So what do we do with this instruction from the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15. Animals which have been strangled during worship feasts for idols is probably one of the farthest thing from our minds. Nevertheless, the takeaway for all Christians for all time is that the law of love must guide us in everything. It’s not good enough to ONLY have a proper view of justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. We must have a proper view of sanctification or how to live God-honoring lives as well. Acts 15 directs us to the realization that the Christian life is not just about abstaining from offending God; it’s not about seeing how many freedoms we can pursue regardless of how it affects others; The Christian life is about how to love Christ by loving one another.
This means that just as no Christian is allowed to alter the gospel message, neither can any Christian make decisions strictly from a personal perspective without regard for anyone else. Love calls us to much more, namely love for God and love for others.