Acts 15 & Antinomianism

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nwink

Puritan Board Sophomore
I've heard some antinomians say before regarding the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15 (vs 20, 29) that the fact that the council instructed the churches to only "abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication" was an evidence that we are not obligated to keep the 10 commandments. I know other ways to destroy the argument about our obligation to the 10 commandments (simply from the fact that obviously having another god, etc, would still be sinful), but I don't know how to address that argument specifically from this text. Why did the Council only instruct them in these matters? This passage obviously is addressing the Judaizer issues, but then I don't know why they would include the part about "fornication" if they were only instructing against Judaizer issues.

I know some commentators have talked of the conscience issue that would be caused by meat offered to idols...and how blood would make a Jew uneasy...and that fornication was very prominent among the Gentiles in these places.

Thoughts? Thank you.
 
Josh, do you think a Christian today is free to eat blood? Or an animal that has been strangled?
 
Josh, do you think a Christian today is free to eat blood? Or an animal that has been strangled?

This was to teach those under a typological sacrificial system that the blood represented the soul or life of the animal, and that however intimately related they were to the typological system they were not to eat the soul of the animal.

And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. (Lev 17:10-11)

Even when the priests ate sacrificial meals they were not to eat the blood; wine offerings were to be poured out in front of the Tabernacle.

We're in a different position with Christ which is why we drink wine at the Lord's Table. He has poured out his soul unto death and He indwells us by His Spirit.

We, New Testament Israelites, are in a more intimate relationship with the Antitype than the Old Testament Israelites were with the types and shadows of Christ.
 
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