This is the burning question throughout the Christian-Messianic landscape. Admittedly I have been on the spectrum of keeping the law of Moses to a more Anabaptist (Centrality of Messiah's teachings) approach. I have also been a Seventh day Adventist which falls somewhere in between.
There are many so called teachers today who have their opinions on this subject, however as always we should obey what the Holy Spirit says. There is a growing movement called "Hebrew Roots", as well as their red headed step cousin "Messianic Judaism", and these movements I believe are dangerous and infact heretical.
We have to sincerely ask ourselves, will we allow men to teach us or the Holy Spirit? What does Jehoshua say?
John 16:13
"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he shall hear, [these] shall he speak: and he shall declare unto you the things that are to come"
The Angel of the Holy Spirit is the one to guide us into all truth not a man or a woman. So many men and women are eager to take on the job of the Holy Spirit and tell you how you should walk out your faith. These deluded people are no better than the Pope or other authoritarian type pseudo apostles.
The Holy Spirit Angel will declare to us things he hears from Jehovah God directly whereas these so called torah teachers are usually getting their understanding of the bible from Judaism and their Rabbi's.
1 John 2:27
"And as for you, the anointing which ye received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any one teach you; but as his anointing teacheth you; concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, ye abide in him"
The anointing of Jehovah's holy spirit abides in those who believe that Jehoshua is His only begotten Son. Therefore, because of the anointing of the spirit we need not that anyone teach us. Does John means what he says? According to modern Pastor's and so called Rabbi's, the answer is "No". These so called self appointed teachers cannot afford to let you take this verse literally as it would undermine their self given authority and their so called right to rule over your faith.
This is important in understanding because this current wave of self appointed torah teachers need to be rebuked and hit with this passage. If one doesn't understand the truth of John's words they will allow themselves to be decieved by these Jew-a-bees and put themselves under the authority of the Hebrew roots/Messianic Jews Rabbi's. By not realizing that they themselves have the spirit of Jehovah and can understand the scriptures without a man teaching them, they will put themselves under a heavy yoke that these false teachers themselves don't carry.
One of the sly deceptions of the Hebrews roots/Messianic Jew movement is that they glean a lot of their understanding of the scriptures from Rabbinic Judaism. Rabbinic Judaism is not the Israelite faith of the bible and is a post Biblical religion. It also denies Jehoshua being the Son of God which makes them antichrist and are the very ones John is warning about in 1 John chapter 2.
There is a glorious freedom in taking John at his word and knowing that you yourself can understand the scriptures without anyone teaching you. We have to remember that scripture calls us kings, queens and priests (Revelation 1:5-6; 4:9-10; 1 Peter 2:9-10; Ephesians 1:4, 2:6).
The Holy Spirit of Jehovah God, the angel of His presence is the one who teaches us all things and therefore we know what is true and abide in the Father. This then eliminates the need for anyone to teach us. Let's go to Jehoshua for verification of what John says here:
Matthew 23:8-12
8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your teacher, and all ye are brethren. 9 And call no man your father on the earth: for one is your Father, [even] he who is in heaven. 10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your master, even the Messiah. 11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled; and whosoever shall humble himself shall be exalted.
Jehoshua's words are largely ignored by these so called Hebrew roots teachers. The Son of God's words are plain as day, "be not ye called Rabbi"! Why can't these Nicolatians understand this? Jehoshua also says call no man father as we only have one Father who is Jehovah God in heaven. Jehoshua says to not be called masters yet Christendom/Hebrew roots world is filled with men who love titles and want their followers to call them by these titles.
The greatest among the brethren are actually to be the servants of the brethren and those who exalt themselves will be humbled. This is a verse the leadership of the various denominations hate as well as the so called you tube preachers. In one passage the Son of God takes out, from under so called teachers and leaders, the ability to put themselves in authority over anyone. When these so called Rabbi's and Pastors try to make their interpretation of scripture the ultimate and demand you submit to it they are basically gentiles (unbelievers):
Matthew 20:25-28
25 But Jehoshua called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 Not so shall it be among you: but whosoever would become great among you shall be your minister; 27 and whosoever would be first among you shall be your servant: 28 even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
The Son of God set the example and there is no excuse for any so called teacher to put themselves in authority over others, in fact, if he does he shows that he is an unbeliever. Jehoshua's true followers don't seek to have authority over others rather they desire to be the servants and ministers of the brethren. Those who desire the office of Bishop are actually required to be the servants of the sheep they are in care of. Jehoshua being the King of Israel said he came to serve others not be served.
What we have today is a bunch of wannabe Jews and Rabbi's running around telling others how to live out their faith and keep Torah. No wonder Paul was adamantly against the Judiazers of his day!
Now with all this being stated let's go to the heart of matter at hand. Let's start with the Jerusalem council of Acts 15. The controversy of this council is plainly laid out in chapter 15:
Acts 15:1-2
1 And certain men came down from Judaea and taught the brethren, saying, Except ye be circumcised after the custom of Moses, ye cannot be saved. 2 And when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and questioning with them, the brethren appointed that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
The controversy leading up to the council was regarding circumcision after the custom of Moses. There should be no confusion about this. In order to settle this issue Paul and Barnabas went up to Jerusalem to settle the issue. Notice that they didn't subject themselves to these certain men from Judea and even contested with them greatly about the matter. We should learn from this and not let any of these Jew-a-bee's affect us with their doctrine as they are not qualified leaders to subject you to their regulations. Was it needful for the nations to be circumcised in order to be saved? We will see as we continue to look at this passage:
Acts 15:4-6
4 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church and the apostles and the elders, and they rehearsed all things that God had done with them. 5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying, It is needful to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the law of Moses. 6 And the apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider of this matter.
Notice that it was the Pharisees who were pushing the issue of circumcision. Who are the ones pushing the issue today? It is the ones who glean much of their understanding of the law from the offspring of the Pharisees, rabbinic Judaism. These would be the Hebrew roots folks and Messianic Jews.
The Pharisees who were part of the Jerusalem church wanted the believers from the nations to be circumcised and keep the law of Moses. This is exactly who is agitating the issue today, it is Hebrew roots/Messianic Jews who glean their torah understanding from Rabbinic Judaism. So the specific controversies are circumcision and the law of Moses and whether those from the nations should observe them. The issue was taken before thr apostles and elders.
Acts 15:8-9
8 And God, who knoweth the heart, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us; 9 and he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.
These are the words of the apostle Peter as he ministered to the household of Cornelius who was of the Nations. Cornelius and his household recieved the holy spirit showing that Jehovah God looks at the heart not the outward ritualistic religion. Jehovah made no difference between the Judeans and those of the Nations, cleansing both groups by faith in Messiah. Jehovah's giving of the holy spirit to the Nations was Him bearing witness that they were His children.
Acts 15:10
"Now therefore why make ye trial of God, that ye should put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?"
These are very words of Peter the Lord's apostle. It is crystal clear in that those who try and put thr yoke of circumcision and the law of Moses on the disciples are putting Jehovah God on trial. Peter even says neither the apostles nor their forefathers could bear the yoke of the law of Moses. History proves Peter right in that Jehovah divorced Israel due to their failure to live up to the covenant of Sinai.
It's amazing that these Hebrew roots folks and Messianic Jews completely ignore Peter's and do the exact opposite of what he says and actively try to put a yoke on the disciples of Jehoshua Messiah. They are being disobedient to the apostles doctrine and command. They are making trial of Jehovah God.
Acts 15:11
"But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jehoshua, in like manner as they."
Peter proves that the salvation plan for the Judeans and the Nations is the exact same in that it is by Jehovah's grace (divine influence upon the heart, divine gift). There is not a separate gospel for Judeans than there is for the Nations. See Ephesians 4:4-6 for confirmation of this. Salvation is not by the law of Moses per Peter.
Acts 15:13
"And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Brethren, hearken unto me"
Now it is time for the Bishop of the Jerusalem ekklesia James to make his decision on the matter. It is acknowledged by many scholars of church history that James was the unquestiones leader of all the ekklesia's. When the word "hearken" is used it means to listen and obey.
From verses 14-18 James quotes Amos 9:9-12 which is a prophecy that the Northern house of Israel would be dispersed among the Nations and be regathered unto Jehovah in the restored Davidic Kingdom. James applies these Nations being ministered to by Paul as a fulfillment of that prophecy meaning these Nations that are the subject of the circumcision question are Israelites of the Northern Kingdom.
Acts 15:19-20
19 Wherefore my judgment is, that we trouble not them that from among the Nations turn to God; 20 but that we write unto them, that they abstain from the pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from what is strangled, and from blood.
James retierates Peter's sentiments and says that his judgment (James sits on the seat of the Bishop) is that they trouble not those from among the Nations who turn to Jehovah God. This means thay those from the Nations do not have to get circumcised nor keep the law of Moses.
James does give those from the Nations some commandments to follow namely to abstain from idolatry and fornication. This covers some of the 10 commandments and other parts of the moral law of Moses such as Leviticus 18. Too many modern Christians use the Jerusalem council to promote a lawless gospel and yet ignore the actual commandments James gave at the council. James also commands to abstain from blood. This prohibits eating things with the blood not drained as well as blood transfusions as the life of the soul is in the blood. The purpose of this commandment is not to pollute your body with the blood of animals (humans included) since the lifeforce of someone is in their blood.
Acts 15:21
"For Moses from generations of old hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath"
Some believe what James is saying here is that those of the Nations will eventually learn and keep the law of Moses as they go to the Synagogue on the Sabbath day. However, James doesn't say any such thing so we cannot add to his words.
One view is that James commanded this to those of the Nations so that they would not offend their Judean brethren when they went to the Synagogue on the Sabbath day. Again, this is speculation so we cannot conclude this either. We do have some evidence that James does not mean what people in the first view says he means in regards to them learning and keeping the law of Moses as they attend the Synagogue on the Sabbath. Lets go to Acts for proof that James does not mean what many Hebrew roots/Messianic Jews says he means:
Acts 21:20-22
20 And they, when they heard it, glorified God; and they said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of them that have believed; and they are all zealous for the law: 21 and they have been informed concerning thee, that thou teachest all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children neither to walk after the customs. 22 What is it therefore? They will certainly hear that thou art come.
This is the situation where James asks Paul if he is teaching the Judeans that they don't have to circumcise their children and themselves keep the law of Moses.
Acts 21:23-25
23 Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men that have a vow on them; 24 these take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges for them, that they may shave their heads: and all shall know that there is no truth in the things whereof they have been informed concerning thee; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, keeping the law. 25 But as touching the Gentiles that have believed, we wrote, giving judgment that they should keep themselves from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from fornication.
James tells Paul to pay for the purity vow of the four men from the Jerusalem ekklesia including himself. Now look at what James says regarding the Nations (gentiles), he tells Paul :
"As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication"
You will notice a difference between the KJV (right above this) and the ASV in the quotation 3 paragraphs above. It really doesn't matter because in both cases James simply reiterates his decree given from his throne of Bishopric. This mean that his decision in Acts 15 is categorically authoritative and from Jehovah God Himself. James never reverses the decision, which is what we would need to see in order to command those of the nations to keep the law of Moses and get circumcised.
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