Question by steinbeck11: What does this Bible verse mean to you?As a Christian today how do you apply this verse?
Acts 15:29, “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.”
The meat that is sold at the super market today is not offered to an idol, the animal that was killed to provide the meat was bled properly by FDA guidelines, blood is not available at my supermarket and I would never want to eat blood as some of those in the ancient world did as a way to worship a false god by drinking the blood from a sacrificed animal and I do not fornicate or enter into sexual relations believing I am honoring a false god in a fertility festival.
All of these directives are wrapped up in the way in which pagan groups worshipped–they had sexual relations as a way to “honor” their gods at temples. This was done with “temple prostitutes” and at festivals/rites.
I do not live in a pagan culture that does these things so how can I apply these verses to my life?
sliq–I am a gentile–how do those apply to me today?
Best answer:
Answer by Granny Annie
Look for the modern equivalents.
Today there are still idols. They’re not stone statues, but spurious value systems.
Much of the so-called “American Dream” has elements of those values.
Per example:
Getting ahead, making pots and pots of money wihout regard to the welfare of others
Being famous at any cost
Rampant egotism
Discourtesy and outright rudeness
Abjure these and you have fulfilled the intrinsic meaning of the quoted Biblical admonition.
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
The way I read this is “stay away from unclean things. Don’t drink blood or hang out with people worshiping idols(money, those practicing strange religions, etc.) Keep your body clean. You are Gods temple.”
These three commands have to do with the eating habits of Gentile Christians. Though they were not bound under the Law of Moses, they were bound under the Law of Love. The Law of Love tells them, “don’t unnecessarily antagonize your Jewish neighbors, both in and out of the church.”
Therefore, the issue is settled here in the infancy of Christianity, and for all time: We are saved by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ, not by any conformity to the law, and such obedience comes as a result of true faith, after the issue of salvation has been settled.
You will probably never encounter “meat offered to idols” or animal blood, so don’t worry about it. Apparently this was a common practise among Romans at the time.
“…and from things strangled,” This passage, I think, is a warning to respect other living creatures. Don’t kill an animal for sport or torture an animal to death and then eat it. Face it, Steinbeck, we live in a much more civilized culture now. You won’t see blood sports or crucifixions any more. You won’t see people getting thrown to the lions (literally) or slaves being beaten.
Relax, you aren’t even close to doing any of these things. The pagan influence has disappeared from modern American culture. Don’t worry about it, get on with the business of glorifying God.
You pointed out that the meat you buy at your super market is killed and bled properly by federal regulations. You do not partake or eat any blood products. You also live a chaste life free from fornication, (Any sexual activity outside of marriage.)
From what you described you seem to be applying this verse admirably and I complement you for doing so. I have never enjoyed blood products of any kind. The thought repulses me and causes me nausea. For that reason I refrain from eating lambs fry (Liver) or kidneys from any animal. The reason being the kidneys and liver filter blood and so I will not knowingly eat them. I do some times eat pork and bacon because the new testament gives us permission to. I generally only eat flesh, no organs of any kind. I suspect there have been times where I may have been tricked into eating something I would not normally eat via the disguise of a curry.
I have previously been involved in sexual immorality and as the Bible says this is a sin against your own flesh. It took a while, but God has rescued me from such behaviours. I have to be constantly on my guard as it could be easy to slip back into my prior sinful ways. After my marriage broke up, I did regrettably go wild for a few years. I praise God I am over that and rely on Him heavily to protect me from easy women who at times I am vulnerable to.
Today some worship at the Mall, just like a temple. Spending more money than a person can afford is idolatry. Buying Prada shoes/bags whatever when people are starving is idolatry. Living life as if “its all about me” is worsipping self and that is at the root of most idolatry.
All of us are tempted, my downfall is sweets. I want to eat far more than is good for me. For others it may a person you love too much or a job or hobby you overdo.
Ask God what your idols/temptations are and you will quickly find a personal application for these verses.
This is a really important question, let God show you how to apply it personally and it will change your life. Thanks!
edit: Many Bible verses have a literal meaning and a secondary interpretation based on biblical principles. We don’t eat sacrifices or blood. But we do struggle with misplaced worship at times.
Please read the entire chapter. This is the council’s response to the Jews saying that Gentile converts had to be circumcised according to the law of Moses in order to be saved. The council determined that, if the Gentiles would follow these simple guidelines, they would be all right.
I have to question your wording on one point.
“I do not fornicate or enter into sexual relations believing I am honoring a false god in a fertility festival”
This scripture says “abstain…from fornication”, not “abstain…from fornication honoring a false god in a fertility festival”.
I don’t know if you meant for your statement to read this way, but the passage is clearly a prohibition against fornication, not *just* ritual fornication.
Jim, http://www.jimpettis.com/wheel/