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
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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
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