And it got smacked down for it.
What part of 'no other requirements' is so hard to figger out?
O.K., I see. Then according to you all that is required of a new Christian is to not eat blood..... or animals that have been strangled....or food that has been offered as a pagan (idol) sacrifice. Oh....and be sure to remain sexually pure.
[Leviticus 17:10-12]10And 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. 11For 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. 12Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood.
If you read the rest of the chapter....and chapter 18 you will then understand why James felt it was important for the Gentile converts to be taught Halakhah laws.
It is not surprising that you are unaware of this. Most other "Main Stream" Christians have not a clue....as well.
James chose these four conditions to mention as very important and knew they would be the beginning steps they (Gentile converts) would take to enter the congregation. Halakhah means...."The path one walks" and each of these commandments was based on the things found in the Torah that were peculiar to "Strangers" (Hebrew "Ger") who lived among the tribes of Israel.
James is defining the path that these Gentile converts must walk to be accepted by the Jews. James wasn't eliminating the law.....and replacing it with these four requirements. He was simply telling everyone that these Gentiles would soon become aware of the Mosaic Laws by attending Sabbath services but these particular items were germane to "Strangers among us".
Ask yourself.........should he have said.....,"Oh, by the way....tell them also not to kill anyone, steal anything or bear false witness against their neighbors either." Of course he didn't have to say that. It was tacit.
[Acts 15:21]For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
What does this actually mean? It's has not been truthfully preached by the Church for 1700 years....that's for certain. James is explaining the reason he has made his decision regarding the circumcision requirements of the Church. When you stop and think about his decision and the reason for the four Halakhah commands it starts to come together.
He is answering the previous demands by the Pharisees [Acts 15:5] that circumcision was necessary for salvation. He concludes that by attending Sabbath services the Gentiles would come to that understanding..... and would therefore insure that their male children would be circumcised as eight day old infants. As they grew in knowledge of the law they would naturally begin to obey it. He would not lay the burden of adult circumcision upon them (verse 19).
I'm very sorry that this has been a difficult concept for you to understand. It's that way with many Christians as they are ignorant of the Hebrew beginnings of Christianity and have been taught false doctrines for almost two Millennia.