The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. And there came a voice to him: Rise, Peter; kill and eat. But Peter said, By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean. And the voice came to him again a second time, What God has made clean, do not call common. This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven. Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon’s house, stood at the gate and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there. And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, Behold, three men are looking for you. Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them. And Peter went down to the men and said, I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming? And they said, Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say. So he invited them in to be his guests. The next day he rose and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. (Acts 10:9-23 ESV)
What is clean and what is unclean? The Hebrew Scriptures give us a list of things that are unclean to eat and do, but does that mean anything for us today?
The Israelites thought that since they are God’s chosen people they are the true religion and the only way to be with God. They said that Gentiles (anyone other than Israelites) had to convert to being an Israelite in order to be with God. The above reading in Acts says this is not true. Gentiles are created by God and therefor are clean… Just like the food Peter is told to take and kill and eat.
We are not suppose to rely on our own understanding or what we think God has told us. We are to
listen to what God is telling us now and follow where He is leading. So do not rely on tradition only, but on what God is telling us now. As Peter was shown if God made it it is clean. Just because some written tradition says it is not is not a higher authority than God. We need to seek what God is leading us to do and and be more than what we know we had done in the past.
Follow God and rely not on where we have been…
aSacredRebel 