In Leviticus 17 and 18, God is establishing again with the people of Israel that they should follow his statutes and ordinances not those of either Egypt, the country they have left, or Canaan, the country they will be entering. God has separated them out from the other nations and their practices should reflect this separation. The people of Israel have been influenced by 400 years of living in a pagan land. Many practices that are acceptable to that culture are unacceptable to God. The people apparently are continuing to live by the customs and religious practices of that land. God is making it clear that He is now their LORD. They must renounce the practices of the culture from which they came and embrace the practices He has prescribed. The time in the wilderness is meant to prepare them to enter another nation that worships other gods. God does not want His people to be influenced by this new culture either.

God has called us out as well. Our lives should reflect the relationship we have with our God. We should trust only in Him and be loyal to the kind of worship and life practices that are acceptable to Him alone.

Acts 10 speaks of a change in God’s attitude regarding these nations that have been considered sinful and unchosen. A Roman centurion named Cornelius believes in God. He prays to God and is generous in his giving. God hears Cornelius’ prayers and has him send for Peter.

Meanwhile Peter has a vision in which a variety of unclean animals is lowered from heaven on a sheet. God tells Peter to eat these animals. Peter refuses pointing out that they are unclean and he has been faithful to follow God’s statutes and ordinances regarding unclean food.

God says that what God has made clean, Peter must not profane. The Holy Spirit tells Peter to go to Cornelius; it is no longer unlawful for him to associate with Gentiles.  Peter meets with Cornelius and tells him and his household about Jesus. They are given the gift of the Holy Spirit. Those who came with Peter see that God is blessing the Gentiles. Peter baptizes them in the name of Jesus.

Peter recognizes that because of Jesus, God is now showing no partiality. Anyone who fears God and lives a righteous life is acceptable to him. This was a great breakthrough for the apostle. He recognizes that God can move in ways that are new and that if God blesses it, we too must believe. Cornelius’ life reflected the transformation that occurs when one follows Christ. He is not living the way he did before. Christ has changed him.