I have to show this real fast
(Acts 21:24, "Take them, and be purified with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads. Then everyone will know that those things they were informed about you (forsaking the Law), were lies, and that you, yourself, walk orderly, and keep the Law."
(Acts 21:24, "Take them, and be purified with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads. Then everyone will know that those things they were informed about you (forsaking the Law), were lies, and that you, yourself, walk orderly, and keep the Law."
I have to show this real fast
(Acts 21:24, "Take them, and be purified with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads. Then everyone will know that those things they were informed about you (forsaking the Law), were lies, and that you, yourself, walk orderly, and keep the Law."
(Acts 21:24, "Take them, and be purified with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads. Then everyone will know that those things they were informed about you (forsaking the Law), were lies, and that you, yourself, walk orderly, and keep the Law."
You brought up Acts 21 but took part out of context to make a doctrinal argument support I disagree with. I'll post the context, the whole truth, and add commentary based on scriptures between verses.
Acts 21:17-26 (KJV)
[SUP]17 [/SUP] And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.
(Paul was warned by the prophet Agabus not to even go into Jerusalem)
[SUP]18 [/SUP] And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present.
(James had a poorly hatched plan to try appeasing the Jews, had not picked up on what the Spirit was saying to disciples. That James was not the apostle who was murdered in Acts 12, but was the half brother of Jesus)
[SUP]19 [/SUP] And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.
[SUP]20 [/SUP] And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:
(Paul reported on his ministry to the Gentiles. James and the elders then reported on their ministry to the Jews, many becoming believers. Although the Jewish converts were Christians, they held onto the law too. They would not receive Paul's message about the law not contributing to their justification through Christ alone, as Paul was arrested a few days later. That mixture lasted until Jerusalem and the Temple was destroyed in 70AD, that being the end of the priesthood and sacrifices as commanded at the Temple, then began a slow death among Christians as more of the epistles became published.)
[SUP]21 [/SUP] And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.
[SUP]22 [/SUP] What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.
(That was not true at all. Paul taught Gentiles not to take part in the things that failed the Jews ever since Moses. He knew not to forbid Jews from following the law. He taught Gentiles they didn't have to to be saved. Converting Jews wasn't his ministry, as his was to the Gentiles.)
[SUP]23 [/SUP] Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;
[SUP]24 [/SUP] Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.
(Nazarite vows were not commanded to be observed, but the law prescribed the required manner of observance if anyone wanted to do it. Num It was a very commendable voluntary act of consecrating to God in a very public way. Paul had made the vow in Acts 18:18, his opportunity to complete it in Acts 21. By then Paul had already taught righteousness could not come by the law. Philippians 3:9 (KJV) [SUP]9 [/SUP] And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: The doing of that vow did not "prove" Paul was totally dedicated to the law having some eternal value for a Christian. Being a Jew it was proper and admissible for him to enter the Temple to complete the vow. It is BTW fine with God for follwoers of Jesus to take part in any observance of the Jews. I have shared Passover with a Jewish family and was blessed, and twice with Messianic Jews. When observing it one must not offend any by not doing it lawfully. Did that help save me? no. I honored those families and by that honored God in a special way. Paul was attempting to do just that at the request of the Jerusalem Church elders, while finishing his vow.)
[SUP]25 [/SUP] As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.
(James and the elders restated Acts 15 agreement. It appears they missed one point, saying things offered to idols, when Acts 15 specified things soiled,contaminated (KJV "pollutions") by idols. Two different Greek words. But at least here we have confirmation of the Acts 15 account. )
[SUP]26 [/SUP] Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them.
The rest of the story is Paul wasn't allowed to finish the required 7 days of purification. He was falsely accused of bringing a Gentile into the Temple, the prophecy of Agabus fulfilled. He was off on his last journey, this time to Rome, never to return home.
I won't sit here telling you or anyone what to believe out of that. The text is plain enough to me, along with evidence from other scriptures in context, to take the words literally. I cannot possibly conclude that any Gentile believer is required to take part in any Jewish observance, nor should be judged for not doing those things. That's my belief, and that of a huge company of Bible scholars. The New Testament teaches the actual moral code of God throughout the scriptures, so Gentile Christians get that message loud and clear without reading Moses, in fact Jesus taking it to a higher standard than Moses wrote.
Some will hear from the Spirit like Agabus did, while many will not.