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Acts 15:19-21 (NIV, Emph mine)

19 “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. 21 For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.

This verse is used for and against observing law. Seems like this could mean either, "There are enough people following Moses and observing the law, so no need for more people to follow the law." or "The law is repeated in synagogues and new believers will go to synagogues, so they'll learn and follow them later."

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@richard I expanded a bit, v21 is a paragraph break so I stopped there. – wax eagle Sep 12 '11 at 19:50
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Thanks! Nice question +1 – Richard Sep 12 '11 at 20:02
related Question - christianity.stackexchange.com/questions/2498/… – Jamess Sep 13 '11 at 4:49

2 Answers

I don't think this is saying the Gentiles should have to learn the law of Moses. Quite the contrary, I believe it is saying they should not have to be burdened with the law of Moses.

Earlier in Acts 15 Peter asks why should the Gentiles be required to follow the law the Jews have.

Acts 15:10-11 NIV
10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.

When contrasted with this, I would understand James response in verses 19-21 to be saying most of the law of Moses would be an extreme burden on the Gentiles, considering even the Jews who heard the law weekly were not able to uphold it.

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This is related to the question discussed here. Both question discuss the same passage.

Quoting from the verse given by user

therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.

What was difficult for gentiles turning to God ? Difficulty was following the Law as we can see in verse 5 (NLT)

some of the believers who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees stood up and insisted, “The Gentile converts must be circumcised and required to follow the law of Moses.”

The conclusion was that gentiles should not be burdened by the Law of Moses

Verse 10

why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear?

Then as I explained in question quoted, leaders given some concessions considering that complete disregard of Law should not be a stumbling block to Jewish Christians. Considering "For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath", they asked Gentile believers to observe just four things, two which are affirmed elsewhere in the New Testament: food offered to idols and sexual immorality. So I believe those principles are binding to us even today, and another two (eating the meat of strangled animals, and consuming blood), which appear more to the situation at hand (strong views of Jewish Christians).

So I believe in summary, this do not call for observing the law, but re-affirming that salvation is not by Law, but by Grace as pointed out already by a_hardin.

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