10 commandments to Acts 15 you are contradicting pretty much the whole bible and Jesus that says think not that I have come to destroy the law and the prophets I have not come to destroy them but obey them (Matthew 5:17); By applying Acts 15 to Gods 10 commandments does not make any sense because you are
- Denying the scripture context that says that what was being discussed in Jerusalem was the question "Is circumcision a requirement for the salvation of new gentile believers (Acts of the Apostles 15:1-2)
- Claiming that Acts 15 is teaching that Gods 10 commandments are abolished is proven false because the scriptures state the reason for the decision over circumcision was that the new gentile believers would be continuing to learn from the scriptures every Sabbath (Acts 15:21)
- Paul and the Apostles continuing to keep the Sabbath right after the council of Jerusalem (Acts of the Apostles 17:2).
- Paul taught the new Corinthians gentile believers after the decision of Jerusalem that circumcision is no longer a requirement but keeping of the commandments of God is a requirement for gentile believers (1 Corinthians 7:19)?
CONCLUSION So the conclusion of the matter with CONTEXT added back in is found in v19-20 We are not to trouble the new gentile believers with CIRCUMCISION as a means of salvation. They are new converts that will learn more about GOD'S WORD when? EVERY SABBATH. In the meantime you should abstain from anything offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication.
Sorry brother God's WORD disagrees with you.