Three Questions about God's Law

[Bob S]

Sin is the transgression of God's law,

God's Law to who. Were the Gentiles sinning because they didn't let their sideburns grow? Were they sinning because they didn't keep any of the ceremonial laws given only to Israel?

so the position that Gentiles are not under it is the position that Gentiles are not obligated to refrain from sin, do not need salvation from sin, do not need grace, do not need Jesus to have given himself to redeem us from all lawlessness, and to not need to hear and believe the Gospel. The reality is that God is sovereign, so we are all under His law and are obligated to refrain from doing what it reveals to be sin. While the law was only given to Israel, it was given to Israel in order to equip them to be a light and a blessing to the nations by turning the nations from their wickedness and teaching them to obey it in accordance with the promise and with spreading the Gospel.

In Deuteronomy 30:11-20, it says that God's law is not too difficult for us to keep and that keeping it brings life and a blessing while not keeping it brings death and a curse, so choose life! So it was presented as a possibility and as a choice, not as something that we are unable to keep. Furthermore, Romans 10:5-8 references Deuteronomy 30:10-20 as the word of faith that we proclaim, which is the word of faith that you just denied. In 1 John 5:3, to love God is to keep His commandments, which are not burdensome, so you are also denying that anyone has ever loved God and that His commandments are not burdensome. Moreover, there are many examples of people who did keep God's law, such as those in Joshua 22:1-3, Luke 1:5-6, Revelation 14:12, and Revelation 22:14. God's law is a ministration of life for those who choose to keep it and the fact that it is a ministration of death for those who refuse to keep it is not a very good reason to refuse to keep it.

You keep referring to commandments as being the ten commandments. Where does John refer to commandment as being ten? He does refer to commandments as believing and loving in 1Jn3: 23-24. I will take my cue from John as to what is meant by commandments since Paul had already told us that the ten commandments were done away. 2Cor3:
9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

The command is not to have at least one day of rest, but to rest on the 7th day in memorial of when God rested after Creation.

That is correct, the command to the Israelites WAS to rest on the day they received no manna. The command was to remember their flight out of Egypt. It was personal day only for Israel as long as they were under the covenant given to them by God. New they are under a very different covenant. Gentiles were never under that covenant . My question is when do you believe we became subject to a now a covenant that no longer exists?

 

[Gary K]

The righteousness which exceeds the self-righteousness of the Pharisees is the righteousness which comes by faith. The Jews were in bondage under the Mosaic law and the sin of breaking that law kept them in bondage as servant to it. However, under the law of faith there is a mediator who can still forgive when we sin. The Jews never had that.

I don't disagree with the idea that righteousness by faith far exceeds the righteousness of the Pharisees. No righteousness will never equal the complete righteousness of Jesus.

The Jews were under the bondage of sin.

John 8: 31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
33 ¶ They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

 

[Soyeong]

God's Law to who. Were the Gentiles sinning because they didn't let their sideburns grow? Were they sinning because they didn't keep any of the ceremonial laws given only to Israel?

Sin is not based on who we are, but upon the eternal nature of who God is. For example, righteousness is in accordance with God's nature, while unrighteousness is sin that is contrary to God's nature. The Bible often uses the same terms to describe aspects of the nature of God as it does to describe aspects of the nature of God's law, such as with it being holy, righteous, and good, which is because it is God's instructions for how to act in accordance with those aspects of His nature. For example, our good works in obedience to God's law testify about God's goodness, which is why our good works bring glory to Him (Matthew 5:16), and by testifying about God's goodness we are also knowing, loving, worshiping, and believing in God's goodness. So again, those instructions are available for anyone who wants to do those things.

The Bible never lists which laws are part of the ceremonial law and never even refers to that as being a category of law. If you and a group of other people were to create lists of which laws you though were part of the ceremonial law, then you would end up with a wide variety of lists and none of you should interpret the authors of the Bible as referring to a list of laws that you just created. I could categorize God's laws based on which part of the body is most commonly used to obey/disobey them, such as with the law against theft being a hand law, but just because I can do that does not establish that the authors of the Bible categorized God's laws in the same manner, so if I were to insert a list of laws that I created into the Bible and interpret it as referring to hand laws, then I would be making the same sort of error as you are making.

In 1 John 3:4, it says that sin is the transgression of God's law and it doesn't make any exceptions for ceremonial laws or for hand laws, so if not letting sideburns grow was against what God's law instructs, then it would be a sin to do that.

You keep referring to commandments as being the ten commandments. Where does John refer to commandment as being ten? He does refer to commandments as believing and loving in 1Jn3: 23-24. I will take my cue from John as to what is meant by commandments since Paul had already told us that the ten commandments were done away. 2Cor3:
9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

I said nothing in reference to the Ten Commandments. It is contradictory to want to believe on the name of the Son and to love while rejecting God's instructions for how to do that as being only for Israel. Instructions for how to act in accordance with God's nature can't be abolished without first abolishing God. Paul did not say that any of God's commandments were done away with but rather in Romans 3:31, he said that our faith does not abolish God's law, but rather our faith upholds it. Changing the medium upon which God's law is written from stone to our hearts does not change the content of what it instructs or abolish any of its instructions.

That is correct, the command to the Israelites WAS to rest on the day they received no manna. The command was to remember their flight out of Egypt. It was personal day only for Israel as long as they were under the covenant given to them by God. New they are under a very different covenant. Gentiles were never under that covenant . My question is when do you believe we became subject to a now a covenant that no longer exists?

The New Covenant involves God putting the Mosaic Law in our minds and writing in on our hearts (Jeremiah 31:33), so those who want nothing to do with obeying the Mosaic Law want nothing to do with being under the New Covenant.

 

[Soyeong]

God's Law to who. Were the Gentiles sinning because they didn't let their sideburns grow? Were they sinning because they didn't keep any of the ceremonial laws given only to Israel?

You keep referring to commandments as being the ten commandments. Where does John refer to commandment as being ten? He does refer to commandments as believing and loving in 1Jn3: 23-24. I will take my cue from John as to what is meant by commandments since Paul had already told us that the ten commandments were done away. 2Cor3:
9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

That is correct, the command to the Israelites WAS to rest on the day they received no manna. The command was to remember their flight out of Egypt. It was personal day only for Israel as long as they were under the covenant given to them by God. New they are under a very different covenant. Gentiles were never under that covenant . My question is when do you believe we became subject to a now a covenant that no longer exists?

There is no purpose in deciding whether or not a particular law is a ceremonial law other than that you've arbitrarily decided that is ok to disobey the laws that you personally consider to be ceremonial. For example, there are no ceremonies involved with the command against shaving the corners of one's beard, but you've arbitrarily decided that it is a ceremonial law and that that somehow means that you are free to disobey that law without committing sin. If someone were to add a bunch of ceremonies to the way that they committed murder, then that would not change whether or not what they are doing is sin. If someone commits adultery because their marriage was ceremonial, then it is still a sin. Sin is disobedience to God regardless of whether or not a law happens to have ceremonial aspects.

 

[NBB]

'Some of the Lord's followers think one day is more important than another. Others think all days are the same. But each of you should make up your own mind.'

The apostles agreed to make some recommendations about what to avoid and do, and not be burdened by something not even their ancestors could keep.

I believe If you say you need to keep the sabbath or you are sinning, you are doing the same as these people from Judea to Antioch to believers.

The Council at Jerusalem​

15 Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. 3 The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the believers very glad. 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.


5 Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.”


6 The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”


12 The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. 13 When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me. 14 Simon[a] has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles. 15 The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:


16 “‘After this I will return
and rebuild David’s fallen tent.
Its ruins I will rebuild,
and I will restore it,
17 that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,
even all the Gentiles who bear my name,
says the Lord, who does these things’[b]—
18 things known from long ago.[c]

19 “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. 21 For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”

The Council’s Letter to Gentile Believers​

22 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were leaders among the believers. 23 With them they sent the following letter:

The apostles and elders, your brothers,
To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia:
Greetings.

24 We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. 25 So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul— 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. 28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.
Farewell.

 

[NBB]

I think Hebrews author wants to have some words with people that says failing to do sabbath commandment is sin

Galatians 3:2 In-Context 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?

 

[Bob S]

There is no purpose in deciding whether or not a particular law is a ceremonial law other than that you've arbitrarily decided that is ok to disobey the laws that you personally consider to be ceremonial. For example, there are no ceremonies involved with the command against shaving the corners of one's beard, but you've arbitrarily decided that it is a ceremonial law and that that somehow means that you are free to disobey that law without committing sin.

I didn't indicate sideburn cutting was ceremonial. Let me explain. England has laws we in the USA do not have. We recognize and respect their laws, but here in America we certainly are not under their law's jurisdiction. We only have to keep the laws given in the new covenant.

If someone were to add a bunch of ceremonies to the way that they committed murder, then that would not change whether or not what they are doing is sin. If someone commits adultery because their marriage was ceremonial, then it is still a sin. Sin is disobedience to God regardless of whether or not a law happens to have ceremonial aspects.

I agree, but we are not under the ceremonial laws concerning keeping days. We are under a NEW covenant not the old one warmed over.

 

[Gary K]

I didn't indicate sideburn cutting was ceremonial. Let me explain. England has laws we in the USA do not have. We recognize and respect their laws, but here in America we certainly are not under their law's jurisdiction. We only have to keep the laws given in the new covenant.

I agree, but we are not under the ceremonial laws concerning keeping days. We are under a NEW covenant not the old one warmed over.

So you aren't living in God's universe?

 

[BobRyan]

God’s law is most certainly good for all! But it is only required to be kept by those under the law.

under the New Covenant - God's "Law is written on the heart" - Jer 31:31-34 (Heb 8:6-12
Under that Gospel covenant "our faith establishes the LAW of God" Rom 3:31
Under that Gospel covenant "the saints KEEP the commandments of God AND their faith in Jesus" Rev 12:14
Under that Gospel covenant "what matters is KEEPING the commandments of God" 1 Cor 7:19
Under that Gospel covenant "this IS the LOVE of God that we KEEP His Commandments" 1 John 5:3
such that "Honor your father and mother is the first commandment with promise" Eph 6:2

The law was given to the Jews only.

hmm - so "only the Jews" had the command "Do not take God's name in vain"?? in your POV.

Gentiles were not under the law.

So gentiles need to concern themselves with "Honor our father and mother which is the first commandment with a promise" Eph 6:2 - in your POV??

Note that the Eph 6:2 statement is only true in the context of the TEN commandments. No other unit of Law in the OT works out that way.,

if the Jews were unable to keep the law then why would anyone expect the Gentiles to keep the law

So now NEITHER of them need to be concerned with "do not take God's name in vain"??

seriously?

Or do you mean that all lost people (Jew or gentile) need the Gospel because ALL have sinned. And once they accept the Gospel they are born-again under the NEW Covenant and so then the saved saints (Jew AND Gentile) then have the New Covenant condition of the LAW of God written on the heart - and as 1 John 3:4 says "SIN IS transgression of the Law" - along with "These things I write to you that you SIN NOT" 1 John 2:1.

 

[One God and Father of All]

under the New Covenant - God's "Law is written on the heart" - Jer 31:31-34 (Heb 8:6-12
Under that Gospel covenant "our faith establishes the LAW of God" Rom 3:31
Under that Gospel covenant "the saints KEEP the commandments of God AND their faith in Jesus" Rev 12:14
Under that Gospel covenant "what matters is KEEPING the commandments of God" 1 Cor 7:19
Under that Gospel covenant "this IS the LOVE of God that we KEEP His Commandments" 1 John 5:3
such that "Honor your father and mother is the first commandment with promise" Eph 6:2



hmm - so "only the Jews" had the command "Do not take God's name in vain"?? in your POV.


So gentiles need to concern themselves with "Honor our father and mother which is the first commandment with a promise" Eph 6:2 - in your POV??

So now NEITHER of them need to be concerned with "do not take God's name in vain"??

seriously?

Or do you mean that all lost people (Jew or gentile) need the Gospel because ALL have sinned. And once they accept the Gospel they are born-again under the NEW Covenant and so then the saved saints (Jew AND Gentile) then have the New Covenant condition of the LAW of God written on the heart - and as 1 John 3:4 says "SIN IS transgression of the Law" - along with "These things I write to you that you SIN NOT" 1 John 2:1.

Maybe I wasn’t clear or maybe you didn’t read the other post. I was speaking of the laws as God had given them to His people, the Jews. As a people under those laws it was required that breaking of the laws be punished. As I said in an earlier post, if you had broke the sabbath it was required under the law that you be put to death. If you belong to a group that requires its members to keep God’s law then you are required according to the law to execute its punishments. If you don’t then you are breaking the law. And that’s what I was talking about. There has been a change in the law, but it doesn’t include breaking the Ten Commandments or condone breaking them.

 

[BobRyan]

Law is blameless but love fulfills the law. Are there any other parts of the Ten Commandments you want to talk about?

The Law is God's Law of Love. The first four commandments deal with Love for God and the last six deal with Love for one another.

Therefore to live in perfect obedience to the first four - is to perfectly Love God. To live in obedience to the last six commandments is to perfectly love one another. This is what it means to "Love God with all your heart" Deut 6:5 and to "Love your neighbor as yourself" Lev 19:18

 

[BobRyan]

Maybe I wasn’t clear or maybe you didn’t read the other post. I was speaking of the laws as God had given them to His people, the Jews.

Indeed the ones where "Honor your father and mother (Ex 20:12) is the first commandment with promise" Eph 6:2 as Paul reminds us.

James 2 takes us back to the same list as does Christ in Matt 19.

As a people under those laws it was required that breaking of the laws be punished.

Not true in the case of "do not covet". Still... it was a sin.

So also in the case of "Do not take God's name in vain" Ex 20:7 -- it is a sin even for gentiles ... even for Christians to do it.
"Sin IS transgression of the Law" 1 John 3:4

As James reminds the NT saints -
James 2:
10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.

As you probably agree -- Christians are not free to murder or to commit adultery according to James.

As I said in an earlier post, if you had broke the sabbath it was required under the law that you be put to death

hint: there is no death penalty listed in the Ten Commandments for anything - not even for ignoring God's Sabbath commandment.
But in the CIVIL Laws for Israel there were penalties for breaking certain commandments - yet no penalty at all for coveting.

Still - coveting is sin. Even for Christians as difficult as that idea can be in some cultures.

. If you belong to a group that requires its members to keep God’s law then you are required according to the law to execute its punishments.

True under God's theocracy. Which we do not have any more until we get to heaven.

The "Baptist Confession of Faith" section 19 and the "Westminster Confession of Faith" section 19 do not agree with idea of acting as if we are still under God's Theocracy and had the national civil laws that applied at that time.

As they both admit - there is a difference between civil laws and penalties under a theocracy vs the moral law of God applicable to all mankind. Which they both agree the TEN Commandments are included in that moral law of God applicable to all mankind.

Deu 5:22 God spoke These ten words (Deut 10:4) from pillar of cloud " and added no more"

If you don’t then you are breaking the law. And that’s what I was talking about.

There has been a change in the law, but it doesn’t include breaking the Ten Commandments or condone breaking them.

agreed.

 

[BobRyan]

We are under a NEW covenant

have you read the New Covenant???

You know... the part where scripture says "this is the New Covenant I will make ..." -- have you actually read it??

 

[One God and Father of All]

The Law is God's Law of Love. The first four commandments deal with Love for God and the last six deal with Love for one another.

Therefore to live in perfect obedience to the first four - is to perfectly Love God. To live in obedience to the last six commandments is to perfectly love one another. This is what it means to "Love God with all your heart" Deut 6:5 and to "Love your neighbor as yourself" Lev 19:18

The commandments to Love God and to love your neighbor are not copied from the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments grow out of Love for God and your neighbor and not the other way around. It’s as Jesus said, the Commandments hang upon love of God and neighbor. If one has love of God and neighbor then that fulfills the law.

 

[One God and Father of All]

Indeed the ones where "Honor your father and mother (Ex 20:12) is the first commandment with promise" Eph 6:2 as Paul reminds us.

James 2 takes us back to the same list as does Christ in Matt 19.

Not true in the case of "do not covet". Still... it was a sin.

So also in the case of "Do not take God's name in vain" Ex 20:7 -- it is a sin even for gentiles ... even for Christians to do it.
"Sin IS transgression of the Law" 1 John 3:4

As James reminds the NT saints -
James 2:
10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.

As you probably agree -- Christians are not free to murder or to commit adultery according to James.



hint: there is no death penalty listed in the Ten Commandments for anything - not even for ignoring God's Sabbath commandment.
But in the CIVIL Laws for Israel there were penalties for breaking certain commandments - yet no penalty at all for coveting.

Still - coveting is sin. Even for Christians as difficult as that idea can be in some cultures.

True under God's theocracy. Which we do not have any more until we get to heaven.

The "Baptist Confession of Faith" section 19 and the "Westminster Confession of Faith" section 19 do not agree with idea of acting as if we are still under God's Theocracy and had the national civil laws that applied at that time.

As they both admit - there is a difference between civil laws and penalties under a theocracy vs the moral law of God applicable to all mankind. Which they both agree the TEN Commandments are included in that moral law of God applicable to all mankind.

Deu 5:22 God spoke These ten words (Deut 10:4) from pillar of cloud " and added no more"




agreed.

Coveting is a sin of the heart. It’s a desire to have what does not belong to you. Like when Adam and Eve coveted the fruit.

 

[Gary K]

Maybe I wasn’t clear or maybe you didn’t read the other post. I was speaking of the laws as God had given them to His people, the Jews. As a people under those laws it was required that breaking of the laws be punished. As I said in an earlier post, if you had broke the sabbath it was required under the law that you be put to death. If you belong to a group that requires its members to keep God’s law then you are required according to the law to execute its punishments. If you don’t then you are breaking the law. And that’s what I was talking about. There has been a change in the law, but it doesn’t include breaking the Ten Commandments or condone breaking them.

There is no forgiveness of sins without the shedding of blood. Jesus shed His blood for us. How can a person look at and understand what He went through in Gethsemane, His trial, and on the cross as well as the constant persecution of the Pharisees and Sadducees for 3.5 years and say, wow, I don't have to keep one of His laws because He died for me. It seems to me that demonstrates a lack of gratitude for all He suffered.

 

[One God and Father of All]

There is no forgiveness of sins without the shedding of blood. Jesus shed His blood for us. How can a person look at and understand what He went through in Gethsemane, His trial, and on the cross as well as the constant persecution of the Pharisees and Sadducees for 3.5 years and say, wow, I don't have to keep one of His laws because He died for me. It seems to me that demonstrates a lack of gratitude for all He suffered.

It’s seems you’ve misunderstood my posts or didn’t read them. Nowhere did I say we are not to keep any of His laws. Let me repeat what I’ve said. Love of God and your neighbor fulfills all the law.

 

[Canuckster]

24 "We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said."

Why did you remove out of that verse the most important thing that was said?

“...have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, 'You must be circumcised and keep the law'”.

Most important because it shows the decree wasn't just in response to unauthorized men from Jerusalem urging gentiles to be circumcised but also urging gentiles to keep the law. It was necessary to be circumcised before keeping the law, and since gentiles were not circumcised it naturally had to be mentioned as a prerequisite.

No doubt these unauthorized men were secretly sent out by the Pharisee sect within the church who said in verse 5, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”

And since the decree, authorized by the Holy Spirit", makes no mention of any requirement for gentiles to keep the law of Moses which includes the Sabbath,

"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."

then according to the Holy Spirit, this case was settled almost 2,000 years ago and applies to Christians today.

 

[NBB]

Why did you remove out of that verse the most important thing that was said?

“...have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, 'You must be circumcised and keep the law'”.

Most important because it shows the decree wasn't just in response to unauthorized men from Jerusalem urging gentiles to be circumcised but also urging gentiles to keep the law. It was necessary to be circumcised before keeping the law, and since gentiles were not circumcised it naturally had to be mentioned as a prerequisite.

No doubt these unauthorized men were secretly sent out by the Pharisee sect within the church who said in verse 5, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”

And since the decree, authorized by the Holy Spirit", makes no mention of any requirement for gentiles to keep the law of Moses which includes the Sabbath,

"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."

then according to the Holy Spirit, this case was settled almost 2,000 years ago and applies to Christians today.

i didn't remove anything just copy pasted from a bible source. idk.

 

[Canuckster]

i didn't remove anything just copy pasted from a bible source. idk.

Must be strangely omitted in your translation. All translations I've come across do not omit that most important part: "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—" NKJV