““But the voice from heaven spoke again: ‘Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.’”
Acts 11:9 (NLT)
Heaven spoke to Peter—and heaven was speaking to the critical Jewish believers here too. That statement from heaven is a warning to our mouths and our hearts. Don’t label as impure what God has purified. Don’t ignore it. Don’t say it’s bad. Don’t call someone—or something—bad if God has made them clean, set them apart, and called them holy.
In Acts 11, the Jewish believers went from criticizing Peter to praising God for what He did through Peter in Caesarea. They ended up worshiping because they saw God had given the Gentiles the privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life. And they knew it wasn’t hype or emotion—because the Holy Spirit fell on them just like He fell on the Jewish believers, evidenced by speaking in other tongues and praising God.
So if God marked that gift as clean, why are some calling it unclean today? And not just that gift—what about ministries, promises in His Word, and the presence of the Holy Spirit? God has provided gifts for us to receive. And as we draw closer to Him, His Word gives clear directions—“if you do this, then I’ll do that.” But when we push away what He’s purified and call it “not for me,” we miss the benefits God wants us to have.
When we point things out and get critical—“I don’t want that. I’m scared of that. It’s not for me. It’s not good”—and as a result call unclean what God made good, we’re not just being cautious. We’re being prideful and trying to be God, like we know everything. Lord, give us a new heart and a new mindset. Help us turn up our hearing aids, drop our filters for your Word, then become humble, open, and receptive. Help us to begin asking the right questions. What do You want me to have from your Word? What do You want to do through me? What do You want me to know?