Saturday, September 10, 2016
Acts, Chapter 15,
Verse 24-26
24 Since we have heard that some of our
number [who went out] without any mandate from us have upset you with their
teachings and disturbed your peace of
mind, 25 we have with one accord decided to choose representatives and to send
them to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 who have dedicated their lives to the name
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The issue that caused the disruption of
peace in the new church was whether it was necessary for salvation for one to
be circumcised. It was determined that it was not and that it was prudent not
to lay on the new gentiles any burden that was not necessary for salvation. It
was determined that the gentiles should abstain from:
1.
Things offered to idols.
2.
Blood.
3.
Things strangled.
4.
Sexual immorality.
One
Prohibition, Not Four[1]
But these
"essential abstinences” were not references to fragments of the Mosaic Law
at all. This short list of things to avoid was the very essentials that divided
believing Gentile from unbelieving Gentile. They divided Christian from
idolater. Each of these four "essential" things to avoid were not
four things, but one. They were meant to be read as "never again worship
idols by eating with the idolaters in the sacrificial meals, drinking the cup
of blood at the idol sacrifice ceremonies, do not ceremoniously eat the flesh
of animals strangled during the worship of idols, and abstain from ritual acts
of fornication with temple prostitutes". In other words, these four
seemingly disassociated prohibitions were completely unified around one theme:
Christians cannot serve God and idols. One cannot worship God and also worship
idols. Also take note of the things cited: idols, blood, flesh, unity. Idols
are the false gods. Drinking blood is the false wine of the idol’s communion
cup. Strangled flesh is the false body of the idol’s communion dinner. And the
temple prostitute is the false unity of the idol’s servants. The things listed
are the false communion in the service of the idol. Again, to abstain from those
things is essential.
Cranberry bog harvest begins today in Cape Cod, Mass.
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