^_^ said:
David, the oral law taught that in order to be righteous, you couldn't even eat with a gentile. That's why the vision was about food and not about laying with.
Exactly, so what's the connection between unclean foods and unclean gentiles? The Jews understood they alone were God's chosen people, while the common folk, the gentiles, were unclean, common, dogs. Scripture already establishes the definition of food as "Every moving creature that lives is food for you...But do not eat flesh with its life, its blood." Food is never defined as animal droppings, tin cans or anything else that one might decide to try to ingest. We know that Noah already understood the distinction between the clean and the unclean, yet also was given all for food. That much has been clearly established in Genesis.
So, what's the connection between food and gentiles? What is God trying to tell Peter? What did Peter himself say the understanding was? If the gentiles were not to be considered unclean any longer, and nothing that enters their mouth can make them unclean, then why would the gentiles be subject to anything distinctly Mosaic? If the separation/partition still exists between Jew and gentile, then we're right back to saying what the Pharisees said in Acts 15, that to be saved, you must become Jewish, subject to Mosaic law. Has nobody read the book of Galatians??
Gal. 2:16: “knowing that a man is not declared right by works of
NOMOS, but through belief in Yahushua Messiah, even we have believed in Messiah Yahushua, in order to be declared right by belief in Messiah and not by works of
NOMOS, because by works of
NOMOS no flesh shall be declared right.”
Gal. 2:19: “For through
NOMOS I died to
NOMOS, in order to live to Elohim.”
Gal. 2:21: “I do not set aside the favour of Elohim, for if righteousness is through
NOMOS, then Messiah died for naught.”
Gal. 3:2: “This only I wish to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of
NOMOS, or by the hearing of belief?”
Gal. 3:5: “Is He, then, who is supplying the Spirit to you and working miracles among you, doing it by works of
NOMOS, or by hearing of belief?”
Gal. 3:10: “For as many as are of works of
NOMOS are under the curse, for it has been written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all that has been written in the book of
NOMOS, to do them.”
Gal. 3:11: “And that no one is declared right by
NOMOS before Elohim is clear, for “The righteous shall live by belief.”
Gal. 3:12: “And
NOMOS is not of belief, but “The man who does them shall live by them.”
Gal. 3:13: “Messiah redeemed us from the curse of
NOMOS, having become a curse for us - for it has been written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs upon a tree.”
Gal. 3:17: “Now this I say,
NOMOS, that came four hundred and thirty years later, does not annul a covenant previously confirmed by Elohim in Messiah, so as to do away with the promise.”
Gal. 3:18: “For if the inheritance is by
NOMOS, it is no longer by promise, but Elohim gave it to Abraham through a promise.”
Gal. 3:19: “Why, then,
NOMOS? It was added because of transgressions, until the Seed should come to whom the promise was made. And it was ordained through messengers in the hand of a mediator.”
Gal. 3:21: “Is
NOMOS then against the promises of Elohim? Let it not be! For if
NOMOS had been given that was able to make alive, truly righteousness would have been by
NOMOS.”
Gal. 3:23: “But before belief came, we were being guarded under
NOMOS, having been shut up for the belief being about to be revealed.”
Gal. 3:24: “Therefore
NOMOS became our trainer unto Messiah, in order to be declared right by belief.”
Gal. 4:4: “But when the completion of the time came, Elohim sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under
NOMOS”
Gal. 4:5: “to redeem those who were under
NOMOS, in order to receive the adoption as sons.”
Gal. 4:21: “Say to me, you who wish to be under
NOMOS, do you not hear
NOMOS?”
Gal. 5:3: “And I witness again to every man being circumcised that he is a debtor to do the entire
NOMOS.”
Gal. 5:4: “You who are declared right by
NOMOS have severed yourselves from Messiah, you have fallen from favour.”
Gal. 5:14: “For the entire
NOMOS is completed in one word, in this, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.”
Gal. 5:18: “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under
NOMOS.”
Gal. 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trust-worthiness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no
NOMOS.”
Gal. 6:2: “Bear one another’s burdens, and so complete
NOMOS of Messiah.”
Gal. 6:13: “For those who are circumcised do not even watch over
NOMOS, but they wish to have you circumcised so that they might boast in your flesh.”
This is every reference to the Greek word "nomos" I could find in Galatians. This word is usually translated as "law" or "torah". Perhaps if someone would care to give me the definition of this word, as they understand it, we could then examine these passages to see what is being taught about the end of "nomos" for believers in Messiah.
Love in Him,
David