The whole assembly kept silence, and listened to Barnabas and Paul as they told of all the signs and wonders that God had done through them among the Gentiles. After they finished speaking, James replied, “My brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first looked favorably on the Gentiles, to take from among them a people for his name. This agrees with the words of the prophets, as it is written, ‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the dwelling of David, which has fallen; from its ruins I will rebuild it, and I will set it up, so that all other peoples may seek the Lord— even all the Gentiles over whom my name has been called. Thus says the Lord, who has been making these things known from long ago.’ Therefore I have reached the decision that we should not trouble those Gentiles who are turning to God, but we should write to them to abstain only from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from whatever has been strangled and from blood. For in every city, for generations past, Moses has had those who proclaim him, for he has been read aloud every sabbath in the synagogues.” (Acts 15:12-21, NRSV)
Once we hear about the many wonders the Gentiles are doing then we know that God has given them the Spirit. And so they do not need to uphold all of the law of Moses, but we should write to them to abstain only from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from whatever has been strangled and from blood.
Again we do not all have to be the same, and follow the same guidelines, but we have to follow the same Lord. Who calls us all from different places in different ways to be who we are a gift to the body of Christ!
aSacredRebel 