Galatians 5:1 states that we Christian believes in Christ have a total liberty from the law. We are now in the age of grace.
Collosians 2:16 "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:"
since we are now in the age of grace let no man judge us according to what we eat or drink, or whether we observed the sabbath day...
Yes, we are at liberty from the law of Moses. But we are not at liberty from the law for Christians. That's how the verses should be understood.
Christians were commanded to abstain from blood. Yet you say it's ok to eat blood. That doesn't make sense.
and if that freedom of ours will cause others to stumble in theri faith then we have a choice to limit that freedom thus not eating some food particularly food offered/sacrificed to idol, blood, etc...
instruction in Acts 15 regarding "abstaining from specific foods" simply means that
"The church leaders were exhorting the new Gentile believers to make a clean break from their old lifestyles and not offend their Jewish brothers and sisters in the church.
The instructions were not intended to guarantee salvation but to promote peace within the early church. <quoted>"
So you are saying that the Gentile Christians were prohibited from eating blood so as not to offend the Jews who became Christians?
Why prohibit only 3 foods? Dapat bawal din ang pork, hito, pusit, hipon, etc. Di ba ayaw maka-offend ng Jews? E di dapat bawal din lahat.
You missed the point of Acts 15.
===================================
Ganito ang scenario prior to Acts 15:
The Jews who became Christians believed that the Gentiles who became Christians should also follow all Jewish law.
Thus, they insisted that the first step for Gentiles to become Christians should also be the first step to become a Jew, namely, circumcision.
The question now is, should Gentiles be circumcised first before they become Christians?
Now we go to Acts 15.
Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. 3 The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the believers very glad. 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.
5 Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.” (Acts 15:1-5)Now we are at the Council of Jerusalem to resolve the question. They debated the issue, then Peter, Barnabas and Paul speak:
6 The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 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.”
12 The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. (v. 6-12)Peter scolded the Jews for forcing the Jewish yoke on the Gentiles. Peter's view is that salvation is by faith, through the grace of our Lord, and not by works of Jewish law. Following the laws of Moses does not give us salvation. Therefore, both Jews and Gentiles are saved by faith through grace, equally and without discrimination.
Then here comes the decision of the Council, announced by James:
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.”The reason? So as not to make it difficult for Gentiles who are turning to God. Why require Gentiles to follow laws that will not give them salvation anyway?
The next step of the apostles was to send news of the Council's decision to the other Gentiles.
So they chose Paul and Barnabas to send a letter:
22 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were leaders among the believers. 23 With them they sent the following letter:The apostles and elders, your brothers,To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia:Greetings.
24 We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. 25 So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul— 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. 28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.Farewell. (v. 22-29)
The letter announces the Council's decision to the other Gentiles.
The reason for the decision? So as not to make it difficult for Gentiles who are turning to God. It was for the benefit of the Gentiles, not the Jews.
Meron bang sinasabi diyan na ang reason ay for the benefit of the Jews, para hindi ma-offend ang Jews?
You are adding meaning that is not there.
==================================
Answer these questions and the deeper understanding will make it clearer:
Related questions:
Bakit bawal sa Kristyano ang kumain ng dugo?
Ano ang ibig sabihin ng: (a) pagkain na inalay sa diyos-diyosan, at (b) hayop na binigti?
