What Acts 21.25 Is All About

“As for the Gentile believers, they should do what we already told them in a letter: They should abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality.” [Acts 21.25] 

The instructions above are what James and the Jerusalem church elders advised Paul concerning Gentile believers. What is that all about?

Although the three rules for Gentile believers seem random, the list is certainly short and simple enough when compared to all the law of Moses. There is however one significant common denominator among all three of these directives: idolatry.

While "eating food offered to idols" is obvious enough in its relationship to idolatry, it takes only a moment's thought to realize that consuming blood and eating the meat of strangled animals are directly involved with idol worship (see 1 Samuel 14.34 and Ezekiel 33.25). And, without question, sexual immorality is a hallmark practice and product of idolatry.

What James and the Jerusalem elders were telling Gentile believers to do was to avoid idolatry. They were telling them to obey the first three of the Ten Commandments.

Let's pause here for a contemplative moment... The passages directly below are quotes from Paul and James.

Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” [Romans 13.8-9]

For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” [Galatians 5.14]

Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” [James 2.8] 

Should we not be concerned that something is missing in these demands? Jesus said:

Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” [Matthew 22.37-40]

Unlike Jesus' demand to love God and love man, Paul and James are on record of demanding only "love man." Why, in their writings, did they not include the "love God" part like Jesus did? 

The answer can be discovered in Jesus' most profound address of the Ten Commandments' role in the life of any would-be follower:  

Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” “Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.” “Which ones?” the man asked. And Jesus replied: “‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?” Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” [Matthew 19.16-24]

Notice here that Jesus (like Paul and James did) at first only mentioned the "love man" part of the Ten Commandments! It was only after the wealthy young man recognized something was missing and questioned Jesus, “What else must I do?” that Jesus summed up the ("love God") first three commandments: 'no other god, no idols, no misuse of God's name in any association whatsoever with idols' when He said, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

The reason Paul and James left out the "love God" part when writing to believers was because that part was the very essential basis of the audience's being a "believer" in the first place: they had given up their own ways, taken up their cross, and followed Jesus!

So, what does this have to do with Acts 21.25? James and the Christian elders in Jerusalem were declaring the "love God" first three commandments as non-negotiable: no idolatry or association with idolatry whatsoever JUST LIKE JESUS DID WITH THE YOUNG WEALTHY MAN!

Idolatry is non-negotiable with God. Idolatry is non-negotiable with Jesus. Jesus' work on the Cross is of no benefit to the person in violation of the first three commandments. A person cannot hold on to idols and hold on to Jesus at the same time. Jesus forbade it:

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]

And that is what Acts 21.25 is all about. 

Father, I am amazed how idolatry has persisted to distract Your people even up to this day. In fact, it seems idolatry is worse now than at any time in history. No wonder Jesus said, "only a few ever find it" referring to Your Kingdom. May Your people, in this day, turn away from idols so that they might effectively turn to You.  May they give up their own ways, take up their cross, and follow Jesus. May I be found in their company as they do! So be it.