Accepting Everyone

Acts 10:15 And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.”

This vision to Peter is a very important doctrine and an emphasis to Christianity where God does not clean Cornelius alone because of his prayers and alms, but God has already cleaned everything. We should also understand that this vision is not just a metaphor but a straight forward instruction to Peter that nothing is common or defiled in the world. The same word is used by Christ earlier in Mathew 15:11 where Jesus says that things that go inside does not defile a person. The reason is because He has delivered us out of this world. We are expected to have standards more that these laws. We should see this in line with Hebrews 9 :23.

The understanding of the new covenant is that this world is no longer an inheritance or destiny. As per Hebrews 8:5, the old covenant and the things that the OT had defined is only a shadow. This means our life is an illusion and there is an original in heaven. The new covenant is better than the old one and is called as a better and more excellent ministry according to Hebrews 8:5 and 6. We have to note that the new covenant is based on better promises than the older ones.

The importance of this teaching is that we should not consider any person unworthy in Christ’s kingdom. Even if we do not understand the doctrine completely, we should follow this without hesitation as The Holy Spirit tell Peter who did not eat even one animal after three attempts from heaven, to go without hesitation in verse 20. We do not reject people based on religion or social statuses, but most churches do not attempt to preach to some men who are completely immersed in sin. We should understand that every person is removed of defilement and God has given opportunities to be cleansed. In Leviticus 11:11, we read that God wanted us not only to not eat these animals but to hate them. Jesus has clearly instructed us not to hate any person.

We should note that Peter called the animals unclean and common, but God instructed Peter not to call them common only. This is exactly repeated in Chapter 11 also. But God has cleansed everything. The difference between these two words is that being unclean is at our perspective and being common or defiled is at His perspective. God is so clear to us that we should not reject any person or thing believing at God’s rejection. God has declared everybody clean but we have to come forward and declare ourselves and others clean which is another process altogether. We have to grow to this process.

There is another message here in Acts 11:18, where repentance or the opportunity to become good again is a gift from God and contrary to our thoughts that if we wish to be good, we can easily come back to Christ. God has allowed this and permitted a new method of coming to Him which is by believing Jesus and not by any kind of law. Our presence here itself is a great favor God has given to us and so, we have to receive everybody else equally.

Again, Peter had to carry the gospel to Cornelius’ place and Cornelius did not come to Jerusalem or even Joppa. This shows how wide and distributed the Church is to every corner of the earth. God wants ministers to follow this method of carrying the gospel as servants. This is because Jesus wants the time to come where we can worship God everywhere according to John 4:21. God does not see where we worship Him but how we come to worship. This understanding is very important that the Church is not a place of worship but a place of discipline, corporate prayer, remembering the Lord’s sacrifice and fellowship as per Acts 2:42.

In Acts 10:33, Cornelius says that we are all here in the presence of God. This presence we feel should be understood really well. There is no place which is consecrated and always filled with the presence of God. But any place where we join together to learn about Jesus is perfectly filled with the presence of God. Personally the Holy Spirit is with us “Forever” as per John 14:16. But when any two people come together He comes and walks among us.

Amen.