But the meeting was because the Jews were so up in arms about them.
Acts 15:1-7 KJV
1) And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
2) When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
3) And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
4) And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.
5) But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
6) And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
7) And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
There was a dispute, and Paul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem to settle the dispute. They found the same thing happening there also.
So there was the question . . . do the Gentiles, or do they not, have to keep the Law?
Look, if you can't see the reasoning. Fine.
We need to be able to see and accept these passages, all of them, for what they are, not how they can be presented to support our particular views.
In this instance, a bunch of Jews were going around telling the Gentile Christians that they had to be circumcised and to keep the Law of Moses, or they weren't really saved. Sound familiar?
The Apostles gave a reply that said that because the Jews have been sitting under the teaching of Moses' Law every Sabbath, all their lives, then these 4 things, don't do them.
It was an instruction to the gentile Christians to observe 4 aspects to the Law in deference to the sensitivities of the Jews, given in response to the wrong legalistic teaching of the Jews to the gentile Christians.
Now, in answering this Question, Do the gentiles keep the Law . . . Why . . . Why didn't Paul, or James, or SOMEONE stand up and say, Well, if they are saved, they ARE keeping the Law! IF they are not . . . if they are still sinning . . . get them saved, man!!
Much love!