You are incorrect. The Jerusalem church gave 4 laws that gentile converts must keep in order to be accepted into the community of believers.
If we follow the story from the beginning of Acts 15, we see that certain Jews came into Paul's territory and began teaching that unless you were circumcised, you couldn't be saved.
Acts 15:1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
The issue was circumcision. Paul disagreed with the men teaching, because He had been witness to the Holy Spirit being given to new gentile converts who had not been circumcised. So they resolved to go down to Jerusalem and get an official ruling from the apostles:
Acts 15:2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
Once they got there, this case was made by the Pharisees:
Acts 15:5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. 6 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
Peter replied and stated that the Pharisees were attempting to yoke new converts with a burden that the apostles and their fathers were unable to bear.
Acts 15:10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
The disciples kept the law of Moses. They all condemned the practice of sin, and sin is defined by John, Paul, and James, as breaking the law. Which testifies that the law is not what is being referred to as unbearable by Peter. Since they
were bearing it, and teaching it to others.
1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
Romans 4:15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
James 2:9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
In addition, we are told by John that God's commands are not burdensome. Which gives further testimony that Peter was not speaking about the law, but of something else.
1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
So what
was Peter referring to? What was the original issue brought to the disciples? Circumcision. The Pharisees were teaching that you had to be circumcised in order to be saved. But if we look in the law, a convert to the faith had to be circumcised in order to partake of the Passover (Exodus 12:48). The Pharisees were once again trying to add additional regulations to the faith. Just as they were during the Messiah's ministry. They had created their own rules, and re-branded them as law.
Matthew 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
So Peter struck down the Pharisees' unlawful assertions, stating that Gentiles and Jews alike are saved the same way - by grace.
Acts 15:11 But we believe that through the grace of the Messiah we shall be saved, even as they.
After Peter said his part, James made an official ruling on the matter:
Acts 15:19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: 20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. 21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
James says that once saved, gentile converts are only required to do 4 things:
1. Not pollute themselves with idolatry.
2. Not commit fornication.
3. Not eat things strangled.
4. Not eat blood.
James then conditions his statement with "For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day". He was saying "They need only do these four things upon conversion. They can then learn the rest of the law at their local sabbath meetings". Gentile believers were obviously not allowed to steal, commit murder, etc., which makes this apparent. Those four things weren't the only rules for gentiles, but the minimum requirements necessary for fellowship with the community of believers.
The same template was shown to us by the Messiah. He would forgive/heal someone, tell them that they were saved, and then after that, instruct them to "go and sin no more" (keep the law). Being saved (grafted in) was just the first step of their journey. After which, they had to walk out their faith (produce fruit).
John 5:14 Afterward the Messiah findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.
In conclusion, James' decree, as well as the Messiah's ministry, gives us much needed context for this discussion. To a casual observer, the word "saved" might mislead one as to what is being talked about. But James' four commands demonstrate that the subject was not "how do you get to heaven", but how someone makes the transition from unbeliever to believer. The Pharisees made the argument that you had to be circumcised in order to make that transition. Peter and James struck that down, and ruled that the Messiah's grace was all that was needed. After which, they would be held to four laws, while they learned the rest at their local assembly meetings.
The Messiah is indeed the only way to life. The only way to the Father is through Him. And the Messiah upheld the law, and commanded those who followed Him to obey it.
Luke 10:25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? 27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. 28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
Did didn't do away with the law, He said as much.
Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Heaven and Earth are still here, which means the law is still in effect. We see the moment the Messiah speaks of in Revelation:
Revelation 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.... 6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
Paul was also a supporter of the law.
Romans 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
Romans 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Paul stated that sin is the breaking of the law, and he universally condemned the practice of sin. He also stated that loving our neighbor/brother is done by keeping the law - which John confirms:
1 John 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
