Acts 10:15 And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.”
Acts 10:28 And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.
Acts 11:9 But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’
Acts 15:9 and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.
Matthew 15:11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”
1 Corinthians 10:25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience.
Galatians 2:12-13 For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.
1 Timothy 4:3-5 who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.
Titus 1:15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.
The Conflict: Spirit Versus Tradition
At the heart of the reflection is Peter’s rhetorical question: “Who was I that I could withstand God?” This question arises after Peter’s actions, guided by the Spirit, are criticized by those in Jerusalem who are deeply rooted in tradition. The passage notes that even Peter, a central apostle, struggled with letting go of established customs, falling “into the same old traditional snare,” which led to Paul confronting him strongly.
The “fixed tradition” not only affected Peter but also characterized the broader community, which was quick to “contend” with any deviation from what was recognized and established. The implication is that tradition, while sometimes rooted in divine origin, can become an obstacle when it resists the fresh movements of God’s Spirit.
The Danger of Withstanding God
The passage warns believers to examine themselves honestly, lest they find themselves “withstanding God” or “limiting the Holy One.” By clinging too tightly to tradition and not leaving room for the sovereignty of the Spirit, believers may inadvertently oppose God’s work, much like the religious authorities who opposed Christ and the Judaizers who hindered Paul’s ministry.
Re-examine the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles, questioning how many times new moves of God were misunderstood or resisted because they appeared to violate the accepted “Divine order.” The point is that throughout history, every genuine movement of God has often been met with suspicion, contention, and opposition from those wedded to tradition.
The Call to Openness and Spiritual Enlargement
There is exhortation for believers to make space for God to act in new, unexpected, and even “strange” ways. Spiritual growth and “enlargement” occur when believers do not bind God to their fixed judgments or frameworks. The risk is that by limiting God to what is familiar and traditional, one may miss out on His intention to bring about spiritual increase.
The misuse of scriptural slogans—such as “By their fruits ye shall know them”—is highlighted as a common error, often wielded to resist change rather than discern genuine spiritual fruit. The real challenge is to trust God’s sovereignty enough to allow for diversity in how He leads His children, even when it defies conventional expectations.
Conclusion
This requires genuine humility, discernment, and openness to God’s ongoing work. It urges believers not to confuse their own traditions with God’s unchanging will and to be vigilant against the temptation to oppose new expressions of the Spirit simply because they are unfamiliar. True faith, the passage suggests, requires leaving room for God to surprise us and to lead His people in ways that may challenge, stretch, and ultimately enlarge the community of faith. (Austin-Sparks)
