The purpose of the vision was to inform Peter that things were no longer the same. That man's opinion of things does not take prevalence over God's opinion of things. God was merely using the vision as an example to instruct Peter that the Gospel was now going to be taken to the Gentiles. Before the Gentiles may have been considered "unclean," but now they were to be included in God's plan of redemption.
2007-03-27 18:26:00
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answer #1
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answered by Anonymous
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Really has nothing to do with food.
Acts 10:9
It is clear that the vision had deeper significance than the mere matter of eating foods, clean and unclean. True, with the coming of the Christian faith, these regulations concerning foods were no longer in effect.
But the real significance of the vision was this: God was about to open the door of faith to the Gentiles. As a Jew, Peter had always looked upon the Gentiles as unclean, as aliens, as strangers, as far off, as godless. But now God was going to do a new thing. Gentiles (represented by the unclean beasts and birds) were going to receive the Holy Spirit the same as the Jews (clean beasts and birds) had already received Him. National and religious distinctions were to be dissolved, and all true believers in the Lord Jesus would be on the same level in the Christian fellowship.
Later, (v. 23-35) finding a crowd assembled inside the house, Peter explained that as a Jew he would not ordinarily have come into a Gentile house like this one, but that God had revealed to him that he should no longer think of the Gentiles as being untouchables.
Peter prefaced his message with a frank admission. Up to now he had believed that God's favor was limited to the nation of Israel. Now he realized that God did not respect a man's person because of his nationality, but was interested in an honest, contrite heart, whether in a Jew or a Gentile, stating, “in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him."
There are two principal interpretations of verse 35:
1. Some believe that if one truly repents and seeks after God, he is saved even if he has never heard about the Lord Jesus. The argument is that although the man himself might not know about Christ's substitutionary sacrifice, yet God knows about it and saves the man on the basis of that sacrifice. God reckons the value of the work of Christ to the man whenever He finds true faith.
2. The other view is that even if a man fears God and works righteousness, he is not thereby saved. Salvation is only by faith in Christ. But when God finds a man who has lived up to the light he has received about the Lord, He makes sure that the man hears the gospel and thus has the opportunity to be saved.
2007-03-27 18:45:27
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answer #2
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answered by Ask Mr. Religion 6
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Prior to this point in time it was defiling to touch any thing or person that was unclean. The unclean could make a man unclean, the clean could not make an unclean man clean. Only God can cleanse. ergo "That which God has cleansed call not unclean". Applies to objects, meat, or Man. Peter went to the house and ate with Gentiles-the point of the vision. God was now also reaching out to the Gentiles. To really fully understand this passage one must have some understanding of the OT laws of uncleanness, defilement, and cleansing.
2007-03-27 18:33:32
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answer #3
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answered by Anonymous
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God said to Peter, let no man call unclean what God has made clean. Later in scripture it speaks about one man eating only vegetables, another eats meat, and that neither are to judge the other according to what they eat.
Gentiles, by the way, were never under the Jewish laws of diet, anyway.
2007-03-27 18:21:58
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answer #4
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answered by Esther 7
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It was common for that time for people who were non Jews to be called unclean. and you are right it meant anyone who believed in Christ is just as clean as anybody else. But the food laws it Leviticus are still in force. Some say in the new testament that all meat was declared clean . The reason they say this is because the don't know how to read.
2007-03-27 19:06:07
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answer #5
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answered by Anonymous
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At that time, the Christians were only sharing the good news of Christ's Kingdom with fellow Jews. This was their instructions to begin sharing it with individuals in the Gentile nations. This is self-evident when read in context:
9. Now the day after, when they were on their journey and were near the town, Peter went up to the top of the house for prayer, about the sixth hour:
10. And he was in need of food: but while they were getting it ready, a deep sleep came on him;
11. He saw heaven opened and a certain container descending to him, like a great sheet let down by four corners on the earth,
12. in which were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, reptiles, and birds of the sky.
13. And a voice came to him, "Rise, Peter, kill and eat!"
14. But Peter said, "Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean."
15. A voice came to him again the second time, "What God has cleansed, you must not call unclean."
16. This was done three times: and then the vessel was taken back into heaven.
17. Now while Peter was very perplexed as to the purpose of this vision, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquery for Simon's house, stood before the gate,
18. and called and asked whether Simon, who was surnamed Peter, was lodging there.
19. And, While Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, See, three men are looking for you.
20. Arise, get down, and go with them, doubting nothing; for I sent them."
21. And Peter went down to the men, and said, I am the man you are looking for: why have you come?
22. And they said, Cornelius, a captain, an upright and God-fearing man, respected by all the nation of the Jews, was directed by a holy angel to invite you to his house, and to listen to what you say."
23. So he took them in for the night. On the next day Peter arose and went with them, taking some of the brothers from Joppa with him.
24. And the day after that, they came to Caesarea. And Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his relations and his near friends.
25. When Peter came in, Cornelius came to him and, falling down at his feet, and worshiped him.
26. But Peter raised him up, saying, "Stand up! for I am also a man as you are.."
27. As he talked with them, he saw that a great number of people had come together;
28. He said to them, "You yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to be in the company of one who is of another nation; but God has made it clear to me that I shouldn't call any man unholy or unclean.
29. Therefore I came without question when I was sent for. What then is your purpose in sending for me?"
--Acts 10:9-29
http://www.watchtower.org/e/jt/article_04.htm
2007-03-27 21:52:46
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answer #6
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answered by Anonymous
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The meaning of the vision is to show that God has opened the door of salvation to the Gentiles. This is not a good proof-text for freedom from the dietary laws, but there are others.
1Cr 8:8 But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.
1Ti 4:4 For every creature of God [is] good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
1Ti 4:5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
Rom 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
2007-03-27 18:22:11
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answer #7
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answered by revulayshun 6
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My impression is that first of all the message of the Gospel is for all people, not just the Jew.
And secondly that Christians may not call anything unclean as per OT Law.
Hence we eat shellfish, pork, etc.
I Cr 13;8a
2007-03-27 18:18:48
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answer #8
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answered by ? 7
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And hath made up of one blood all international locations of adult men for to stay on each and all of the face of the earth, and hath desperate the cases till now appointed, and the limits of their habitation; Acts 17:26 (King James Bible) This verse could practice to all and sundry yet i will make certain your confusion given regardless of version of the Bible you sited.
2016-11-23 20:41:52
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answer #9
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answered by buckman 4
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Nothing God has created is unclean, so, yes you can eat anything as long as it settles well with you.
2007-03-27 18:23:17
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answer #10
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answered by brian c 1
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