The First Decree of the Church!

Acts 16:4 says “And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.” The first decree of the church was formed at the Jerusalem council in Acts 15. The decree contained that the Gentile church (later everyone) did not need to be circumcised and keep the law of Moses. The law of Moses consisted of 613 laws. The church would need to abstain from fornication and things strangled or from blood: Acts 15:23-25, 28-29 says “And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia: Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment: It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,..For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; 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.” Paul would grow in this understanding that the law was nailed to the cross and that we are to walk in a new law, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ. Once the churches had the decrees from Jerusalem delivered by the hands of Paul and the Apostles notice what happened: Acts 16:5 says “And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.” We decree that we are delivered from the law of Moses, and only lean and trust in the finished work of Christ for salvation! We decree that we keep ourselves from the bondage of fornication, adultery, and anything of physical or spiritual whoredom. We decree that we only partake in the blood of Jesus through the Eucharist and we will not be partakers in sacrifices to idol gods. We decree that we are established in the faith, and that we are growing in the Grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! 

-Anthony Booker