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Book of Acts - Chapter 10 - Verse 15

10:15
And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

Meaning

When the voice spoke to Peter saying, "What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common," it was conveying a powerful message about the inclusivity of God's grace. In this verse, Peter, a devout Jew, is being taught an important lesson about God's acceptance of all people, regardless of their background or ethnicity. The phrase "What God hath cleansed" refers to the fact that in God's eyes, all people are equal and can be saved through faith in Him. The command to not call anything common implies that Peter should not discriminate or exclude anyone from receiving God's love and salvation. This verse serves as a reminder to all believers to treat others with love and respect, recognizing that God's grace is available to all who seek Him, regardless of their past or cultural differences.

Theological Overview

The theological interpretation of the verse "And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common." emphasizes the concept of God's acceptance and inclusion of all people. This statement was made by God to Peter in a vision, as a way to demonstrate that through Christ's sacrifice, all people - both Jews and Gentiles - are now considered clean and acceptable in His sight. This encounter with Peter marked a significant shift in the early church's understanding of God's plan of salvation, as it challenged the traditional Jewish exclusivity by declaring that no one should be considered unclean or unworthy of God's love.

Word studies on the phrase "common" reveal that it signifies something that is ordinary or unclean according to Jewish dietary laws. By instructing Peter not to call anything common that God has cleansed, God was emphasizing the new covenant that Christ's death and resurrection had established, where all people are now able to receive salvation regardless of their background or previous state of impurity. This verse serves as a powerful reminder of the inclusive nature of God's love and the transformative power of His grace to make all things new and pure in His sight.

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