Welcome to Part X of our in-depth series on the Old and New Covenants—a true milestone in our journey through Scripture. If you’ve been walking with us since the beginning, you know this study has been all about peeling back layers, challenging assumptions, and letting the Word speak for itself.
We have seen the incredible support we have received over this series, and we are so grateful to be a part of so many people's awakening in the faith.
Now, we arrive at a pivotal chapter: Acts 15. Often cited to support the idea that Gentile believers (you and me) are only bound to "four simple laws,". Was the early church giving Gentiles a pass on the rest of the Law? Was this a temporary measure, or something deeper?
In this teaching, we’re going to unpack these four laws given to Gentiles, explore their roots in the Law, and see what this means for us today. This isn't just a history lesson—it's about understanding what it means to be grafted in, and what the apostles truly intended for the nations coming into faith.
Let’s dive in.
The Jerusalem Council
If you aren't aware, a Jew was considered someone who was born a Jew, and raised in the Law of Moses. Later on, after Yeshua, the Jews started to pollute the Law of Moses with their own set of laws (The Talmud / Oral Law), which contradicted God's Law.
A gentile is someone not brought up in the faith - an outsider or foreigner. We have a whole teaching dedicated to these groups, which you can read here. Anyone not born a Jew, like you and me, is considered a Gentile.
With that information, the premise of the story revolves around the Jerusalem Council. The church of Jesus was well underway and growing incredibly, so this council acted as elders, providing guidance to the church and clarifying any concerns or questions people had about the faith.
The council was made up of:
- James, brother of Jesus - The leader
- Peter, the disciple of Yeshua
- Other unnamed elders.
One of the most peculiar decisions made by the council pertains to the Law of Moses. God gave 613 Laws for all of Israel (Including us) to follow. These include the 10 commandments and a whole bunch more. We have a teaching on one of the stranger ones, The Mystery of Wool and Linen.
The Jerusalem Council decided to write to the Gentiles that only 4 Laws needed to be followed.
Act 15:20 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.
If one reads this, it is easy to think the Law of God is no more. As suddenly, 609 other Laws seem to have been 'done away with'. To investigate further, let's establish the context
Who Were They Writing To?
The Jerusalem Council was there to clarify any uncertainty in the Church.
If we read a chapter before (Acts 14), we see that Paul and Barnabus were busy preaching throughout the lands:
Act 14:1 At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed.
At the end of Acts 14, it mentions they were in Antioch on instruction from God:
Act 14:26 From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. Act 14:27 On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.
Acts 15 then starts and opens up the context:
Act 15:1 Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.”
We know this idea that to be saved, you must be circumcised is unbiblical, as the Law cannot give salvation, and being circumcised to get saved is seen as working for salvation.
You might say, that is obvious! How can Christians believe that? Well, this is a similar story to some modern Churches that say - 'You cannot be saved unless you are baptized or Christened. Next time you hear this kind of false teaching, please direct them to Acts 15 and the circumcision party teaching we have.
So we can see the context - Paul and Barnabus were evangelizing to people, and some religious leaders were pushing back, arguing with them over how to be saved.
The people listening to this, rather confused, asked Paul to go to the Jerusalem Council to find answers.
Act 15:2 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.
Acts 15 continues with Paul and Barnabus going to the Council. We even see here that some of the Pharisees agreed with the idea of circumcision for salvation:
Act 15:4 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.
Act 15:5 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 keep the law of Moses.”
Act 15:6 The apostles and elders met to consider this question.
Peter's Revelation
In verse 7, we see the council debate, but eventually Peter steps in. Peter reiterates that the Gospel is for both Jew and Gentile, as evidenced by the Holy Spirit being poured out on both groups.
Act 15:8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us.
Act 15:9 He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.
Peter then states something profound:
Act 15:10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear?
Many Christians equate the heavy yoke with the Law of Moses. This does not make sense as the Law itself is described in Scripture as holy, just, good (Romans 7:12), and not burdensome (1 John 5:3); therefore, the heavy yoke refers to something else, which Peter clarifies in his next sentence:
Act 15:11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”
Peter is saying that adherence to God's Law is not a prerequisite for salvation and that we are saved by grace through faith in Yeshua. The yoke refers to keeping the Law perfectly, which no man can do. Of course, this does not mean you should not keep God's Law, because this is how He commands you to live, but this issue only centers around salvation, and not what to do after you are saved.
God does not only call you to be saved, but to come deeper with Him. Just like the Israelites were saved from Egypt, God called them to come deeper with Him and step into the promised land. To truly step into your calling and walk with God, you have to please Him by keeping his commandments.
The Final Decision is Made
As you will recall, James was the head of the council. He makes his final decision in verse 13:
Act 15:13 When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me.
Act 15:14 Peter has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles.
Act 15:19 “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.
Act 15:20 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.
James lists the 4 requirements for new Gentile believers:
- Abstain from food polluted by idols
- Abstain from sexual immorality
- Abstain from the meat of strangled animals
- Abstain from (drinking) blood.
But why did James decide this, and why these four?
Where Did The Decision Come From?
The early church faced a significant conflict: Jewish believers argued that Gentile converts must adhere strictly to the Law of Moses, including circumcision. This debate threatened to split the early Christian community.
Since the good news was also for the Gentiles, he wanted to lower the perceived barrier to entry for Gentiles. However, as we will show later, this decision did not mean Gentiles only had 4 Laws to follow.
Why These Laws?
Let's see where these laws come from:
- Abstain from food polluted by idols
This comes from Leviticus 17:7-9:
Lev 17:7 They must no longer offer any of their sacrifices to the goat idols[fn] to whom they prostitute themselves. This is to be a lasting ordinance for them and for the generations to come.’
Lev 17:8 “Say to them: ‘Any Israelite or any foreigner residing among them who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice
Lev 17:9 and does not bring it to the entrance to the tent of meeting to sacrifice it to the LORD must be cut off from the people of Israel.
The council would have made this a priority, as during this time, many Greek gods were worshipped. With this Law, they could refocus people's attention from false pagan gods to the one true God. The Law in Leviticus shows the severity of breaking this Law - You are not part of God's people.
- Abstain from sexual immorality
This Law comes from Leviticus 18:6-24, where a lot of instructions regarding sex were set in place. I will copy it below. It is quite a list.
Lev 18:6 “ ‘No one is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the LORD.
Lev 18:7 “ ‘Do not dishonor your father by having sexual relations with your mother. She is your mother; do not have relations with her.
Lev 18:8 “ ‘Do not have sexual relations with your father’s wife; that would dishonor your father.
Lev 18:9 “ ‘Do not have sexual relations with your sister, either your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she was born in the same home or elsewhere.
Lev 18:10 “ ‘Do not have sexual relations with your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter; that would dishonor you.
Lev 18:11 “ ‘Do not have sexual relations with the daughter of your father’s wife, born to your father; she is your sister.
Lev 18:12 “ ‘Do not have sexual relations with your father’s sister; she is your father’s close relative.
Lev 18:13 “ ‘Do not have sexual relations with your mother’s sister, because she is your mother’s close relative.
Lev 18:14 “ ‘Do not dishonor your father’s brother by approaching his wife to have sexual relations; she is your aunt.
Lev 18:15 “ ‘Do not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law. She is your son’s wife; do not have relations with her.
Lev 18:16 “ ‘Do not have sexual relations with your brother’s wife; that would dishonor your brother.
Lev 18:17 “ ‘Do not have sexual relations with both a woman and her daughter. Do not have sexual relations with either her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter; they are her close relatives. That is wickedness.
Lev 18:18 “ ‘Do not take your wife’s sister as a rival wife and have sexual relations with her while your wife is living.
Lev 18:19 “ ‘Do not approach a woman to have sexual relations during the uncleanness of her monthly period.
Lev 18:20 “ ‘Do not have sexual relations with your neighbor’s wife and defile yourself with her.
Lev 18:21 “ ‘Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molek, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.
Lev 18:22 “ ‘Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable.
Lev 18:23 “ ‘Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it. A woman must not present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; that is a perversion.
Lev 18:24 “ ‘Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you became defiled.
Sexual immorality is strictly forbidden by God and is called out on many occasions. It makes sense that the council would include this as one of the Laws. On top of that, the Greeks were also known for their sexual promiscuity. (The church in Corinth was called out specifically for this.)
People don't realise how destructive sex can be. Balaam was forbidden to curse Israel, but told the king of the enemy that he didn't need to wage war against Israel to win, he just had to introduce his nation's women to the men of Israel. The rest is history, and Israel became plagued with foreign gods not long after that.
God tells you to live this way to protect you.
- Abstain from Meat from Strangled Animals
God's instructions in His Law are Holy and forever. One of his commandments instructs people how to kill animals properly. God instructs his people to drain the blood out of all animals before eating them. Most butcheries even today do not care about such practices, but if God did, shouldn't we?
The early church thought this point was so important that they included it in their 4 laws. 'Strangled' is a term referring to any animal that was not prepared in this way. This law can be found in Leviticus 17:13:
Lev 17:13 Any Israelite or any foreigner residing among you who hunts any animal or bird that may be eaten must drain out the blood and cover it with earth
- Abstain from (drinking) blood.
This is connected to the above point. God forbids people from consuming blood, as outlined in His words below:
Lev 17:10 I will set my face against any Israelite or any foreigner residing among them who eats blood, and I will cut them off from the people.
Lev 17:11 For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.
Lev 17:12 Therefore I say to the Israelites, “None of you may eat blood, nor may any foreigner residing among you eat blood.”
In a lot of Pagan traditions, it was common for people to consume blood to gain supernatural abilities such as strength or vitality. This is still practiced today.
There are many other food laws prescribed in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, such as abstaining from eating visceral fat, proper slaughtering techniques, and even specific cooking methods. So, for the blood practice to be singled out by the Jerusalem council highlights its importance.
Note - Eating a rare steak does not mean you are drinking blood. The red liquid is a substance called myoglobin, not blood.
Eating the correct food is essential, and we have an entire series of teachings called Forbidden Food, where you can read how to eat Biblically.
Do We Only Have to Follow These 4 Laws as Gentiles?
This would indeed be the conclusion; however, if we keep reading, James ends his speech rather strangely, and this last sentence changes the picture:
Act 15:21 For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”
James explains his reasoning for the decision: Start with the Gentiles on these critical points, and the rest will be covered at the Synagogue/Church.
This shows us the council did not decide Gentiles only had to obey the 4 commandments, but instead wanted to lower the barrier to entry for them, as they did not grow up learning the Law, and learning 600+ Laws all at once would turn many people away.
Just think how many people shut down as soon as something becomes too complex. James had the wisdom to foresee this in the Gentiles.
Conclusion
It's clear that the four laws given to Gentile believers were never meant to be the full extent of their walk with God—but rather a starting point. These instructions addressed the biggest cultural and spiritual issues of the time—idolatry, sexual immorality, pagan sacrifice, and the consuming of blood. Each of these practices had strong ties to false worship and unclean living.
Many Christians will stop there, but James makes it clear in verse 21 that the Law of Moses would continue to be taught every Sabbath in the synagogues. He laid out a roadmap for new believers - as Gentiles entered into the faith, they would hear the Word, week after week, and gradually learn how to walk in obedience, just as the Israelites did when they were brought out of Egypt. Sanctification is a journey, not a one-time decision.
The apostles understood the nature of growth. Just as a child doesn’t begin with calculus but first learns to count, the Gentiles were to begin with foundational principles and then grow in maturity through the regular hearing and study of the Word.
So no, Acts 15 does not abolish God’s Law. It does not reduce the walk of faith to four commandments. Instead, it lays a wise foundation for a new people—grafted into Israel—to begin their walk in holiness, truth, and covenant obedience.
The same is true for us today. God calls us deeper. He is not only interested in our salvation, but in our transformation. His Law is not bondage—it is freedom. It is life. And in the same way He led Israel step by step, He leads us still.
Be Blessed!
