Acts 10:34-35

Acts 10:34-35 - Then Peter began to speak, “I realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear Him and do what is right.”

Sometimes when God speaks it goes against everything we've been taught or how we've been raised. We saw this in chapter 9 regarding Saul. He had been raised a Pharisee, and he served God in the best way he knew how. Then God spoke and it changed everything.
Now we see Peter and the rest of the disciples being challenged in their way of thinking. They were raised to view the Gentiles as ‘dogs’ in comparison to them, the Jews. God sent Peter to minister to some Gentiles and he watched as God poured out His Spirit upon them. When he returned to the rest of the disciples, they began to question his actions. They asked why he would go and stay with Gentiles.
This was Peter’s response. “I realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear Him and do what is right.” Peter came to understand that all men are equal in God’s sight.
As we look at this story we of course need to realize the truth that Peter came to: that all of us are equal. When we are in God there is no difference between us. That’s not all we can learn from this story though.
We can also take a look at how God is challenging the disciples thinking. Just because you have thought one thing your whole life it does not make it right. You must be open and willing to change if God asks you too. He is wanting you to be more like Him and sometimes that goes against everything that you have been taught. Listen to Him, because He wants to and will help you if you let Him.

Acts 10:34-35

Acts 10:34-35 - Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear Him and do what is right.”

This moment in Peter’s life marks a time when God opened up his mind to a new way of thinking. All his life he had been raised to think that the Jews were God’s people and that God did not accept the Gentiles. The Gentiles were an unclean people and could not be saved, but God corrected him. He opened up Peter’s mind, telling him that He has made all things clean. Peter had a vision and in that vision God told him to stop calling unclean what God has made clean. Then God sent him to the house of a Gentile to minister and stay with him.

There are a couple of things that we should take from this passage. First and most obvious: All men are created equal in God’s sight. There is no difference. It doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor, what Country you are from, whether adult or child, or male or female. We are all made equal and have the right to become children of God. We just need to fear God and do what is right. Accept Christ and let Him bring us into the kingdom as children.

Next thing we can see actually happens after Peter return back home from visiting the Gentiles. When he got back he was receiving a lot of flack from his fellow disciples. It was their mindset that you don’t associate with this kind of people. Peter got a lot of grief, but he still obeyed God.

Obeying God can sometimes go against religious thinking. When you obey God you may get some grief from other believers, but who are we trying to please, God or man? We have traditions and upbringing that we need to get rid of as we renew our minds with the Word. Just because you have been doing something for years doesn’t mean it is right. Use the Word as the ultimate authority and be obedient to God. It is more important to obey God than to fit in with those around you.