Hi to all , and in Acts 15:5 they were trying to get Gentiles , and wanted to COMMAND them to keep the Law of Moses . That means the Law was still in EFFECT as also Acts 21 :20 reveals , that James and thousands of Jews were ZEALOUS of the Law , is inescapeable .
Then in Acts 28:28 , judgment is pronounced by Paul , Be it known therefore unto you , that SALVATION of God was sent unto the Gentiles , and that they will hear it , and this judgment was done 3 times , all in Acts .
What is the GOSPEL that James and Peter were preaching , remember Acts 21:20 ??
And who was the they that wanted to command them to keep the Law of Moses? The bible says it was certain of the sect of the Pharisees. It wasn't the apostles, it wasn't the church leadership, it was beleivers among the Pharisees. At this point Peter and James set them straight. Peter said, "Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they." It's clear, Peter said the Jews weren't able to keep the law and asked why then they (the certain of the Pharisees) wanted to make the Gentiles do it. He clearly states that salvation is by grace and the true way to live is by faith, not by the works of the law. Sounds a lot like Paul, doesn't it?
James then says, "Men and brethren, hearken unto me: Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, that doeth all these things. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day." Notice what James said. James said God always planned things this way. He said we do not need to trouble the Gentiles by putting them under the law. But, we will tell them to abstain from a few things. Why? Because in the same city where they live there is a synagogue where Jews are reading from and following Mosaic Law. In order to avoid troubles, in order to avoid offending the Jews, he tells them to abstain from these few things. He did not put them under the law. He did not say that he was under the law or following the law. But one must understand that many of the Jews at this time still were. In order to possibly bring some of them into the gospel church, and in order to avoid problems and offenses, some things were abstained from. Paul said the same thing. He said, "all things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not." He also said, "give not offense, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved." Paul and James are on the same page. Sounds like they preached the same thing.
