The beloved physician Luke shared how the church in Jerusalem sent letters to the church in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia, and they sent Judas and Silas along with Barnabas and Paul to carry the letters to them. The letters included that, “it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things”, and in chapter fifteen and verse twenty-nine of the book of Acts Luke shared how the letters said, “that you abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication” where we read:
That you abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if you keep yourselves, you shall do well. Fare you well.
The verse begins, “That you abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, ...” Luke began with the words, “that you abstain from meats offered to idols” which means “that you, believers in Jesus of the church of Antioch, refrain and keep apart from flesh offered to idols”, “and from blood” or “and apart from bloodshed of men or animals”, “and from things strangled” which means “and from animals that were suffocated or deprived of life without the shedding of blood”. Luke shared how the letters from the church in Jerusalem included the instructions for the Gentile believers not to eat “meat” that was sacrificed to idols and to keep away from the shedding of the blood of men and animals and eating any animal that was suffocated of deprived of life without the shedding of blood.
The verse continues, “... and from fornication: from which if you keep yourselves, you shall do well. Fare you well.” Luke added the words, “and from fornication” or “and separate and apart from sexual immorality which included adultery, homosexuality, lesbianism and intercourse with animals”: “from which if you keep yourselves” which means “that when and whether you, Gentile believers in the church of Antioch, carefully and continually restrict and wholly avoid yourselves from these things”, “you shall do well” or “you, Gentile believers in the church of Antioch, will perform, accomplish, undertake and practice good”. “Fare you well” or “be strengthened, thrive and prosper”. Luke shared how the letters from Jerusalem also included the instruction for the people to keep from “porneia” which is the Greek word that means “sexual immorality”, and when they observe all four of these rules, they would be doing good. The letters to the Gentile church in Antioch ended with the benediction and blessing for them to live long and prosper.
When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we learn how the letters to the church in Antioch included the four rules, “to abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication” which was decided in the church in Jerusalem. Not only did the church in Jerusalem choose these four laws, but they set out to communicate with the “Gentiles” concerning them. God desires to have a personal relationship with every person through His Son Jesus, and when they yield to Him as their “Savior and Lord”, they will be forgiven of their sins, granted everlasting life and become a part of the family of God in His Kingdom. The four rules given to the “Gentiles” in Antioch not only provided them with direction and relief but should be followed by anyone who yields themselves to Jesus. Those who observe them do good, and they will be blessed for all eternity for observing what God has declared.
Next time Luke shares, “when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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