What does "God has made clean" teach about God's authority over religious traditions? Setting the Scene – Acts 10:15 “The voice spoke to him a second time: ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’” Why the Vision Mattered • Peter was a devout Jew who had never eaten “unclean” animals (Acts 10:14). • God interrupted a lifelong practice rooted in Mosaic dietary laws (Leviticus 11). • The instruction came directly from heaven, leaving no room for debate. Defining “Clean” and “Unclean” • Under the old covenant, “unclean” pointed to ceremonial separation (Leviticus 20:25–26). • The terms were never about inherent moral worth; they were object lessons pointing to holiness. • God, the Author of the law, retained full authority to set, revise, or fulfill these symbols. God’s Declaration – The Turning Point “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” • The sentence is categorical: God declares a new status. • Human tradition cannot overrule divine verdict. • Peter learns that obedience now means accepting God’s updated command. Lessons About God’s Authority Over Traditions • God’s voice outranks accumulated customs. • What He cleanses, He also commissions—preparing Peter to enter Cornelius’s Gentile home (Acts 10:28–29). • The shift shows that ceremonial laws were shadows; Christ is the substance (Colossians 2:16–17). • Divine authority is consistent: the same God who once distinguished Israel now opens the door to all nations (Isaiah 49:6; Ephesians 3:6). Echoes in the Teaching of Jesus Mark 7:18-19 – “Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him… (Thus all foods are clean.)” Matthew 15:11 – “It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a man, but what comes out of it.” • Jesus anticipated the Acts 10 moment by locating purity in the heart, not the menu. • He demonstrated that God, not tradition, defines true defilement. Affirmations from the Epistles • 1 Timothy 4:4-5 – “For every creation of God is good, and nothing received with thanksgiving should be rejected, because it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” • Romans 14:14 – “I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself.” These verses confirm the permanence of God’s verdict issued in Peter’s vision. Implications for Gospel Expansion • Dietary regulations once symbolized separation; abolishing them signaled global inclusion. • Peter’s table fellowship with Gentiles became a living sermon that the cross erases ethnic and ritual barriers (Galatians 3:28). • The gospel now moves freely across cultures without being bottled by old ceremonial categories. Living It Out • Obedience means adjusting personal practice when Scripture reveals God’s fuller purpose. • Tradition is valuable yet subordinate; only Scripture holds final authority (2 Timothy 3:16-17). • Because God alone declares what is clean, believers receive His gifts with gratitude rather than fear, standing firm in the liberty Christ provides (Galatians 5:1). |
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