Acts 15:20
“but that we write to them that they abstain from the pollution of idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood.”
What does Acts 15:20 mean?
This comes from an important church meeting in Jerusalem where Jewish and non-Jewish believers were working out what rules should apply to everyone. The leaders decided that non-Jewish followers of Jesus didn't need to follow all Jewish laws, but they did ask them to avoid a few specific practices: idolatry, sexual immorality, eating meat that hadn't been properly slaughtered, and consuming blood. The first two items speak to spiritual and moral health that mattered across cultures. The last two were partly about respecting Jewish dietary laws that had deep religious meaning, and partly practical since sharing meals together was central to church life. By making these requests, the leaders were trying to build unity: the non-Jewish believers were showing respect for their Jewish brothers' convictions, while the Jewish believers were releasing many requirements they might have insisted on. For us today, this reminds us that sometimes following Jesus means considering not just what we're allowed to do, but what might strengthen our relationships with others in the faith community and what honors God's call to holiness and self-control.