Well, the text DOES flow quite well, but it doesn't support your conclusion. Here's the Greek (we'll remove the verse numbers for you):
Act 15:19-21 διοεγω κρινω μη παρενοχλειν τοις απο των εθνων επιστρεφουσιν επι τον θεον αλλα επιστειλαι αυτοις του απεχεσθαι απο των αλισγηματων των ειδωλων και της πορνειας και του πνικτου και του αιματος μωυσης γαρ εκ γενεων αρχαιων κατα πολιν τους κηρυσσοντας αυτον εχει εν ταις συναγωγαις κατα παν σαββατον αναγινωσκομενος
Which is this:
(Act 15:19-21) 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.
While the four directives are given in the form of an instruction, “we write to them to abstain from” the four prohibitions. But the final clause about Moses being read in the synagogues is not an instruction, but an observation, with the “gar” (in bold above) following “Moses” signifying the giving of a reason for what has preceded.
So the question is really this: What effect would the preaching of Moses have among Gentile Christians that would be offset by this letter from the Jerusalem church? This is easy to solve if we remember that the dustup was caused by the push among some Jewish Christians to force the Gentile believers to be circumcised, thus imposing on them compliance with the entire Mosaic law. For as Paul says:
Gal 5:2-4 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. (3) For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. (4) Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
Therefore the more likely reason for James mentioning the preaching of Moses among the Gentiles is because those Gentiles who believed in Jesus would need to be told they don’t have to do everything they are hearing about at those synagogues, just a few simple things. And to verify this, look again at the Gentile reaction to hearing they are NOT obligated to circumcision, thus by implication the dietary laws, the festivals, etc.:
Act 15:30-31 So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle: (31) Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.
Why were they rejoicing? Because for the very small price of avoiding some key sore spots with their Jewish brothers and sisters in Christ, they were now fully accepted into the household of God, without the keeping of the full Mosaic law.
Which presents a further problem. As you have mentioned elsewhere:
Mat 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
If this is to be understood the way you are suggesting, then the entire Jerusalem Council is in violation of the teaching of Christ, because they just let the Gentiles out of circumcision and all that entails. James, Peter, Paul, all lost souls, or at least “least in the kingdom,” all because they ignored this principle in the teaching of Christ.
Or perhaps the Holy Spirit led the Jerusalem council rightly, because they were not teaching for the Old Covenant, but for the New Covenant. Because although Jesus was emphatic about the Old Covenant being in full force during his pre-crucifixion ministry, he did provide a sunset clause:
Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
And when was the law fulfilled? When Christ took the full penalty for our disobedience by dying on the cross in our place, the Father Himself signifying the passing of the Old and the dawn of the New Covenant by ripping the heavy curtain of the Holy of Holies in two. The ordinances of the law that were against us and stood for our condemnation were nailed to the cross with Christ, and they have ceased to have power over us:
Col 2:13-14 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; (14) Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Amen.
Peace,
SR
Excellent! Well done! Those who would trust in what they do rather than what Jesus did should take heed.
Excellent post SE.
I want you to be aware you are in dialogue with a cultist who follows the teachings of syncretic religion, put forth by a lifelong cultist. Facts do not sway cultists. They already know the hidden truth that no one else knows!
Prayer and fasting can remove the demons...
No part of God’s word was originally given in Greek.
The oracles of Yehova were all delivered by Hebrews in Hebrew.
I have posted the solid proof of that fact sufficiently often that anyone with a desire for truth has had access thereto.
Keep on reading through churchian glasses if you wish; the soul you lose can only be your own.
Chopping the word up into manageable bits as you are given to doing, is not sufficient for the elect. Acts 15 is to be read in the whole, and followed in the whole.