In the light of all the promotion of keeping various select ordinances given through the old national contract (old covenant) as a requirement for salvation, I felt it necessary to clearly review the decree that went out of Jerusalem that settled a very hot dispute with Paul and Barnabas on the one side and members of a Pharisee sect that came from Judea to visit the gentile assemblies in Asia on the other.
For this dispute that arose was identical to all the disputes taking place here between those who say select sections of the old covenant are mandatory for salvation and those who say they are not. So I will go through sections of Acts 15 to show with out a doubt that the decree that went out of Jerusalem settled this dispute in favor of Paul and Barnabas and the gentile churches and was against the views of the Pharisee sect.
“And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
Based upon the above scripture by itself it shows that certain converts from Judea were saying that in order for one to be saved they had to get circumcised. If this were the only scripture then it would appear that the only issue was circumcision.
Then when you read further a long through the meeting that was taking place at Jerusalem to settle this dispute James concludes by making the following suggestion:
"Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God, but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood. For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”
This is where in the scripture the modern day old testament law keepers stop reading and the reason they stop reading is because up until this point they can make the claim that the only thing that the gentiles did not have to burden themselves with circumcision but they still had to have Moses preached to them every Sabbath plus abstain from “things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood.”
They do not consider that the those who preach Moses also preached circumcision because it was part of the law. This would mean the decree was in favor of the Pharisee sect and actually increased the burdens on the gentiles. So the modern day OT law keepers do not bother reading further in the chapter to read the actual decree. To them everything up until that point is the decree.
Now before I go into the actual decree I’d like to address the main scripture that the OT law keepers use to say that the gentiles still have to keep the law to be saved:
“For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”
Reading this by itself simply means that for many generations before Christ came Moses was preached in all the synagogues. But why did James say that? Was he saying that to imply that the gentiles as well should have Moses preached to them every Sabbath because that’s the way it was for generations before Christ?
To understand this without needing to read the actual decree it must be looked at within the context of the whole discussion that took place at the meeting:
The main theme of the discussion at the meeting was not about the law or circumcision but it was about the way God saves since Christ. So lets go through the meeting and see the main theme:
Peter Speaks:
“Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe."
Notice that Peter says that the gentiles believed just by hearing the gospel. They didn’t believe by hearing Moses preached to them.
“So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.”
Notice here Peter says that just by hearing the gospel God acknowledged their hearts and gave them the Holy Spirit. Not because they were observing the laws or being preached Moses. And that God showed no distinction between the Jews who observed their customs and the gentiles who did not… they both shall be saved by believing the gospel apart from laws of Moses.
“Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.”
Notice hear that Peter says that it’s not by any yoke similar to the yokes placed on those who were preached Moses for generations that they would be saved, but they (the Jews) shall be saved in the same manner as the gentiles apart from the law of Moses.
Paul and Barnabas Speak:
“Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles.”
Paul and Barnabas are saying to the audience that miracles were being displayed to the gentiles apart from doing any of the old covenant laws that were practiced among the Jews in Judea.
James:
“Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God, but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood.”
Here James is saying not to trouble the gentiles but write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood.” Notice he didn’t say to write to them to have Moses preached to them every Sabbath but just those above things… then he goes on to say,
“For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”
Now we can clearly understand what he means here within the context of the whole discussion: that the old way of the preaching of Moses with all the laws every Sabbath that was done for generations did not save. Meaning the new way preaching the gospel does save apart from Moses and that the gospel is not about the preaching of Moses and the law.
Now when we go on to the actual decree contained in the letter that was received by the gentiles, there is no doubt that it was not only about circumcision but also about the law:
The Decree:
Greetings.
“Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law…”
Here in the actual decree it is clear that it is not only about circumcision but also about “...the law.”
“—to whom we gave no such commandment— “
Here it is clear that the elders at Jerusalem (which included James and Peter) never commanded anyone to go tell the gentiles to get circumcised and to keep the law.
“it seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will also report the same things by word of mouth.”
Here we see that reputable men were sent with Paul and Barnabas to confirm verbally what was written in the letter.
“For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:”
This proves that this decree does not come from man but from Christ Himself by the Holy Spirit. It is a commandment of Jesus Christ confirmed by the Holy Spirit and delivered by Christ’s apostles
“…that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality."
These are the “necessary” requirements. Not the law of Moses which includes all the Sabbaths and circumcision which is also part of the law of Moses.
“If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”
If the gentiles do only these things they “will do well.”
And that’s it. This should end the dispute for all time. This is a direct commandment from Jesus Christ. Anyone who now goes around telling those who are being called that they have to keep ordinances from the law of Moses like circumcision or Sabbaths to be saved are in violation of that decree and disobeying a direct commandment from Jesus Christ.