Acts 15

[mom_07]

At the first Church counsil is the Church saying that ALL Christians are exempt from the mosaic laws or just the gentiles?

Terri

 

[SFH]

mom 07:

At the first Church counsil is the Church saying that ALL Christians are exempt from the mosaic laws or just the gentiles?

Terri

It depends on what you mean by Mosaic laws. All Christians are exempt from the liturgical laws established by Moses (e.g., animal sacrifice, prayer in the Temple, circumcision, keeping kosher), but all Christians are not exempt from the moral laws established by God through Moses and confirmed by Christ. The Apostles allowed the Jewish converts to continue some of the liturgical observances, although, as St. Paul explains in his epistles, these observances are not necessary any more to be saved. When St. Paul talks about salvation through faith rather than works, the “works” he’s referring to are the liturgical laws established by Moses (e.g., circumcision, keeping kosher). Martin Luther, poor fool, misunderstood the text and thought St. Paul meant works of charity by the word “works.” Obviously, works of charity are part of the “lively faith” that St. Paul taught Christians must have in order to be saved.

 

[Fidelis]

The Council of Jerusalem was convened to address a specific problem that was occuring at that time:

Some who had come down from Judea were instructing the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the Mosaic practice, you cannot be saved.”
Because there arose no little dissension and debate by Paul and Barnabas with them, it was decided that Paul, Barnabas, and some of the others should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and presbyters about this question. (Acts 15:1-2)

“Judaizers” were telling the Gentile Christians that they had to follow the Jewish Law to be Christians. This was leading to tension within the fellowship for two reasons:

1. The Gentile converts were being made to feel like second-class Christians if they refused to go along with this line of thinking.
2. The Jewish Christians who held this view were loathe to sit at the table of fellowship with their Gentile brethren because they were offended by their practices that were against the Mosaic Law.

The solution the Council came to was to determine that, no, the Gentiles did not have to keep the Jewish Law to be Christians in good standing. However, they appealed to the Gentile Christians to abstain from the practices that most offended the Jewish Christians so that no one would be scandalized or offended and everyone’s conscience would be clear.

“The apostles and the presbyters, your brothers, to the brothers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia of Gentile origin: greetings. Since we have heard that some of our number (who went out) without any mandate from us have upset you with their teachings and disturbed your peace of mind, we have with one accord decided to choose representatives and to send them to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, who have dedicated their lives to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. So we are sending Judas and Silas who will also convey this same message by word of mouth:
‘It is the decision of the holy Spirit and of us not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities, namely, to abstain from meat sacrificed to idols, from blood, from meats of strangled animals, and from unlawful marriage. If you keep free of these, you will be doing what is right. Farewell.’”

Paul further expands on this theme in 1 Corinthains 8:1–10:33. He concludes with the affirmation: “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. Avoid giving offense, whether to Jews or Greeks or the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in every way, not seeking my own benefit but that of the many, that they may be saved.” (1 Cor. 10:32-33)

So, no; except for the prohibition against unlawful marriage (which is a natural, moral law rather than a transitory dietary one), these prescriptions given in the Council’s letter are not meant to be ordinances for Christians for all time. The point is that we are not to get hung up over non-essentials, while at the same time taking care to not cause scandal to our brother or sister in Christ.

Hope that helps.

 

[Fidelis]

Fidelis the Threadkiller strikes again!

 

[mom_07]

Thank you for your response. If you killed the thread it was very nicely done. Bravo.

Terri