Cleansed

Today's Bible Reading: ACTS 10:1-12:5

Acts 10:15

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

Those who have been cleansed by the blood of Christ are eternally cleansed. Nothing can be done by them or to them that can change their status.

Peter’s conversation didn’t cancel his Jewish heritage. Although his salvation was based on the Lord rather the Law, he continued to adhere to the dietary laws. He only ate what was prescribed as clean in the Mosaic guidelines. In addition, he strictly adhered to the mosaic laws of contact. He avoided any contact or communication with the uncircumcised Gentiles who were considered unclean and common. Because of this he exclusively shared the gospel with Jews, disassociating himself from Gentiles.

Yet a heavenly vision changed his diet and his direction. An angelic visitor caused an alteration. This divine revelation reversed his thinking. The Jewish dietary directives were repealed. What was once unclean was now edible. What was once considered common was now “convert-able”. God opened the gospel to the nations. The proclamation of the gospel was now permitted to the Gentiles.

When Cornelius, an uncircumcised Gentile centurion, was converted while Peter was preaching, everything changed. Now the nations could know. The unclean could be clean. The whole world became the arena for announcing the good news. It was no longer limited to the Jews. Jesus could freely be preached to every tribe, tongue, and nation. All could know. All could be cleansed.

Obviously, the text removes two Mosaic restrictions for believers. We are free to eat everything and we are free to evangelize everyone. But there is an addition aspect to consider. We were all unclean because of sin. We were soiled by sin’s effects. Like unclean lepers we resided outside God’s camp. We were exempt from heaven and exiled from His presence. But by Christ’s sacrifice the unclean were made clean. His blood cleansed us from all of our sin. When we came to Him, we were made clean. Our stains were removed. Our status was changed from unclean to clean. We are no longer alienated but accepted because of Christ.

Peter was told, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” God also tells us the same truth. If you are made clean by Christ, no one can call you unclean. Any claims to the contrary don’t stick. All saints stumble. We all slip up. We still sin. We still need to confess and repent of known sin. Our robes get soiled, but His sacrifice remains. Because of continued sin we need to shower daily in His grace, but our eternal salvation is forever secure in our Savior. His sacrifice was once for all. He cleanses us from all our sins, past, present and future. Your fallings and failures as a disciple do not change His declaration. If He has made you clean, there is nothing that can ever make you unclean again. His blood doesn’t wash off.

Today praise God for his forever cleansing. Thank the Lord that for all who come to Him, He makes them clean. Thank Him that if you have been made clean, you will never again be unclean before Him. Dwell today on the fact that had Peter not received this heavenly repel and redirection the gospel would still only be proclaimed to the Jews, but now it is told to all. Rejoice that through Peter’s heavenly vision the gospel was made freely available to you. Thank the Lord that He made the gospel known to you. Ask Him to help you to be a messenger of the gospel to all those you daily encounter. It is the gospel for all, so make it known to all.