Acts 15:20

"But that we write to them": That is, put this in writing and clear up the matter. "This will leave no opportunity for the Judaizers to again misrepresent what Gentiles have to do to be saved, for the Gentiles will have. specific word from the Lord on the matter" (Reese p. 544). "That they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood": Some writers argued that this section is. compromise with the Pharisees, but to this we must disagree. God does not compromise with error. Obviously after all the arguments, James is not now appealing to certain provisions in the Law of Moses. The Law never was and never will be binding on Christians. It was removed at the cross (Colossians 2:14), thus the above restrictions are given not because the Law of Moses taught them, but because the Law of Christ forbids them. These four areas are mentioned because they were the top four temptations for Gentiles who had become Christians. Even after conversion these new Christians were surrounded by an idolatrous and immoral society."Things contaminated by idols": This would include getting rid of all their household idols and verse 29 mentions "things sacrificed to idols". In 1 Corinthians 8:1; 1 Corinthians 10:1 Paul will expand upon when and where. Christian could eat meat sacrificed to idols and when such would be wrong. Compare with 1 Corinthians 8:1 ff; 1 Corinthians 10:14 ff, and Revelation 2:14; Revelation 2:20; Revelation 2:24. "And from fornication": This includes abstaining from all unlawful sexual activity, including premarital sex, adultery, and homosexuality. Remember in the ancient world idolatry and sexual immorality often were combined. The worship of. pagan deity often included. visit to. harlot priestess. Like today, it is sad that many pagans considered fornication no more wrong than getting. drink when one is thirsty, or eating when one is hungry. "From what is strangled": That is, animals that have not been properly bled when being butchered. This does not mean that we are still under the regulations of the Law of Moses, but rather God has always considered such practices to be cruel and barbaric. His people, before the Law, during the Law, or after the Law were never to do such things as eat blood or eat the heart of some animal while it is still beating. "From blood": This is not. prohibition against blood transfusions or having any contact with blood, but rather. prohibition against eating or drinking blood. This was. law even before the Law of Moses was given (Genesis 9:4). This does not mean that Gentiles had to eat kosher food, for God declared all foods clean (1 Timothy 4:4), but blood, strangled animals, idolatrous practices and fornication have never been acceptable under any covenant, including the new covenant.