In our study today Peter goes up to Jerusalem and is criticized for lodging in a Gentile dwelling. He describes the vision the Lord sent him about bringing the Gentiles into the family of God.
"The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him and said, 'You went into the house with uncircumcised men and ate with them.'" (Acts 11:1-3) Their attitude shows us how great the divide was between Jews and Gentiles. The believers at Jerusalem do not greet Peter by saying, "Glory to God! Even those heathen Gentiles are coming to the faith and turning from idols to the living God!" No, they say something like, "How dare you, a devout Jew and an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, break bread with Gentiles?" In Old Testament times it was vital for the Jews not to intermarry with or associate with members of pagan cultures, for this always had a tendency to bring idolatry into Israel. It was like trying to mix oil and water; the Jewish believers and the heathen Gentiles simply didn't belong together. But in Christ the barrier between the two groups is no more. The Jews need not fear idolatry creeping into their culture by including the Gentiles in the faith because the Gentiles are worshiping the same Jesus the Jewish Christians are worshiping.
"Starting from the beginning, Peter told them the whole story: 'I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to where I was. I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles and birds. Then I heard a voice telling me, 'Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.' I replied, 'Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.' The voice spoke from heaven a second time, 'Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.' This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again." (Acts 11:4-10) Peter describes his vision so his listeners will understand that he went to the house of Cornelius by command of God.
Peter continues, "Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying. The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man's house. He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, 'Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.'" (Acts 11:11-14) The same God who spoke to Peter is the same God who spoke to Cornelius. It doesn't matter to God that Cornelius is a Gentile. What matters to God is that Cornelius wants to know Him. God is faithful to make Himself known to anyone who desires a relationship with Him.
Now Peter describes the wonderful conversion of Cornelius and the people gathered at his house. "As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as He had come on us at the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said: 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' So if God gave them the same gift He gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God's way?" (Acts 11:15-17) The inclusion of the Gentiles in the family of God is the Lord's will. Who is Peter, or anyone else, to deny them entrance? God has chosen the Gentiles to receive the gospel of His Son. In the book of Acts we find the Gentiles coming to believe in the same Jesus the Jewish Christians believe in. The Gentiles are being indwelt by the same Holy Spirit. The Gentiles are being called by the same God. Peter would not dare to stand against God in this matter, so he says in essence, "To deny the gospel to the Gentiles would be to disobey God."
Now that Peter's listeners understand the matter much better, they give God the praise that is due Him. "When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, 'So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.'" (Acts 11:18)
I think the Apostle Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, beautifully sums up God's grace toward the Gentiles and puts a stop to all objections regarding their inclusion like this, "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." (Ephesians 4:4-5) There is only one church. There is only one God, one Son, and one Holy Spirit. There is only one gospel. There is only one means of salvation. We who believe on the name of Christ belong to the same family, no matter where we came from. Let's not fight against each other or against God. We are equally precious to Him. Let's be equally precious to each other.
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