The word offenses means a snare, a cause or displeasure or sin. Occasion to fall or to stumble. A thing that offends. A stumbling block which makes one to trip and fall. Today I am going to write about something that was settled 20 centuries ago an the first Apostolic Convention in Antioch found recorded in Acts ch. 15. There is a great movement of ministries and churches wanting to research the Jewishness of the Church. I have no problem with people wanting to research the first century church that was established by Jewish men, whose ministry at first was solely to Jews, that wrote by inspiration of God the Bible which in fact is a Jewish book. I do have problems however, with Christians who claim to be Apostolic attempting to enforce Sabbath keeping, and Holy Days and feasts upon born again Gentiles. This directly contradicts the command given to Gentile converts as declared by Bishop James the Brother of Jesus in Acts 15:22-29.
(Acts 15:22-29)
22 Then pleased it the apostles and elders with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
23 And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia.
24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
25 It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
26 Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
27 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.
28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
So many still attempt to bring believers into bondage or rules and hand writings and ordinances that was against us especially us Gentiles who had no sacrifice for our sins under the law, Christ moved these out of the way nailing them to the cross.
( Colossians 2:14) 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.
Paul declared to the Church in Galatia (Galatians 5:4) Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. I am justified by Jesus blood and not the ceremonial law. The Holy Ghost has written God’s law in our hearts, and while the 10 commandments are God’s Law to Israel and are the foundational laws for the church, we have been given even more laws to live by found in the New Testament that are commandments not grievous to us but we can live them because of the indwelling Holy Ghost. Continued next Page...............................