ACTS: Circumcised or Uncircumcised? Doesn't Matter, but "Abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood!"

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.” Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question. (Acts 15:1-2)

Barnabas and Paul where in ...Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed.  Now when they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. So they stayed there a long time with the disciples. (Acts 14:26-28) Now, certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren that they had to be circumcised.  Barnabas and Paul hadn't taught the Gentiles that, because the Holy Spirit didn't convict them to.  Why? Because circumcision was not necessary for salvation.

People come to faith in Christ Jesus with many different customs and beliefs.  For some people, it's hard to let go of their old ways of thinking.  This was especially true for the Jews.  They had the books of the law for thousands of years - Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.  As a people, they had been instructed to obey over 600 commandments.  Circumcision was the first sign of the covenant God made with their forefather Abraham. When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.”  And God said to Abraham: “As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you." (Genesis 17:1-2, 9-11)

So, Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them went up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question.  So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren. And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them. But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.” (Acts 15:3-5)  Based on prior customs and beliefs, it's understandable that the Pharisees who were converted would still believe that they had to do something, along with having faith in Christ Jesus; ..faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (James 2:17)  But what they had to learn was, For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter. And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: “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.  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. 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.” (Acts 15:6-11; ACTS: Jesus Christ is the Savior of All People, the Jews and "Cornelius", the Gentiles)

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. And after they had become silent, James [Jesus brother] answered, saying, “Men and brethren, listen to me: Simon [Peter] has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written: ‘After this I will return And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, And I will set it up; So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, Says the Lord who does all these things.’ [Amos 9:11-12] (Acts 15:12-17)

“Known to God from eternity are all His works. 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.”  Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas who was also named Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren. (Acts 15:18-22)

How reassuring that it was in God's Plan from the beginning that non-Jews would also be saved.  No one was created to be destroyed.  Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. (Genesis 1:31)  Everything was good, but not everything was right.  There was a "tree" of the knowledge of good and evil. (Genesis 2:17)  So, from the beginning, certain things were good and certain things were evil.  There were all kinds of specific things the apostles could have warned the Gentile converts about, but most expedient, based on their customs and beliefs was to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood.  Based on what we've studied about these Gentile nations so far, the reasons should be obvious, but we'll study why in more detail in future lessons. 

They wrote this letter by them:

The apostles, the elders, and the brethren,

To the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia:

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” —to whom we gave no such commandment— 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. For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well.

Farewell. (Acts 15:23-29)

So when they were sent off, they came to Antioch; and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter. When they had read it, they rejoiced over its encouragement. Now Judas and Silas, themselves being prophets also, exhorted and strengthened the brethren with many words. And after they had stayed there for a time, they were sent back with greetings from the brethren to the apostles.  However, it seemed good to Silas to remain there. Paul and Barnabas also remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also. (Acts 15:30-35)