Read: Acts 9-10
Marked: Acts 10:28, Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.
Peter had received a vision of various kinds of animals which God told him to eat. But Peter objected on the grounds of clean and unclean animals. God then said that what He had cleansed must not be called common (V15). Meanwhile, the Roman Centurion Cornelius, had been told by an Angel to call Peter who would tell him what to do (V1-6).
Peter understood from his vision that God wanted the gospel to go to the gentiles even though he had been incorrectly taught not to go near anyone unclean because gentiles had no restrictions in what they could eat. A pious Jew considered anyone who ate what the Law forbade to be unclean.
But the gospel is for all and since it was given to Jews first (Romans 1:16), Jews had to go to the gentiles to proclaim the gospel. Peter, knowing God’s will, set aside any reservations he had and went to Cornelius even though he knew he was going against the customs and traditions of the teachers of the Law.
Not doing what God instructs because of tradition, or an incorrect understanding of God’s Word, prevents the gospel from going out. But obedience to God, going and making disciples of all the nations produces a great harvest from every tribe and tongue. And so, not only Cornelius was saved, but his whole household, and they were baptized.
Amazing things can be done when the people of God do what He commands.
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