Hello Folks!
You all might have posted on my last thread - "the least of these", discussing how Jesus says those who keep the least of the commandments will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Well, in Acts 15, it begins with"some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." - Acts 15:1. Later, some believing Pharisees at a Jerusalem council say "it is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to observe the law of Moses." -Acts 15:5. Ultimately it is decided, apparently by the Holy Spirit as well, that: "For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burdern than these essentials: that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell." - Acts 15:28-29.
When James speaks regarding these things, he says, "Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood. For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath." - Acts 15:19-21
So it seems they are not requiring these new believers to get circumcised, but then it seems that James is saying that they have Moses preached, so they can grow in obeying the law as they go...
To line up with Jesus' teaching like I mentioned at the beginning, we know that the Law is good. But what was the actual law about circumcision. If it was that they circumcise their babies on the eighth day, that is a lot different than circumcising an adult.. The latter more painful, I would think!! And so, maybe it is not necessarily going against the law to say that the adults don't need to be circumcised. Because they missed out when they were eight years old. And you can't go back in time.
Thoughts on this passage, Acts 15, and how it relates to following the Law?? Thanks, guys.
-Greg
You all might have posted on my last thread - "the least of these", discussing how Jesus says those who keep the least of the commandments will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Well, in Acts 15, it begins with"some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." - Acts 15:1. Later, some believing Pharisees at a Jerusalem council say "it is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to observe the law of Moses." -Acts 15:5. Ultimately it is decided, apparently by the Holy Spirit as well, that: "For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burdern than these essentials: that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell." - Acts 15:28-29.
When James speaks regarding these things, he says, "Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood. For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath." - Acts 15:19-21
So it seems they are not requiring these new believers to get circumcised, but then it seems that James is saying that they have Moses preached, so they can grow in obeying the law as they go...
To line up with Jesus' teaching like I mentioned at the beginning, we know that the Law is good. But what was the actual law about circumcision. If it was that they circumcise their babies on the eighth day, that is a lot different than circumcising an adult.. The latter more painful, I would think!! And so, maybe it is not necessarily going against the law to say that the adults don't need to be circumcised. Because they missed out when they were eight years old. And you can't go back in time.
Thoughts on this passage, Acts 15, and how it relates to following the Law?? Thanks, guys.
-Greg