In defence of the gospel
Theme: God graciously saves a people of his choosing; do not trouble those who submit to Christ
Translating Acts 15:11
Some translations of Acts 15:11 specify that we ‘will be saved’ (ESV, NKJV) whilst others say ‘we are saved’ (NIV, NASB). The Greek verb construction (aorist passive infinitive) is somewhat ambiguous and can be translated as a future or a past. The oldest translation of the Greek, the Latin Vulgate, understood the aorist to be a past tense.
What is the meaning of Acts 15:20?
In Acts 15:20, James recommends that Gentiles believers should ‘abstain from things contaminated by idols and from sexual immorality and from what has been strangled and from blood.’ Though there are numerous different interpretations amongst commentators regarding the reason for these regulations. Most likely it has to do with idolatry and everything associated with idol worship. The issue at hand is whether or not circumcision and obedience to Mosaic purity laws is required for Gentile believers and the clear answer of the council was no. If he was advocating some kind of lesser obedience to purity laws then he would be going against the consensus of the council. Furthermore, we know that Christian Gentiles continually struggled to completely remove themselves from idolatry (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:1-11:1) and that false teachers typically encouraged them that it was not necessary to do so (Revelation 2:14, 20).