YOKE OF BONDAGE
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You know these are fighting words here JPT. Hope you got your armor on. 
Abraham kept His commandments and laws, 430 years before Moses gave the law.
- because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws
4 And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; 5 because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.” Genesis 26:4-5
JPT
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The obedience of faith is what I am promoting.
This is the law of faith.
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. 29 Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, 30 since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law. Romans 3:27-31
- By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.
The obedience of faith, of course is not the "works" of the law, which Paul declared at the beginning and end of Romans, as "bookends" that bracket the entire book of Romans, and establish the foundation of it's context.
All throughout Romans you will find this principle expounded upon by Paul.
Faith comes to a person when they hear God speak to them, however that faith must be activated in order to produce the intended divine result, otherwise it remains incomplete.
James explains -
- by works faith was made perfect
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?
- Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac
The "works" James is describing is the work or action of obedience.
Not the works of the law
Not good works
Not works that earn a wage
The work here that James is referring to is the work of obedience.
Works = The effort obedience requires.
James says that faith without this corresponding action of obedience, is dormant; inactive.
Just like a body without the spirit is dead, so faith without this obedience is dead, and is unable to produce the intended divine result.
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
So the component of the Gospel that activates the faith we receive by hearing the Gospel is for us to obey the Gospel.
in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 1:8
- on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
JPT
I doubt he even rested on the 7th day. He may have.
Since God the Father is working even to this day, as well as His Son, it wouldn't make sense.
However, Abraham was in covenant with Christ Jesus, before He became flesh, looming forward to the cross as we look back, therefore he has entered the rest to come by faith in Him.
The weekly Sabbath points us to the rest to come.
The thousand years we will reign with Christ, after he returns to destroy the wicked and raise us from the dead with new sinless bodies that do not "war" against the Spirit, and to...give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels,
JPT
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He is "refreshing" their understanding of the commandments.
- I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning.
3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
7 Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. 8 Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.
9 He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. 10 He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. 1 John 2:3-11
JPT
The obedience of faith is what I am promoting.
This is the law of faith.
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. 29 Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, 30 since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law. Romans 3:27-31
The obedience of faith, of course is not the "works" of the law, which Paul declared at the beginning and end of Romans, as "bookends" that bracket the entire book of Romans, and establish the foundation of it's context.
All throughout Romans you will find this principle expounded upon by Paul.
Faith comes to a person when they hear God speak to them, however that faith must be activated in order to produce the intended divine result, otherwise it remains incomplete.
James explains -
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?
James 2:21-22
The "works" James is describing is the work or action of obedience.
Not the works of the law
Not good works
Not works that earn a wage
The work here that James is referring to is the work of obedience.
Works = The effort obedience requires.
James says that faith without this corresponding action of obedience, is dormant; inactive.
Just like a body without the spirit is dead, so faith without this obedience is dead, and is unable to produce the intended divine result.
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
James 2:26
So the component of the Gospel that activates the faith we receive by hearing the Gospel is for us to obey the Gospel.
in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 1:8
JPT
This is the law of faith.
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. 29 Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, 30 since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law. Romans 3:27-31
- By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.
The obedience of faith, of course is not the "works" of the law, which Paul declared at the beginning and end of Romans, as "bookends" that bracket the entire book of Romans, and establish the foundation of it's context.
All throughout Romans you will find this principle expounded upon by Paul.
Faith comes to a person when they hear God speak to them, however that faith must be activated in order to produce the intended divine result, otherwise it remains incomplete.
James explains -
- by works faith was made perfect
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?
- Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac
The "works" James is describing is the work or action of obedience.
Not the works of the law
Not good works
Not works that earn a wage
The work here that James is referring to is the work of obedience.
Works = The effort obedience requires.
James says that faith without this corresponding action of obedience, is dormant; inactive.
Just like a body without the spirit is dead, so faith without this obedience is dead, and is unable to produce the intended divine result.
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
So the component of the Gospel that activates the faith we receive by hearing the Gospel is for us to obey the Gospel.
in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 1:8
- on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
JPT
Just ignoring it and moving on with a different agenda?
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I'm not sure who you're talking to when you say that we ought not to have faith in the doctrines and traditions of men. I certainly don't believe that we ought to have faith in those things. have I said that I do?
I agree, we ought to have faith in God. I'm not sure what you mean about faith in God's instructions.
as it is written
but also for us, to whom it shall be areckoned, that believe in him that raised our Lord Jesus Christ from death.
Which was betaken for our sins, and rose again for our justifying.
so yes, we believe in God. And from the context what is specifically important in this issue? we believe in God that raised our Lord Jesus Christ from death. we believe that Jesus Christ was betaken for our sins, and rose again for our justifying.
and this fits very well with how Paul describes the gospel
Brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the good news I preached to you. You received it and have put your faith in it. 2 Because you believed the good news, you are saved. But you must hold firmly to the message I preached to you. If you don’t, you have believed it for nothing.
3 What I received I passed on to you. And it is the most important of all. Here is what it is. Christ died for our sins, just as Scripture said he would. 4 He was buried. He was raised from the dead on the third day, just as Scripture said he would be. 5 He appeared to Peter. Then he appeared to the 12 apostles. 6 After that, he appeared to more than 500 brothers and sisters at the same time. Most of them are still living. But some have died. 7 He appeared to James. Then he appeared to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, he also appeared to me. I was like someone who wasn’t born at the right time.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians15&version=NIRV
Matthew 24: 10. And numbers of people will be turned from the right way, and will give one another up and have hate for one another. 11. And a number of false prophets will come, causing error. 12. And because wrongdoing will be increased, the love of most people will become cold. 13. But he who goes through to the end will get salvation. 14. And this good news of the kingdom will be given through all the world for a witness to all nations; and then the end will come. 15. When, then, you see in the holy place the unclean thing which makes destruction, of which word was given by Daniel the prophet (let this be clear to the reader), 16. Then let those who are in Judaea go in flight to the mountains: 17. Let not him who is on the house-top go down to take anything out of his house: 18. And let not him who is in the field go back to get his coat. 19. But it will be hard for women who are with child and for those with babies at the breast in those days.
Amen to this good news of the Kingdom
I agree, we ought to have faith in God. I'm not sure what you mean about faith in God's instructions.
as it is written
but also for us, to whom it shall be areckoned, that believe in him that raised our Lord Jesus Christ from death.
Which was betaken for our sins, and rose again for our justifying.
so yes, we believe in God. And from the context what is specifically important in this issue? we believe in God that raised our Lord Jesus Christ from death. we believe that Jesus Christ was betaken for our sins, and rose again for our justifying.
and this fits very well with how Paul describes the gospel
Brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the good news I preached to you. You received it and have put your faith in it. 2 Because you believed the good news, you are saved. But you must hold firmly to the message I preached to you. If you don’t, you have believed it for nothing.
3 What I received I passed on to you. And it is the most important of all. Here is what it is. Christ died for our sins, just as Scripture said he would. 4 He was buried. He was raised from the dead on the third day, just as Scripture said he would be. 5 He appeared to Peter. Then he appeared to the 12 apostles. 6 After that, he appeared to more than 500 brothers and sisters at the same time. Most of them are still living. But some have died. 7 He appeared to James. Then he appeared to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, he also appeared to me. I was like someone who wasn’t born at the right time.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians15&version=NIRV
Matthew 24: 10. And numbers of people will be turned from the right way, and will give one another up and have hate for one another. 11. And a number of false prophets will come, causing error. 12. And because wrongdoing will be increased, the love of most people will become cold. 13. But he who goes through to the end will get salvation. 14. And this good news of the kingdom will be given through all the world for a witness to all nations; and then the end will come. 15. When, then, you see in the holy place the unclean thing which makes destruction, of which word was given by Daniel the prophet (let this be clear to the reader), 16. Then let those who are in Judaea go in flight to the mountains: 17. Let not him who is on the house-top go down to take anything out of his house: 18. And let not him who is in the field go back to get his coat. 19. But it will be hard for women who are with child and for those with babies at the breast in those days.
Amen to this good news of the Kingdom
you asked how my post addresses your post number 219. the larger issue is whether the principle of faith that Paul talks about in Romans 3: 27 is a set of rules.
So do we have a reason to brag about ourselves? No! And why not? It is the way of faith that stops all bragging, not the way of trying to obey the law. 28 A person is made right with God through faith, not through obeying the law. 29 Is God only the God of the Jews? Is he not also the God of those who are not Jews? 30 Of course he is, because there is only one God. He will make Jews right with him by their faith, and he will also make those who are not Jews right with him through their faith. 31 So do we destroy the law by following the way of faith? No! Faith causes us to be what the law truly wants.
in verse 28 where Paul says obeying the law, the Greek does not have a definite article before law. This indicates to me that an equally good translation is obeying law. that is, we are not justified by following a set of rules.
I quoted more of Jeremiah 6 to give context and to raise the question of whether Jeremiah is talking about a set of rules or the principal of Faith or both or neither. I also quoted habakkuk. in that quote we see that the righteous man will live by faith. Do you believe that the righteous man will live by faith or a set of rules?
No quote of scripture that I post is intended to in some way void or set aside some other scripture. I'm not sure why anyone would think that. but of course all scripture must be taken together.
But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. 15 You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2Timothy3&version=NLT
so I agree with your post number 219 the parts that agree with the whole of scripture.
So do we have a reason to brag about ourselves? No! And why not? It is the way of faith that stops all bragging, not the way of trying to obey the law. 28 A person is made right with God through faith, not through obeying the law. 29 Is God only the God of the Jews? Is he not also the God of those who are not Jews? 30 Of course he is, because there is only one God. He will make Jews right with him by their faith, and he will also make those who are not Jews right with him through their faith. 31 So do we destroy the law by following the way of faith? No! Faith causes us to be what the law truly wants.
in verse 28 where Paul says obeying the law, the Greek does not have a definite article before law. This indicates to me that an equally good translation is obeying law. that is, we are not justified by following a set of rules.
I quoted more of Jeremiah 6 to give context and to raise the question of whether Jeremiah is talking about a set of rules or the principal of Faith or both or neither. I also quoted habakkuk. in that quote we see that the righteous man will live by faith. Do you believe that the righteous man will live by faith or a set of rules?
No quote of scripture that I post is intended to in some way void or set aside some other scripture. I'm not sure why anyone would think that. but of course all scripture must be taken together.
But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. 15 You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2Timothy3&version=NLT
so I agree with your post number 219 the parts that agree with the whole of scripture.
Looks like I'm going to have to break up this particular reply into multiple parts
to me it was obvious from the part of Numbers Chapter 4 that I quoted what the instructions were for. But of course I can quote more
Moses numbered, as the LORD commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel. 43 All the firstborn males according to the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those who were numbered of them, were twenty-two thousand two hundred seventy-three. 44 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 45 "Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of their livestock; and the Levites shall be mine. I am the LORD. 46 For the redemption of the two hundred seventy-three of the firstborn of the children of Israel, who exceed the number of the Levites, 47 you shall take five shekels apiece for each one; after the shekel of the sanctuary you shall take them (the shekel is twenty gerahs): 48 and you shall give the money, with which the remainder of them is redeemed, to Aaron and to his sons." 49Moses took the redemption money from those who exceeded the number of those who were redeemed by the Levites; 50 from the firstborn of the children of Israel he took the money, one thousand three hundred sixty-five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary: 51 and Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.
This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the Tent of Meeting, the most holy things.
continued next post
to me it was obvious from the part of Numbers Chapter 4 that I quoted what the instructions were for. But of course I can quote more
Moses numbered, as the LORD commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel. 43 All the firstborn males according to the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those who were numbered of them, were twenty-two thousand two hundred seventy-three. 44 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 45 "Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of their livestock; and the Levites shall be mine. I am the LORD. 46 For the redemption of the two hundred seventy-three of the firstborn of the children of Israel, who exceed the number of the Levites, 47 you shall take five shekels apiece for each one; after the shekel of the sanctuary you shall take them (the shekel is twenty gerahs): 48 and you shall give the money, with which the remainder of them is redeemed, to Aaron and to his sons." 49Moses took the redemption money from those who exceeded the number of those who were redeemed by the Levites; 50 from the firstborn of the children of Israel he took the money, one thousand three hundred sixty-five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary: 51 and Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.
This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the Tent of Meeting, the most holy things.
continued next post
Continuing on
5 When the camp moves forward, Aaron shall go in, and his sons, and they shall take down the veil of the screen, and cover the ark of the Testimony with it, 6 and shall put a covering of sealskin on it, and shall spread over it a cloth all of blue, and shall put in its poles. 7 On the table of show bread they shall spread a blue cloth, and put on it the dishes, the spoons, the bowls, and the pitchers for pouring with them; and the continual bread shall be on it. 8 They shall spread on them a scarlet cloth, and cover the same with a covering of sealskin, and shall put in its poles. 9 They shall take a blue cloth, and cover the lampstand of the light, and its lamps, and its snuffers, and its snuff dishes, and all its oil vessels, with which they minister to it. 10They shall put it and all its vessels within a covering of sealskin, and shall put it on the frame.
you had asked me why I thought the law was a burden. so I gave you an example from the scriptures of the law being a burden. there are others: While Paul and Barnabas were at Antioch of Syria, some men from Judea arrived and began to teach the believers[a]: “Unless you are circumcised as required by the law of Moses, you cannot be saved.”2 Paul and Barnabas disagreed with them, arguing vehemently. Finally, the church decided to send Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem, accompanied by some local believers, to talk to the apostles and elders about this question. 3 The church sent the delegates to Jerusalem, and they stopped along the way in Phoenicia and Samaria to visit the believers. They told them—much to everyone’s joy—that the Gentiles, too, were being converted.
4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, Barnabas and Paul were welcomed by the whole church, including the apostles and elders. They reported everything God had done through them. 5 But then some of the believers who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees stood up and insisted, “The Gentile converts must be circumcised and required to follow the law of Moses.”
6 So the apostles and elders met together to resolve this issue. 7 At the meeting, after a long discussion, Peter stood and addressed them as follows: “Brothers, you all know that God chose me from among you some time ago to preach to the Gentiles so that they could hear the Good News and believe. 8 God knows people’s hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, for he cleansed their hearts through faith. 10 So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers[b] with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear? 11 We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.”
12 Everyone listened quietly as Barnabas and Paul told about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.
13 When they had finished, James stood and said, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Peter[c] has told you about the time God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people for himself.15 And this conversion of Gentiles is exactly what the prophets predicted. As it is written:
16 ‘Afterward I will return
and restore the fallen house[d] of David.
I will rebuild its ruins
and restore it,
17 so that the rest of humanity might seek the Lord,
including the Gentiles—
all those I have called to be mine.
The Lord has spoken—
18 he who made these things known so long ago.’[e]
19 “And so my judgment is that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.20 Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from eating food offered to idols, from sexual immorality, from eating the meat of strangled animals, and from consuming blood. 21 For these laws of Moses have been preached in Jewish synagogues in every city on every Sabbath for many generations.”
The Letter for Gentile Believers
22 Then the apostles and elders together with the whole church in Jerusalem chose delegates, and they sent them to Antioch of Syria with Paul and Barnabas to report on this decision. The men chosen were two of the church leaders[f]—Judas (also called Barsabbas) and Silas.23 This is the letter they took with them:
“This letter is from the apostles and elders, your brothers in Jerusalem. It is written to the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. Greetings!
24 “We understand that some men from here have troubled you and upset you with their teaching, but we did not send them! 25 So we decided, having come to complete agreement, to send you official representatives, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,26 who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We are sending Judas and Silas to confirm what we have decided concerning your question.
28 “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these few requirements: 29 You must abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. If you do this, you will do well. Farewell.”
30 The messengers went at once to Antioch, where they called a general meeting of the believers and delivered the letter. 31 And there was great joy throughout the church that day as they read this encouraging message.
32 Then Judas and Silas, both being prophets, spoke at length to the believers, encouraging and strengthening their faith. 33 They stayed for a while, and then the believers sent them back to the church in Jerusalem with a blessing of peace.[g] 35 Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch. They and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord there.
Paul and Barnabas Separate
36 After some time Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit each city where we previously preached the word of the Lord, to see how the new believers are doing.” 37 Barnabas agreed and wanted to take along John Mark.38 But Paul disagreed strongly, since John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in their work. 39 Their disagreement was so sharp that they separated. Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus.40 Paul chose Silas, and as he left, the believers entrusted him to the Lord’s gracious care. 41 Then he traveled throughout Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches there.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts15&version=NLT
5 When the camp moves forward, Aaron shall go in, and his sons, and they shall take down the veil of the screen, and cover the ark of the Testimony with it, 6 and shall put a covering of sealskin on it, and shall spread over it a cloth all of blue, and shall put in its poles. 7 On the table of show bread they shall spread a blue cloth, and put on it the dishes, the spoons, the bowls, and the pitchers for pouring with them; and the continual bread shall be on it. 8 They shall spread on them a scarlet cloth, and cover the same with a covering of sealskin, and shall put in its poles. 9 They shall take a blue cloth, and cover the lampstand of the light, and its lamps, and its snuffers, and its snuff dishes, and all its oil vessels, with which they minister to it. 10They shall put it and all its vessels within a covering of sealskin, and shall put it on the frame.
you had asked me why I thought the law was a burden. so I gave you an example from the scriptures of the law being a burden. there are others: While Paul and Barnabas were at Antioch of Syria, some men from Judea arrived and began to teach the believers[a]: “Unless you are circumcised as required by the law of Moses, you cannot be saved.”2 Paul and Barnabas disagreed with them, arguing vehemently. Finally, the church decided to send Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem, accompanied by some local believers, to talk to the apostles and elders about this question. 3 The church sent the delegates to Jerusalem, and they stopped along the way in Phoenicia and Samaria to visit the believers. They told them—much to everyone’s joy—that the Gentiles, too, were being converted.
4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, Barnabas and Paul were welcomed by the whole church, including the apostles and elders. They reported everything God had done through them. 5 But then some of the believers who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees stood up and insisted, “The Gentile converts must be circumcised and required to follow the law of Moses.”
6 So the apostles and elders met together to resolve this issue. 7 At the meeting, after a long discussion, Peter stood and addressed them as follows: “Brothers, you all know that God chose me from among you some time ago to preach to the Gentiles so that they could hear the Good News and believe. 8 God knows people’s hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, for he cleansed their hearts through faith. 10 So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers[b] with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear? 11 We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.”
12 Everyone listened quietly as Barnabas and Paul told about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.
13 When they had finished, James stood and said, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Peter[c] has told you about the time God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people for himself.15 And this conversion of Gentiles is exactly what the prophets predicted. As it is written:
16 ‘Afterward I will return
and restore the fallen house[d] of David.
I will rebuild its ruins
and restore it,
17 so that the rest of humanity might seek the Lord,
including the Gentiles—
all those I have called to be mine.
The Lord has spoken—
18 he who made these things known so long ago.’[e]
19 “And so my judgment is that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.20 Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from eating food offered to idols, from sexual immorality, from eating the meat of strangled animals, and from consuming blood. 21 For these laws of Moses have been preached in Jewish synagogues in every city on every Sabbath for many generations.”
The Letter for Gentile Believers
22 Then the apostles and elders together with the whole church in Jerusalem chose delegates, and they sent them to Antioch of Syria with Paul and Barnabas to report on this decision. The men chosen were two of the church leaders[f]—Judas (also called Barsabbas) and Silas.23 This is the letter they took with them:
“This letter is from the apostles and elders, your brothers in Jerusalem. It is written to the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. Greetings!
24 “We understand that some men from here have troubled you and upset you with their teaching, but we did not send them! 25 So we decided, having come to complete agreement, to send you official representatives, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,26 who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We are sending Judas and Silas to confirm what we have decided concerning your question.
28 “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these few requirements: 29 You must abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. If you do this, you will do well. Farewell.”
30 The messengers went at once to Antioch, where they called a general meeting of the believers and delivered the letter. 31 And there was great joy throughout the church that day as they read this encouraging message.
32 Then Judas and Silas, both being prophets, spoke at length to the believers, encouraging and strengthening their faith. 33 They stayed for a while, and then the believers sent them back to the church in Jerusalem with a blessing of peace.[g] 35 Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch. They and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord there.
Paul and Barnabas Separate
36 After some time Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit each city where we previously preached the word of the Lord, to see how the new believers are doing.” 37 Barnabas agreed and wanted to take along John Mark.38 But Paul disagreed strongly, since John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in their work. 39 Their disagreement was so sharp that they separated. Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus.40 Paul chose Silas, and as he left, the believers entrusted him to the Lord’s gracious care. 41 Then he traveled throughout Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches there.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts15&version=NLT
continuing on
I believe you asked why I thought of certain laws that were never directed towards me to be a burden. but this raises the question we had talked about earlier, what laws are directed towards me? I would say this one, love your neighbor as yourself. Or, love one another as Jesus loved us.
What’s God going to say to my questions? I’m braced for the worst.
I’ll climb to the lookout tower and scan the horizon.
I’ll wait to see what God says,
how he’ll answer my complaint.
Full of Self, but Soul-Empty
2-3 And then God answered: “Write this.
Write what you see.
Write it out in big block letters
so that it can be read on the run.
This vision-message is a witness
pointing to what’s coming.
It aches for the coming—it can hardly wait!
And it doesn’t lie.
If it seems slow in coming, wait.
It’s on its way. It will come right on time.
4 “Look at that man, bloated by self-importance—
full of himself but soul-empty.
But the person in right standing before God
through loyal and steady believing
is fully alive, really alive.
5-6 “Note well: Money deceives.
The arrogant rich don’t last.
They are more hungry for wealth
than the grave is for cadavers.
Like death, they always want more,
but the ‘more’ they get is dead bodies.
They are cemeteries filled with dead nations,
graveyards filled with corpses.
Don’t give people like this a second thought.
Soon the whole world will be taunting them
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Habakkuk2&version=MSG
are there other laws you feel we should live by? what are they? Perhaps you could list them? Or shall we live by faith?
I believe you asked why I thought of certain laws that were never directed towards me to be a burden. but this raises the question we had talked about earlier, what laws are directed towards me? I would say this one, love your neighbor as yourself. Or, love one another as Jesus loved us.
What’s God going to say to my questions? I’m braced for the worst.
I’ll climb to the lookout tower and scan the horizon.
I’ll wait to see what God says,
how he’ll answer my complaint.
Full of Self, but Soul-Empty
2-3 And then God answered: “Write this.
Write what you see.
Write it out in big block letters
so that it can be read on the run.
This vision-message is a witness
pointing to what’s coming.
It aches for the coming—it can hardly wait!
And it doesn’t lie.
If it seems slow in coming, wait.
It’s on its way. It will come right on time.
4 “Look at that man, bloated by self-importance—
full of himself but soul-empty.
But the person in right standing before God
through loyal and steady believing
is fully alive, really alive.
5-6 “Note well: Money deceives.
The arrogant rich don’t last.
They are more hungry for wealth
than the grave is for cadavers.
Like death, they always want more,
but the ‘more’ they get is dead bodies.
They are cemeteries filled with dead nations,
graveyards filled with corpses.
Don’t give people like this a second thought.
Soon the whole world will be taunting them
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Habakkuk2&version=MSG
are there other laws you feel we should live by? what are they? Perhaps you could list them? Or shall we live by faith?