[TruthTalk] Acts 15

[Jeff Powers]

I asked: What about the Bet Dein (Jerusalem council) of Acts 15?  Jeff  Absolutely!  "Clergy" has become a word to describe a hierarchy that never was intended and did not exist in the early church or in God's plan. A living organism (Church) has become a giant organization , big business. Terry ====================================================== Excellent question Jeff.  You made me do some quick checking.  I found that there were seven councils in the history of the early church, the first one being the most important, because the question "What must I do to be saved" was answered.  They seem to have acted in an advisory capacity, not as a heirarchy, and they never ruled or advised that a pastor was necessary for salvation, or baptism. I am sorta surprised that you mentioned this chapter, since it blows all kind of holes in the keeping of Mosaic laws. Blessings, Terry       So now its time for a lesson!(and more verbiage than ya'll will ever get out of me for quite some time) Beginning with the comments from The Interpreters one-volume Commentary on the Bible, edited by Charles M. Laymon, Abingdon Press, 1971, ISBN: 0-687-19299-4.           "Acts 15:19-20.    James judgement embodies the authoritative conclusion of the church. That Jewish Christians  should not trouble the Gentile converts refers to the yoke (vs.10) and implies that circumcision is not to be required. The requirements which are made constitute the "apostolic decree." It presents two problems:...(the first problem is not an issue to this discussion so I have skipped it) ...(b) What is its meaning? If we accept the best text (including 4 prohibitions), the meaning is cultic, ie. the decree contains ritual requirements..."     The commentary continues with:     15:21. "The fact that the law (hebrew:Torah) is read every sabbath through out the empire may be taken either to support the Gentile mission (vss.16-18) or to confirm the decree. In any case the result of the conference (in contrast to Gal. 2:6-10) is a compromise: circumcision is not required for salvation, but Jewish ritual requirements are essential to fellowship."             In other words, Gentiles were permitted to fellowship with the Jewish believers if they obeyed TORAH!  So the question arises, Are God's commands applicable to todays church, or were they something only for Jews before Messiahs first coming?  If as is taught in many churches, Jews and Gentiles did not worship together, then the OT is irrelevant to todays church. But, in biblical times Jews and Gentiles DID worship together and God's commandments do apply to all His people. Sadly, many today are taught that Jews and Gentiles did and do not mix. How can that be? Jews and Gentiles all serve the same God?      Paul addresses both Jews and Gentiles in Acts 13:14-16. Moses addressed Jews and Gentiles in Exodus 12:19, 12:49, Leviticus 17:8-16, 22:18, Numbers 15:14-16 (thats a great one! God speaks of his Torah and says that his law is an eternal law, that it is the same for Jew and Gentile alike!), Deutoronomy 16:13-16, Nehemiah 10:1-27. There are too many examples to list them all. How about Joshua 8:33, Gods definition of an Israelite,"Then all the Israelites- foreigners and citizens alike..." or an easier translation of the Hebrew text,"Then all the Israelites, Gentiles and Hebrews alike..."   In Joshua 8:33-35 we learn that an Israelite is not only a Jew by blood, but is anyone who loves and obeys God and He expects ALL HIS ISRAELITES to worship as one!     Now considering that no amount of linguistic juggling can change the meaning or context of Yeshua's words in Matthew 5:17, the Torah has not been removed. What James is saying in Acts 15:21 is that just as it took the Hebrew people forty years of wandering to absorb and understand and then begin the process of obedience, so too, would Gentile converts learn the Torah over time and make the appropriate changes in their spiritual life.         The NT is very clear about Yeshua's walk on this earth, he obeyed all of the Torah, observed all of God's appointed feasts, etc., so why does the Christian Community reject the truth?  The lawlesness and disobedience taught in most churches today is not supported by scripture. The doctrines taught today are empty feel good, warm and fuzzy, doctrines that have no scriptural basis. Sure, one can cut and paste select verses to achieve the desired doctrine, but when these verses are restored to their proper context, the doctrines of men crumble under the teaching of scripture.           See Terry, I think Acts 15 strongly supports Torah obedience. Jeff