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They are all over the map - give 'em a hundred years and there will be as many "sects" of them as there are "protestant" denominations.
This group is claiming that Gentile men need to be circumcised (links may be out of date):
http://www.therefinersfire.org/faq.htm#answer13
This is in direct contradiction to Acts:
(Acts 15:23 KJV) And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
(Acts 15:24 KJV) Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
In the next section we can this same Messianic Group have totally twisted Paul's comments - be aware they are using the "Aramaic New Testament" - even so the meaning is clear and not what these distorters of scripture proclaim:
What is interesting is how these people attempt to explain away Paul's statement:
If a person is immersed (baptized) or circumcised to please the status quo, it profits them nothing. Paul is referring to traditional, religious, Pharisaical, peer group circumcisions that are required before acceptance into status quo religious organizations
While this might seem a reasonable argument it hardly fits in with the scene described in Acts 15:24 - How many different sects of Pharisee's were attempting to circumcise the Gentiles? - As we can the circumcision gang were hanging out at the temple and with the Apostles:
(Acts 21:20 KJV) 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:
(Acts 21:21 KJV) 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.
As we can see from the above Paul was indeed preaching those things he was accused of in Acts 21:21. These zealous law keepers who believed wanted the Gentiles to be circumcised and keep the law
What is more interesting is this below:
This is absolutely ingenious:
"Read in context Acts 15 plainly states" - what they fail to consider (totally ignore) is the whole context ie, verses 23 ans 24 and the rest up to verse 30.
(Acts 15:23 KJV) And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
(Acts 15:24 KJV) Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
(Acts 15:29 KJV) That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
(Acts 15:30 KJV) So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:
How's that for "Read in context Acts 15 plainly states?"
This group is claiming that Gentile men need to be circumcised (links may be out of date):
http://www.therefinersfire.org/faq.htm#answer13
This is in direct contradiction to Acts:
(Acts 15:23 KJV) And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
(Acts 15:24 KJV) Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
In the next section we can this same Messianic Group have totally twisted Paul's comments - be aware they are using the "Aramaic New Testament" - even so the meaning is clear and not what these distorters of scripture proclaim:
What is interesting is how these people attempt to explain away Paul's statement:
1. If a person is immersed (baptized) or circumcised to please the status quo, it profits them nothing. Paul is referring to traditional, religious, Pharisaical, peer group circumcisions that are required before acceptance into status quo religious organizations. Christians who have been baptized into the name of a denomination can likely relate to this as well. Many Christians choose to be re-baptized after realizing their former baptism was into a denominational religion, rather than into the Kingdom of Elohim.
While this might seem a reasonable argument it hardly fits in with the scene described in Acts 15:24 - How many different sects of Pharisee's were attempting to circumcise the Gentiles? - As we can the circumcision gang were hanging out at the temple and with the Apostles:
(Acts 21:20 KJV) 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:
(Acts 21:21 KJV) 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.
As we can see from the above Paul was indeed preaching those things he was accused of in Acts 21:21. These zealous law keepers who believed wanted the Gentiles to be circumcised and keep the law
What is more interesting is this below:
Note verse 19 which says: "Therefore, my opinion is that we should not put obstacles in the way of the Goyim who are turning to God"! Read in context Acts 15 plainly states..
"Read in context Acts 15 plainly states" - what they fail to consider (totally ignore) is the whole context ie, verses 23 ans 24 and the rest up to verse 30.
(Acts 15:23 KJV) And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
(Acts 15:24 KJV) Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
(Acts 15:29 KJV) That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
(Acts 15:30 KJV) So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:
How's that for "Read in context Acts 15 plainly states?"