Eight myths about the Bible

LDS was not needed...

...how would you respond?

Yes.

And if two demonic imposters show up I'll tell them to get lost - but that would be redundant.

You haven't specifically identified my error in that post.....but, I'm waiting.

Yes I have.

God's laws are eternal and made for all mankind [Mark 2:27].

I've think I've got the root of your problem:

Acts 15

Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved."

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.

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 brothers very glad.

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.

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 obey the law of Moses."

The apostles and elders met to consider this question.

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.

God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us.

He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.

Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?

No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."

The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.

When they finished, James spoke up: "Brothers, listen to me.

Simon has described to us how God at first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for himself.

The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:

" 'After this I will return and rebuild David's fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it,

that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things' [fn]

that have been known for ages.

"It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.

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.

For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath."

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, two men who were leaders among the brothers.

With them they sent the following letter:

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

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

So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul-

men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing.

It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements:

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.

The men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter.

The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message.

Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers.

After spending some time there, they were sent off by the brothers with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them.

But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.

Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing."

Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them,

but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work.

They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus,

but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.

He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Same here my friend. Everyone who think the sabbath of the Lord has been "done away" with or transferred is simply following Catholic teaching and not bible facts.
Speaking of FACTS: which ones did the PRESBYTERIANS ignore to earn the claim from JS that he had learned that PRESBYTERIANism was UNTRUE?

JS = Joseph Smith?? I'm assuming this is a rhetorical question...

"It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 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.
For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath."

Your interpretation of these verses is illogical. Taken to its logical conclusion you would have to say that gentiles were free to steal, kill, covet and commit any other sin not specifically listed here. Clearly MORE was expected of gentile Christians than just these.

The last sentence is the one that's germane. The list was for starters. These were the practices most prevalent in pagan worship. The council decided that they should stop these thing right away and they would learn the rest as the scriptures were read to them EVERY SABBATH.

I've think I've got the root of your problem: Acts 15

I'm amazed that folks use [Acts 15] as an example of the dissolution of the Sabbath and other things by the Jerusalem Council.

Consider: What do the first two verses address as the Problem? And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. 2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. What question (singular)? CIRCUMCISION!

Now.....you gotta ask yourself this question. What in the world did circumcision have to do with the manner of Moses? Wasn't the circumcision covenant with Abraham? Why were these men (brethren) from the Jerusalem church concerned about circumcision and the "Custom" of Moses?

The Greek tells us that the word "ETHEI" is the one used for "Custom"....or "Manner" in some translations. The root word "ETHOS" is used also to denote various commands from the Law of Moses in scripture. Examples are: [Luke 2:42][Acts 6:14] & [21:21]. Here is the circumcision command found in the Law of Moses:

[Leviticus 12:1] 1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean. 3 And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. Well.....this certainly wasn't a big problem as all of the Apostles had already been circumcised as Jewish children. But.....the Jews from Jerusalem were evidently not using this scripture as their argument. Instead they were using this one:

[Exodus 12:43-49] 43 And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof: 44 But every man's servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof. 45 A foreigner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof. 46 In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof. 47 All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. 48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof. 49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.

These "Brethren" from Jerusalem were upset because Paul and Barnabas were allowing "Uncircumcised Gentiles" to observe and participate in the Passover with them. And they thought that in addition to baptism these Gentile males must also be circumcised to partake of The Lord's sacrifice at Passover. This would then allow them (the Gentiles) to become part of the covenant people of Israel and no longer be considered strangers (Gentile).

Now....let's go back and look again at verse 2: 2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. The word "question" here in the Greek is "ZETAMATOS". It is a Greek noun, sometimes translated as "Issue" and it is being used in the singular! Circumcision was the only issue that brought Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem.....and it was the only issue that was discussed at the council. The entire Law of Moses was not the issue in question.....at Antioch.....or Jerusalem!

When Paul spoke at the council he was rebutted by some Pharisees who thought that circumcision was still necessary (verses 4-5). The Pharisees were not advocating that the Gentiles had to keep the entire Law of Moses. Unfortunately some translations give this impression. If you translate verse 5 literally this is what comes out: "It is necessary to circumcise them to instruct and to keep the Law of Moses". The Pharisees therefore believed that by submitting to circumcision a dual purpose would be satisfied. One, education of the Law of Moses.....and to keep the Law of Moses with regards to Passover [Exodus 12:43-49].

This is one more place in scripture which shows the Early Church still observing God's Festivals (Passover) and Sabbaths.

In verses 6-7 they considered the question....and then Peter got up and recalled the Holy Spirit descending upon Cornelius.....an uncircumcised Gentile. So, after hearing both sides of a heated discussion Peter asks: "Why do you test God by putting a yoke upon the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?"

What was this yoke? It was adult male circumcision! Peter was telling the council that the Jews themselves were unable to endure this rite as adult males. They were not physically able themselves to submit to circumcision. Let's look at [Genesis 34:24-26] 24 And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened all that went out of the gate of his city; and every male was circumcised, all that went out of the gate of his city. 25 And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males. 26 And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went out. Simeon and Levi slew all the males of the city. They couldn't defend themselves as they were in so much pain. It was traumatic and debilitating for adult males to undergo circumcision! This was the yoke that Peter spoke of. Peter finishes by stipulating it is through grace that we are saved.....just as they are (verse 11).

Then Paul and Barnabas again spoke recounting all the miracles and wonders that God has worked through them for the Gentiles. They pointed out that these things were all done without submitting to circumcision.

Now....this is what James says: [Acts 15:13-18] 13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: 14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. 15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, 16 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: 17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. 18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. He quotes the prophet Amos (verses 16-17) but here is the entire prophecy in context: [Amos 9:8-15] 8 Behold, the eyes of the Lord GOD are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth; saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the LORD. 9 For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth. 10 All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us. 11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: 12 That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this. 13 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt. 14 And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. 15 And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.

This is a Messianic prophecy and James has clearly indicated that he realizes that these "Gentiles" coming to faith in Jesus are among the ones that have been scattered among the Gentiles mentioned in verse 9. And he says in verse 19 of Acts that he believes that we should not trouble those among the Gentiles who are turning to God but will write to them about abstaining from things polluted by idols, from sexual immortality and from things strangled and from blood.

Why did James announce these four things? Eating food sacrificed to idols; Sexual immorality; Eating the meat of strangled animals; Eating blood. These are all things found in Mosaic Law and are referred to as "Halakah"....which literally means, "the path that one walks". Each of these requirements are to be found in the Law regarding strangers among us....those who desired to live among the Israelites. They can all be found in the 17th and 18th chapters of Leviticus. James is defining the path that these Gentiles should walk in order to be counted among the Jews.

The entire Law of Moses was never the subject of the Jerusalem council (A.D. 49)....only the subject of circumcision of adult male converts. James finishes up by stating that Moses is read every Sabbath anyway.....so he answers the Pharisee's earlier question about keeping the Law of Moses, indicating they (the Gentiles) would learn about Moses by attending Sabbath services, and if they truly became converted they would have knowledge of the Law by their simple attendance.

These newly converted Gentiles would then realize that they should indeed circumcise their 8 day old infant boys, but they themselves would not have to undergo this procedure....this yoke.