S: Acts 10
O: Simon Peter had observed kosher (Jewish version of halal) all his life, so it must have been quite shocking for him that God is telling him to break that. But God wasn’t so concerned about the food part – he was more concerned about the people part. The Jews were so fastidious about kosher that they would even refuse to enter a Gentile’s house – see how the Jewish leaders refused to enter Pontius Pilate’s house in John 18:28.
The vision of the sheet with non-kosher animals was not primarily about food, but rather, people. And indeed, that was the point. Because soon after that, Cornelius’ emissaries came and Simon Peter was able to enter his house with a clear conscience to share the Gospel with them. We find out later (Acts 11:3) that Jewish believers then confronted him about his violating this interpretation of kosher, and the vision of the sheet was pivotal in showing them that, as Peter had realised shortly before, “What God has cleansed, you must not call unclean.”
A: Sometimes, we Christians in our religious fear or fastidiousness push people away from Christ. People feel rejected because Christians would not eat their food, go to their weddings and funerals, etc. because of fear of being contaminated by non-Christian spiritual influences. We forget that “greater is he who is in us than he who is in the world” and let our fear or fastidiousness put them off.
Yes, we must be careful not to worship any other gods, but we can still show our support by our presence. Even the matter of eating food offered to idols, 1 Corinthians 8:4-13 and 1 Corinthians 10:27-31 make it clear that it’s not so much about the act of eating itself, but about how one’s actions affect others. The underlying principle is love—prioritising others’ well-being over personal freedoms.
So, instead of applying blanket legalistic rules, we should thoughtfully and prayerfully evaluate each situation and see what would be the most in line with what Jesus wants. The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
P: Father, lead and guide us with your wisdom. Help us to not apply cookie-cutter rules, but evaluate each situation with your Spirit’s guidance, and to always be good ambassadors for Christ. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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