Catholic-y stuff

Mary needed a Savior. 

Luke 1:46-47
46 And Mary said: “My soul exalts the Lord,  47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

 Mary was Elizabeth's cousin as Luke tells us. Mary was born of a woman. Since Mary was born of a woman, then is Christ not telling us that John the Baptist was even greater than her?

Matthew 11:11
Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he

Christ rebuked those who tried to "venerate" Mary and instead directed them to obey God. 

Luke 11:27-28
 “Blessed is the womb that carried You, and the breasts at which You nursed!”“On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and follow it.”

Saints are in soul sleep and do not pray or worship. 

Isaiah 14:9 

Sheol from beneath is excited over you to meet you when you come;

It arouses for you the spirits of the dead, all the leaders of the earth;

It raises all the kings of the nations from their thrones.

Daniel 12:2
 2 Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.

Psalm 115:16-17 
The heavens are the heavens of the Lord, But the earth He has given to the sons of men. 
17 The dead do not praise the Lord, Nor do any who go down into silence;

 Ecclesiastes 9:5
5 For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten.

Exodus 20:4
4 “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth

 Psalm 146:4
4His spirit departs, he returns to the earth; In that very day his thoughts perish.

If we believe that saints are in heaven interceding for us, then making statues of them is sin. 

1 Corinthians 15:20
20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep

If Christ is the firstfruits of the resurrection, then the dead before that were not in heaven praying for the saints. 

1 Thessalonians 4:13-17
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.

Note that the saints are rising when Christ returns, not in heaven. Then those alive will rise. 

When Catholics say things like "Mary is the mother of Christ,  therefore Mary is the mother of God and queen of heaven ". Using that same flawed logic

Romans 8:14
For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons and daughters of God.

If we are sons of God then we are God... This problem invents Mormonism. Don't invent Mormonism

If all scripture is God breathed and capable for teaching, reproof and correction- then the catholic church is not needed to be the arbiter of truth, because God's God breathed scripture is. 

2 Timothy 3:16–17
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

Ephesians 3:4
By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ

The Catholic church does not have the authority to invalidate or alter the God breathed scripture by it's traditions. 

Mark 7:13  thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.”

Paul who was led by God, as recognized by scripture, commends the Bereans for using Scripture as the Authority to determine truth as Paul used Scripture as Authority

Acts 17:2  And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures

Acts 17:11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

The role of the Church is a recognizer of the canon, not its creator. The Church did not make the canon; it received and recognized it.

"Long before Rome ever held a council, the Muratorian Fragment (c. AD 170) listed most of the New Testament. Irenaeus (c. AD 180), Tertullian (c. AD 200), and Origen (early 3rd century) all affirmed the core books we have today. When Athanasius listed the complete canon in AD 367, he wasn’t inventing Scripture—he was affirming what had already been received by God’s people."

The Catholic church states these at the second council of Nicea 

If they're saying that these images or likenesses are copies of things in heaven, then in what way is that not a violation of God's word in Exodus, and how is a refusal to salute them not serving them? 

Exodus 20:4
“You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me

Isaiah 42:8
“I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images.

Deuteronomy 4:15-16 
“So watch yourselves carefully, since you did not see any form on the day the Lord spoke to you at Horeb from the midst of the fire, 16 so that you do not act corruptly and make a graven image for yourselves in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female

Catholics decree that mary was a perpetual virgin in the Second Council of Constantinople. This is a contradiction of scriptures clear statements that Christ had siblings. 
Joseph took Mary as his wife but did not consummate the marriage until after Christ was born. 

Matthew 13:55
Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?

Mark 6:3
Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Are not His sisters here with us?” And they took offense at Him.

Galatians 1:19
 But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.

Luke 8:19-21
And His mother and brothers came to Him, and they were unable to get to Him because of the crowd. 20 And it was reported to Him, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, wishing to see You.” 21 But He answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”

Matthew 1:24-25
 And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife 25 but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.

"If anyone shall not call in a true acceptation, but only in a false acceptation, the holy, glorious, and ever-virgin Mary, the Mother of God, or shall call her so only in a relative sense, believing that she bare only a simple man and that God the word was not incarnate of her, but that the incarnation of God the Word resulted only from the fact that he united himself to that man who was born [of her]; if he shall calumniate the Holy Synod of Chalcedon as though it had asserted the Virgin to be Mother of God according to the impious sense of Theodore; or if anyone shall call her the mother of a man (ἀνθρωποτόκον) or the Mother of Christ (Χριστοτόκον), as if Christ were not God, and shall not confess that she is exactly and truly the Mother of God, because that God the Word who before all ages was begotten of the Father was in these last days made flesh and born of her, and if anyone shall not confess that in this sense the holy Synod of Chalcedon acknowledged her to be the Mother of God: let him be anathema." - The Capitula of the Second Council of Constantinople

Peter was married contrary to the position of the Pope/ papacy. The Pope is forbidden from marriage in contradiction to the scriptures. 

Matthew 8:14
And when Jesus entered Peter's house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. 

1 Corinthians 9:5
Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas

1 Timothy 4:1-4
Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, 3 who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

Peter is contrary to the Pope in that he had no crown, or riches as the Pope has great wealth and sits on a throne with a papal tiara 

Acts 3:6
6 But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!”

Peter speaks against the futility of  the system of traditions that people have instituted but the Pope implements this system. 

1 Peter 1:18
 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold

Peter refuses that men bow or "venerate" him but the Catholic custom is to bow to the Pope and kiss his ring

Acts 10:25-26
 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.”

Roman Catholic church forbade laypeople from reading scripture in (Council of Toulouse, 1229) in order to establish their own authority and shield from accountability. Scripture counters this and affirms that the individual with the scriptures is able through God's anointing to  discern God's will. 

1 John 2:20-27

20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 As for you, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.

25 This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life.

26 These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. 27 As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.

John 14:26
26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

John 14:17 
 17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.

The intercession of prayer by Mary or other dead Saints is counter scripture. We have direct access to God and only one mediator- Christ. 

Matthew 6:6
6 But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you

Philippians 4:6-7

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

1 Timothy 2:5
 5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus

Romans 8:26-27
 26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Catholics contradict themselves with scripture when they inappropriately cite 2 Thessalonians 2:15 as being affirmation of Catholic tradition and then reject the practices and traditions of the scriptures by council decrees. 

The Church of Rome ( Catholics) made the following declarations in the city of Laodicea:  Council of Laodicea in 363 A.D

Canon 29: Christians must not judaize by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, rather honoring the Lord's Day [Sunday]; and, if they can, resting then as Christians. But if any shall be found judaizers, let them be anathema (detestable) from Christ.

Canon 37-39: It is not lawful to receive portions sent from the feasts of Jews or heretics, nor to feast together with them. (God’s Holy Days) 

It is not lawful to receive unleavened bread from the Jews, nor to be partakers of their impiety.Thou shalt not keep feasts with Hebrews or heretics, nor receive festival offerings from them. Light hath no communion with darkness. Therefore no Christian should celebrate a feast with heretics or Jews, neither should he receive anything connected with these feasts such unleavened bread and the like."

If Apostolic succession were the baseline of accepting all doctrine rather than the scriptures themselves, Paul would not have given  a warning in Galatians 1:8 that even if "we" give a different gospel do not follow it. 1 John 3 also give a warning of those who were with them but became apostate. 

Galatians 1:8
8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! 

1 John 2:18-19
18 Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us. 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know.

Acts 20:29-31
29 I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears

 

The argument that there are many protestant churches that are not walking in accordance to right teaching as the scriptures and the gospels prescribe- therefor the catholic church and the infallibility of the pope is required, ultimately ignore scandals involving the catholic church itself.

• The selling of indulgences 
• Molestation and sexual abuse scandals 

 Quote of the Pope that contradict scripture and his own "infallibility" 

 “You cannot provoke. You cannot insult the faith of others. You cannot make fun of the faith of others.” - Pope Francis 

1 Kings 18:27
27 It came about at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Call out with a loud voice, for he is a god; either he is occupied or gone aside, or is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and needs to be awakened.”

 

Many Catholics teach a salvation by works and the selling of indulgences contradicts this gift.

Colossians 2:14
14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

 Catholic Catechism teaches that one must be Catholic to be saved, and agree with its infallibility. 

The insistence of the 14. This Sacred Council wishes to turn its attention firstly to the Catholic faithful. Basing itself upon Sacred Scripture and Tradition, it teaches that the Church, now sojourning on earth as an exile, is necessary for salvation. Christ, present to us in His Body, which is the Church, is the one Mediator and the unique way of salvation. In explicit terms He Himself affirmed the necessity of faith and baptism(124) and thereby affirmed also the necessity of the Church, for through baptism as through a door men enter the Church. Whosoever, therefore, knowing that the Catholic Church was made necessary by Christ, would refuse to enter or to remain in it, could not be saved. They are fully incorporated in the society of the Church who, possessing the Spirit of Christ accept her entire system and all the means of salvation given to her, and are united with her as part of her visible bodily structure and through her with Christ, who rules her through the Supreme Pontiff and the bishops. He is not saved, however, who, though part of the body of the Church, does not persevere in charity. He remains indeed in the bosom of the Church, but, as it were, only in a "bodily" manner and not "in his heart."(12*) All the Church's children should remember that their exalted status is to be attributed not to their own merits but to the special grace of Christ. If they fail moreover to respond to that grace in thought, word and deed, not only shall they not be saved but they will be the more severely judged.(13*)

This decree would then render Christ's promise to the thief on the cross invalid as the thief had no occasion for charity. Also of note, this expressly states that the Supreme Pontiff is not Christ but man. The Title of "Pontiff" or "Pontifex Maximus" literally translates to "greatest bridge-builder" or "supreme bridge-builder" and was applied political figures just as Julius Caesar before Christ, and noted Pagan emperor Constantine. To apply the title of "supreme bridge builder" between heaven and earth and apply it to men is to remove it from Christ. 

 John 1:51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

2 Thessalonians 2:3-12
3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness

"The early church at Jerusalem did not rally around Peter—it rallied under James (Acts 15:13–19).Aramaic arguments fall apart when we examine the Greek New Testament, which the Holy Spirit preserved—not a reconstructed Aramaic assumption. An appeal to Tertullian backfires—Tertullian left the Church of Rome, rejected its growing claims, and even denied the validity of post-apostolic bishops assuming universal authority.FACT: There is not a single ecumenical council in the first 300 years that ever gave Peter a monarchical role over all Christendom."

Rosary which includes repetitious prayers to mary is contrary to scripture. 

Matthew 6:7
7 “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. 8 So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

All living Christians in the church are called saints in Corinth, Ephesians, Philippians, and Romans. This is contrast to the Catholic teaching that specific people are saints. 

Corinthians 1:2
"To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours" 1 

Ephesians 1:1
"Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus" 

Philippians 1:1
"Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons" 

Romans 1:7
"to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 1:7

The Catholic church prohibits clergy from marrying in contradiction to the qualifications of scriptural mandate 

1 Timothy 3:2-5 
2 An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. 4 He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity 5 (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?)

Council of Elvira (circa 305 AD): This early synod in Spain issued a decree forbidding bishops, priests, and deacons from having conjugal relations with their wives and having children.

Council of Ancyra (circa 314 AD): Stated that deacons who married after ordination would lose their deaconate.

Council of Neocaesarea (circa 315 AD): Declared that a priest who married would be removed from the clergy ranks.

Pope Siricius (late 4th century): Issued the Directa Decretal, emphasizing the requirement of perpetual continence for priests and bishops. He maintained that this was not a new ruling but a reaffirmation of long-established Church rules. 

First Lateran Council (1123): Decreed that clerical marriages were invalid.

Second Lateran Council (1139): Confirmed the decree of the First Lateran Council.

Council of Trent (16th century): Reaffirmed the law of clerical celibacy in response to the Protestant Reformation, which rejected it.

1 Timothy 4:1-3 
But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, 3 men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth.

 

A Kingdom Divided ?

 This is the passage that brought this post to fruition, as disagreement arose in the Bible study I attend each week with someone I respect. 

Matthew 12
25 And knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, “Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? 27 If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges. 28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

I brought up the point that there are many that think that Christ somehow rescinded God's commands and made many of them obsolete- effectual abolishment.  I pointed out that if we think this of Christ, then this innately puts Christ as in division with the Father. It also causes problems if we hold to this notion as Christ states that He only does what the Father instructs. 

John 8:28 
28 So Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.

 John 12:49
49 For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak.

Furthermore there comes an even greater issue that arises if we were to believe that Christ is rendering the Law obsolete, because ...well... He's the one that gave it. 

 Colossians  2:9 
9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form

But how do we know for certain that Christ DIDN'T in fact change Divine law? Well for starters He tells us directly to NOT think that He did that. 

Matthew 5:17-19
17 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. 18 For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

 Have heaven and earth passed away according to 2 Peter 3 or Revelation 21?

2 Peter 3:11-13
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! 13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

Revelation 21:1-4
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

 They have not. They have not perished and melted away with intense heat, there is still a sea, people still die, not every tear has been yet wiped away. Since they have not, should we obey Christ and continue teaching people to obey God's Law in response to faith in Him as we ourselves obey it? Yeah, we probably should. When we see Christs words here in Matthew 5 that say "Not the smallest stroke of a pen/ jot or tittle shall disappear until all is accomplished" that means that when we classify certain parts of His Divine Law as being done away with/ abolished/ effectually abolished by redefining the word fulfilled as contradiction the command to do and teach them- then what we are saying is that those laws are the smallest strokes. When we say that they're done away with as the smallest strokes, it is in direct opposition to what Christ has said. We might not like it, it may not sit well with other doctrines we may hold, but we ARE to conform our beliefs the the fullness of God's word.  

Some object here. They might have an objection and state "sacrifices ended at the cross, Christ stopped all sacrifices- read Hebrews" and while I understand their objection and even see that there is much that people do not understand about sacrifices and the sacrificial system I must assure that I have read Hebrews. I have also reconciled various passages to the fullness of scripture with Christ at the center. One of the objections that I tried to make from the word of God to the idea that sacrifices in their entirety have ceased, is when I brought up the point that Paul performed them in Acts 21 for the EXPRESS PURPOSE of showing that the Law of God wasn't made as not to be observed. 

Acts 21
18 And the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. 19 After he had greeted them, he began to relate one by one the things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20 And when they heard it they began glorifying God; and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law; 21 and they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs. 22 What, then, is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. 23 Therefore do this that we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; 24 take them and purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads; and all will know that there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Law.

1. Paul is testifying of believers who are coming to faith and they are keeping the Law of God. That is important since before we were saved we were Law breakers and by God's grace through faith He's allowed repentance from sin which is Lawlessness - that once we are saved we might walk in obedience.  
2. The new believers that were obeying God's Law were being told that Paul for some reasons was teaching people to NOT be obedient to the commands of God 
3. a Vow as outlined in numbers 6 includes Sacrifices. 
4. Paul is instructed to combat the very idea that Paul is teaching people to NOT obey God's law. 
5. Paul is told to perform sacrifices to show everyone that the LIES ABOUT HIM TELLING PEOPLE NOT TO OBEY GODS COMMANDMENTS ARE FALSE

So, what does Paul do? 

Acts 21:26
26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day, purifying himself along with them, went into the temple giving notice of the completion of the days of purification, until the sacrifice was offered for each one of them.

Paul obeyed the Law of God and offered sacrifices to prove that He is teaching people who are saved that they are still to be obedient to God.  This was James, the brother of Christs solution, and Paul followed it. Another matter we have to contend with in the full reasoning of scripture is the prophetic matters regarding the return of Christ 

Isaiah 56:4-8
For thus says the Lord, “To the eunuchs who keep My sabbaths, And choose what pleases Me, And hold fast My covenant, 5 To them I will give in My house and within My walls a memorial, And a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name which will not be cut off. 6 “Also the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, To minister to Him, and to love the name of the Lord, To be His servants, every one who keeps from profaning the sabbath And holds fast My covenant; 7 Even those I will bring to My holy mountain And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar; For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.” 8 The Lord God, who gathers the dispersed of Israel, declares, “Yet others I will gather to them, to those already gathered.”

If we were to surmise that this has occurred already then we would need to pinpoint when these gentiles were gathered to Israel and brought to His holy mountain to offer their sacrifices.  If we agree that it hasn't yet happened, then we must reason that the sacrificial attributes will likely resume in the Millennial reign. In fact, that's what This passages states 

Zechariah 14:3-21
3 Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle. 4 In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south. 5 You will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; yes, you will flee just as you fled before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him! 6 In that day there will be no light; the luminaries will dwindle. 7 For it will be a unique day which is known to the Lord, neither day nor night, but it will come about that at evening time there will be light. 8 And in that day living waters will flow out of Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea and the other half toward the western sea; it will be in summer as well as in winter. 9 And the Lord will be king over all the earth; in that day the Lord will be the only one, and His name the only one. 10 All the land will be changed into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem; but Jerusalem will rise and remain on its site from Benjamin’s Gate as far as the place of the First Gate to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king’s wine presses. 11 People will live in it, and there will no longer be a curse, for Jerusalem will dwell in security. 12 Now this will be the plague with which the Lord will strike all the peoples who have gone to war against Jerusalem; their flesh will rot while they stand on their feet, and their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongue will rot in their mouth. 13 It will come about in that day that a great panic from the Lord will fall on them; and they will seize one another’s hand, and the hand of one will be lifted against the hand of another. 14 Judah also will fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the surrounding nations will be gathered, gold and silver and garments in great abundance. 15 So also like this plague will be the plague on the horse, the mule, the camel, the donkey and all the cattle that will be in those camps. 16 Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths. 17 And it will be that whichever of the families of the earth does not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, there will be no rain on them. 18 If the family of Egypt does not go up or enter, then no rain will fall on them; it will be the plague with which the Lord smites the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths. 19 This will be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths. 20 In that day there will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, “HOLY TO THE LORD.” And the cooking pots in the Lord’s house will be like the bowls before the altar. 21 Every cooking pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holy to the Lord of hosts; and all who sacrifice will come and take of them and boil in them. And there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts in that day.

1. Christ will return and split the Mount of Olives - which hasn't happened yet. 
2. It is a unique day in which there will be no light - which hasn't happened yet.
3. we will be worshipping Christ during the Feast of Booths- not everyone is doing this yet
4. Jerusalem will live in security- we know that hasn't happened yet with rockets raining down every 20 minutes or so 
5. God sends plagues on those that don't worship at the Feast of Booths- I don't think this is happened yet 
6.  all the horses will have bells inscribed HOLY TO THE LORD- hasn't happened yet
7. There will be sacrifices boiled in that day - which hasn't happened yet. 

So, did the Sacrifices go away at the cross just to come back again in the millennial reign?
I don't think so.  Why don't we perform sacrifices? Because it would be a sin for us to do so outside the way that God commands them to be done, where they are to be done, who they are to be done by and how they to be done, what they were done for. Consider this passage about the End Times

Isaiah 66:20-24
20 Then they shall bring all your brethren from all the nations as a grain offering to the Lord, on horses, in chariots, in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says the Lord, “just as the sons of Israel bring their grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of the Lord. 21 I will also take some of them for priests and for Levites,” says the Lord. 22 “For just as the new heavens and the new earth Which I make will endure before Me,” declares the Lord, “So your offspring and your name will endure. 23 “And it shall be from new moon to new moon And from sabbath to sabbath, All mankind will come to bow down before Me,” says the Lord. 24 “Then they will go forth and look On the corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me. For their worm will not die And their fire will not be quenched; And they will be an abhorrence to all mankind.”

1. Isaiah 66 in speaking of the end times mentions the same elements of Zechariah 14, with the horses, the same gathering as isaiah 56 as gathering to His holy mountain
2. Christ takes people to be levites and priests. This should prove that the sacrifices will resume again as Priests and Levites will resume.  

So, what do we do with Hebrews and the verses that people interpret as being as Christ disregarding?
One element of the commands of God can be explained simply. 

If a priest has sin- then offer X

Hebrews 8 in speaking on priests ( and faulty priests) writes the example regardings offerings that priests need to offer if they have sin. But if a High Priest (in heaven) say didn't have sin then it would read this way

If priest has sin- then offer X
If a priest has no sin- then offering of X is not offered.  

Does this mean that the command for the offering of sin for the priests has been done away with or discarded? No.  It does mean that the clause provision of the offering has enacted. 

If I were to say, "If the tire pops, replace it with this new tire every year"  This condition is only for if that tire pops. If the tire never pops, did the instruction cease? Did it get discarded? No. Did the tire get replaced? No. I want you to read Hebrews 8 and note that the word "covenant" is not in verse 7 or 13 in the greek, but was added by translators. 

Hebrews 8
Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, 2 a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man. 3 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer. 4 Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Law; 5 who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, “See,” He says, “that you make all things according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain.” 6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.

7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. 8 For finding fault with them, He says, “Behold, days are coming, says the Lord, When I will effect a new covenant With the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; 9 Not like the covenant which I made with their fathers On the day when I took them by the hand To lead them out of the land of Egypt; For they did not continue in My covenant, And I did not care for them, says the Lord. 10 “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their minds, And I will write them on their hearts. And I will be their God, And they shall be My people. 11 “And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen, And everyone his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ For all will know Me, From the least to the greatest of them. 12 “For I will be merciful to their iniquities, And I will remember their sins no more.” 13 When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.

1. The subject is a Priesthood and a better High Priest
2. He is a minister in a better sanctuary 
3. If He was on earth He would not be a priest because on earth there are faulty Levites who struggle with sin.  This is not a statement that Christ has done away with the Law, its a statement that the Law still exists. 
4. Covenant is not in verse 7 so finding fault with them would be the priests who are sinful. 
5. the new covenant is different because  we don't break the new one like they did in egypt. 
6. God finds fault with these Priests because they didn't continue in His covenant. 
7. He didn't care for them because they didn't observe His laws and instead went astray. 
8. God writes His law on the hearts and minds of those in the New Covenant when we don't have sin anymore, and He takes us in a resurrection for priests and levites. He didn't discard or abolish the commands, He's making it so that we can keep them. He's not dismissing the jot or tittles or smalles strokes, He's finding fault with those that rebel against them. 
9. We wont have to say "know the Lord" in that time when we no longer struggle against sin because everyone will already. 
10. God won't hold our previous iniquities or our past sins against us. 
11. in verse 13, the word covenant isn't there and what is passing away is the priesthood that was faulty with priests that have sin. We're going to become the tire that doesn't pop. 

This context is what is said in

 Revelation 21:5-7
5 And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He *said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” 6 Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. 7 He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.

God is making it so we're not going to struggle with sin, so that we can be priests and levites, overcoming and be children of God. 

Revelation 1:5-6 
 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— 6 and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 

He's made us to be priests. 


1 Peter 3:3-9

3 if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. As Living Stones 4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For this is contained in Scripture: “Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.” 7 This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, “The stone which the builders rejected, This became the very corner stone,” 8 and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed. 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

He has made us to be priests. 

Exodus 19:5-6
  5 Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; 6 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.”

He made them to be a kingdom of priests but they rebelled and were faulty and chose sin

Isaiah 61:4-11
Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins, They will raise up the former devastations; And they will repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations. 5 Strangers will stand and pasture your flocks, And foreigners will be your farmers and your vinedressers. 6 But you will be called the priests of the Lord; You will be spoken of as ministers of our God. You will eat the wealth of nations, And in their riches you will boast. 7 Instead of your shame you will have a double portion, And instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion. Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land, Everlasting joy will be theirs. 8 For I, the Lord, love justice, I hate robbery in the burnt offering; And I will faithfully give them their recompense And make an everlasting covenant with them. 9 Then their offspring will be known among the nations, And their descendants in the midst of the peoples. All who see them will recognize them Because they are the offspring whom the Lord has blessed. 10 I will rejoice greatly in the Lord, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. 11 For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, And as a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up, So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise To spring up before all the nations.

These priests, Us, we're going to be the ones in the everlasting covenant. That renewed covenant.  The ones who are ministering to God as His possessions and children. We will be these priests.  
SO, while there is much misunderstanding about sacrifices, the everlasting covenant/renewed covenant we see that WE are the priests who don't despise God and love sin more than Him 

Isaiah 24:1-6
Behold, the Lord lays the earth waste, devastates it, distorts its surface and scatters its inhabitants. 2 And the people will be like the priest, the servant like his master, the maid like her mistress, the buyer like the seller, the lender like the borrower, the creditor like the debtor. 3 The earth will be completely laid waste and completely despoiled, for the Lord has spoken this word. 4 The earth mourns and withers, the world fades and withers, the exalted of the people of the earth fade away. 5 The earth is also polluted by its inhabitants, for they transgressed laws, violated statutes, broke the everlasting covenant. 6 Therefore, a curse devours the earth, and those who live in it are held guilty. Therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left.

 The earth is polluted. The priests don't love God nor His laws. They broke the EVERLASTING COVENANT. God's new covenant is better priests, and we don't break it. Its in the New heaven and New earth which haven't come yet.  Matthew 5:17-19 is Christ telling us that we're going to be wheels that don't pop, so don't think that He's getting rid of the whole car. 


The whole priesthood dynamic is even greater than this and if you want a video on Hebrews instead (which I have read many times friends) there are some Here , Here too, and also Here 

No Earthly Good

Last year I attended a beautiful wedding down in Texas of a friend of mine. Afterwards I wound up at something of an afterparty with a group of believers and people I knew from a million years ago in "church" that I attended.  We were sitting around discussing theology with other people in patio furniture between two hotels. There was one man with a professed faith in Christ, who was approached by one of the modest women who attended the wedding  and she offered a handshake with her introduction. He didn't move from his seat, looked at her hand, and then looked her in the eyes and said "I don't touch women."
That event has crossed my mind at least a dozen times since then and I think about that hyper sheltered impropriety mindset. I know some people who also will not be on a prayer call with someone of the opposite gender to pray because they have a hypervigilance to the supposition of scandal.  
While I know people have personal convictions and all, I've thought about the subject a few passages have come to my mind regarding this over implication of fencelaw. Starting in John 4

John 4 

 So He *came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph; 6 and Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.7 There *came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus *said to her, “Give Me a drink.”

Right off the bat what stands out to me is that Christ is talking to a woman. Not only is He talking to a woman, He's waiting alone for this woman to show up. Christ does not seemed concerned with what would be said or implied or twisted by waiting alone to talk to this woman. He just waits to speak to her. 

8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. 9 Therefore the Samaritan woman *said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)

His disciples left him alone and went to go get food, and Christ is alone waiting to talk to a woman and asks her for a drink.  He's alone and He's asking for her to share water with Him. There are some who would never even get this far without casting aspersion of nefarious motives on someone who is doing this. Christ, who is without sin is doing this- because there isn't anything about this exchange that is improper nor sinful. 

10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” 11 She *said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water? 12 You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?” 13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.

They talk theology, alone.  This is not improper or sin. 

15 The woman *said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw.” 16 He *said to her, “Go, call your husband and come here.” 17 The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus *said to her, “You have correctly said, ‘I have no husband’; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly.” 19 The woman *said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.” 21 Jesus *said to her, “Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.

Christ sat with a woman that was living with a man who was not her husband. HE knew what was going on when He chose to sit alone with her and discuss the things of God. There are people now, today that would cast judgements and condemnations on Christ Himself for these actions if He were in their church. 

23 But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman *said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.” 26 Jesus *said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”

Spirit and Truth. I wonder sometimes how the over emphasis of reputational anxiety fits within the context of Truth. Is it possible that the fear based scenarios and caring so much about how people MIGHT distort matters that are NOT sin into thinking that they ARE sin often times has a lot to do with ego rather than  "avoiding the appearance of evil"? 

27 At this point His disciples came, and they were amazed that He had been speaking with a woman, yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why do You speak with her?” 28 So the woman left her waterpot, and went into the city and *said to the men, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?”

The disciples DIDN'T look at the situation and say "What do you seek" or "Why are you speaking with her." They didn't come out and be like "oh the sin of speaking with a woman even though you are a full grown adult people!!!" Another passage that keeps coming to my mind is this dinner in Luke 7 but backing up a little bit we see Christ speaking about the generation He was with

Luke 7 

31 “To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like? 32 They are like children who sit in the market place and call to one another, and they say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’ 33 For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’ 34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 35 Yet wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”

He's stating outright that these grown people were acting like children.  Grown people with made up rules "you didn't do this thing" and "I don't like this and that." From this example of calling out the childishness of these people He goes right into the point about those who are too concerned with their reputation and how people will evil optics will find evil optics regardless as to if actual evil has occurred. John the Baptist preached and walked in the Spirit of Elijah proclaiming the Messiah, and they still chose to invent the "appearance of evil".  Christ who is without sin (even when sitting alone having a conversation with a woman) who ate and drank (of which some christians would deem is a sin in of itself) seems pretty self confident in His identity as He reminds them to grow up and be adults. 

 36 Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, 38 and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume. 

Christ had PHYSICAL CONTACT with a woman who was KISSING His feet. While we ourselves should not accept worship as Christ alone is worthy of it, the point im making here is that He was touched by this woman.  A woman, a sinful one at that, was touching Him, and He did not rebuke it. Christ did not incur sin because this is not a sin. Who does object to such "obscenity"?

39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner.”40 And Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he replied, “Say it, Teacher.” 41 “A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have judged correctly.”

The Pharisees that are hyper-image and reputationally focused with man made customs and burdones redefinitions of what is proper or not are all standing around at this and they cast a collective judgement. This group that of ostracizations that is SUPPOSED to be the ones preaching repentance and embracing those that would return to the fellowship of God- get all smug in their pretensions exclusion. Pride, Ego, and childishness. This hard hearted obstruction of things that God is doing right in front of their faces because they're worried that someone might see it as "unclean" or "improper". These Pharisees were just as sinful as the woman that they were excluding, but they'd somehow convinced themselves in their own sense of self righteousness that they weren't, and that she didn't belong in the same group as they were.  

 44 Turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. 47 For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 Then He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” 49 Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?” 50 And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Christ rebukes those Pharisees who have so many man made "holiness customs" and "righteous decrees" hyperfixate on their sense of purity culture. Yes, Purity is important. Yes we should avoid the appearance of evil, but No, two adults talking unsupervised because they're not children isn't the appearance of evil. Two people being interested in each other isn't sin. Two people shaking hands isn't improper. There is a saying of people who are overly religious in the sense that they confine and burden up their lives into practical ineffectuality. 

"They're so heavenly minded that they're no earthly good" 

What if Jonah was like "I'm to holy or righteous to be seen in Nineveh because that place is so exceedingly wicked and sinful" and refused to be around them?

.....oh wait 

Beast Mode or Feast mode?

Stick with me on this one, its going to be good. I know that some people are probably tired of me writing about Peter's vision regarding the Gentiles and their inclusion in Salvation. To those people I would say "But I found something else that its cool that pertains to the subject."  It used to be that every time I tried to read the book of Daniel, I would quite literally pass right out. For whatever reason I couldn't read more than a chapter without passing out and taking a nap. I wondered if there was some sort of spiritual significance of that, but here I am years later reading through it and staying awake. As I'm reading through it I'm seeing more in the parallel of God calling those who refuse Him and His commands- beasts.  I know we always start off with Peters vision and the sheet of all kinds of beasts and the voice telling Peter "Don't call unclean what I have called clean." 

Acts 10:10-17
But he became hungry and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance; 11 and he *saw the sky opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, 12 and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air. 13 A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.” 15 Again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” 16 This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into the sky.17 Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon’s house, appeared at the gate

You know this story. You know that many people are told that this is our Unchanging God who established what is and isn't food, and kicked us out of the garden for eating something that He commanded us not to eat- suddenly changed His mind, not about any of the many sins but just the one about eating pigs and lobsters. Now even though that interpretation doesn't make sense with MANY many many scriptures that show that God didn't do this very thing, people still believe it. For more on Peter, the Vision and Sheep see that post. 

What is happening in Acts 10 is that a Gentile is being accepted by God. Peter was refusing to accept Gentiles and eat with them.  God gives Peter a Vision regarding Gentiles. Why beasts? Why was Peter shown wild beasts?  To lay the framework for that, there are some things that I have to show to give context to the matter. God made Adam in Genesis. From Adam, all nations came to be. They spread out all over the world and settled and started tribes. When God said in the garden the promise that the Savior would crush the head of the serpent - that was a promise of Christ and that message was for all humanity that believed. Yet, as people spread out across the world, many rejected God and decided to engage in paganism and idol worship. Does that mean that God abandoned the promise that whomever should believe should be saved? Not at all.  

Adam was neither Jew or Gentile, and neither was Abraham 

Genesis 11:31
Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went out together from Ur of the Chaldeans in order to enter the land of Canaan; and they went as far as Haran, and settled there

From Abraham is the promise of the line of Messiah that would come through Abraham's great grandson Judah. Abraham also had other sons after the death of his first wife. 

 Genesis 25:1-3
1 Now Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah. 2 She bore to him Zimran and Jokshan and Medan and Midian and Ishbak and Shuah. 3 Jokshan became the father of Sheba and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim and Letushim and Leummim.

One of these descendants of Abraham was Midian, who fathered the Midianites and the men of the east. Job is a descendant of Abraham and Job is a gentile. This isn't about Job, this is about gentiles and the picture that arises in these parallels. Abrahams grandson had sons that became the tribes of Israel. 

Why does this matter? Because from one man came all men, and as men spread out and became proud and walked contrary to the ways of God and forgot God two things happened. 1. God humbles them 2. God keeps referring to them as wild beasts because they reason and act like animals.  Through Christ, He calls these Gentiles BACK to Him in repentance.  They go from people, to animals to people again once repentant. 

Daniel 4:24-26
24 this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king: 25 that you be driven away from mankind and your dwelling place be with the beasts of the field, and you be given grass to eat like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven; and seven periods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes. 26 And in that it was commanded to leave the stump with the roots of the tree, your kingdom will be assured to you after you recognize that it is Heaven that rules.

The king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, is a Gentile who has knowledge of God through interactions with the Prophet Daniel of Judah.  This king looks over his empire and decided that he himself, not God has made everything he has established. This is the mindset of the gentiles that exclude God in pride, that they,not God have produced everything.

Daniel 4:30-32
30 The king reflected and said, ‘Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?’ 31 While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: sovereignty has been removed from you, 32 and you will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes.’

He is cut off and driven away from mankind, lives like a wild beast- like cattle, until the recognition that the Most High is the ruler over all.  The kingdom will be given back to him once this gentile that has been excluded repents and returns to God's headship. He will go from being a wild beast, BACK to being a person in the kingdom. 

Daniel 5:20-21
20 But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit became so proud that he behaved arrogantly, he was deposed from his royal throne and his glory was taken away from him. 21 He was also driven away from mankind, and his heart was made like that of beasts, and his dwelling place was with the wild donkeys. He was given grass to eat like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he recognized that the Most High God is ruler over the realm of mankind and that He sets over it whomever He wishes.

 His heart was lifted up, he was proud in spirit, behaved arrogantly. It wasn't until he was humbled and acknowledge God that he was restored. 

Daniel 4:37
37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.”

Ecclesiastes makes mention of this pride, and men being wild beasts just like we have been looking at in Nebuchadnezzar's case 

Ecclesiastes 3:18-21
18 I said to myself concerning the sons of men, “God has surely tested them in order for them to see that they are but beasts.” 19 For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is vanity. 20 All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust. 21 Who knows that the breath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth?

Sons of men is an idiom meaning fleshly led, carnal reasoning rather than the idiomatic sons of God which is reference to obedience Spirit led men who walk in the honor and submission to God. 
God has never called Gentiles unclean. They went their way, they have been driven out from "mankind". They have walked in the pride of their heart, but God never called them unclean, 
God does call them wild beasts, and tells them to return to Him. 

Isaiah 56:6-9
6 “Also the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, To minister to Him, and to love the name of the Lord, To be His servants, every one who keeps from profaning the sabbath And holds fast My covenant; 7 Even those I will bring to My holy mountain And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar; For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.” 8 The Lord God, who gathers the dispersed of Israel, declares, “Yet others I will gather to them, to those already gathered.” 9 All you beasts of the field, All you beasts in the forest, Come to eat. 

NOW lets look at the story of the Prodigal son and how it relates to the Peter/ Gentile dynamic. I'm going to split the story into 2 parts as it pertains to Peter. 

Luke 15:11-32
11 And He said, “A man had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.’ So he divided his wealth between them. 13 And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living. 14 Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. 17 But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.”’ 20 So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; 23 and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.

Is that not the parallel of Babylonian king? Is this not about the Gentiles who have returned God? Is this not Cornelius of the Italian Cohort who is recognized by God for his generosity and his fear of the Lord?  These wild beasts have returned from being driven out and become men again. This is spoken of by the Prophet Hosea 

Hosea 2:14-20

“Therefore, behold, I will allure her, Bring her into the wilderness And speak kindly to her. 15 “Then I will give her her vineyards from there, And the valley of Achor as a door of hope. And she will sing there as in the days of her youth, As in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt. 16 “It will come about in that day,” declares the Lord, “That you will call Me Ishi And will no longer call Me Baali. 17 “For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, So that they will be mentioned by their names no more. 18 “In that day I will also make a covenant for them With the beasts of the field, The birds of the sky And the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish the bow, the sword and war from the land, And will make them lie down in safety. 19 “I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, In lovingkindness and in compassion, 20 And I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness. Then you will know the Lord.

God restores the people who rejected His covenant and went out and invented false gods, once they have repented and been humbled He restores this people, He makes a covenant with these people whom He is still referring to as wild animals, and they are betrothed to Him as the Bridegroom.  What does that mean for Peter, The Pharisees, and and the older brother in the parable? 

Luke  15:25-32  “Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him. 29 But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends; 30 but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.’”

The older brother, the established Jewish order, refuses to enter the house where the "gentile brother" is rejoicing having returned to the Father. The passage in Isaiah 56 that is referring to God calling the Gentile beasts back home also parallels the ones who are supposed to be tending to the flock. 

Isaiah 56:10-12
10 His watchmen are blind, All of them know nothing. All of them are mute dogs unable to bark, Dreamers lying down, who love to slumber; 11 And the dogs are greedy, they are not satisfied. And they are shepherds who have no understanding; They have all turned to their own way, Each one to his unjust gain, to the last one. 12 “Come,” they say, “let us get wine, and let us drink heavily of strong drink; And tomorrow will be like today, only more so.”

Peter was being carried away with the Pharisees and becoming one of the hypocritical brothers that cared more about the opinions of others than the restoration of the lost brother from the dead. This is why Paul rebuked him to his face. 

Galatians 2:11-14
11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. 13 The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?

Peter was given the vision to not call gentiles unclean because he had forgotten the call that Christ had commissioned him. 

John 21:15-17
 So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus *said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He *said to him, “Feed My lambs.” 16 He *said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He *said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” 17 He *said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus *said to him, “Feed My sheep.

Three times after Peter is restored Christ tells him to "Feed His sheep." Who are these sheep?

John 10:14-16
4 I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, 15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd. 

These sheep are both Jews and Gentiles, that are to be gathered together into one flock: Israel 

Matthew 15:24
24 But He answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Going back to Acts 10 with the parallel of the Prodigal son in mind and the older brother that refused to enter the house we now have an even richer context for these passage. 

Acts 10:27-29
 As he talked with him, he entered and *found many people assembled. 28 And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean. 29 That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. So I ask for what reason you have sent for me.”

Acts 10:34-35 
34 Opening his mouth, Peter said:  “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, 35 but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.

The vision is ENTIRELY about Gentiles. 

Acts 11:1
Now the apostles and the brethren who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those who were circumcised took issue with him, 3 saying, “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.”

 Peter explained what God has showed them about salvation for the gentiles

Acts 11 

 When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, “Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.”

For more information on the entire Judaizer Controversy, you can read this chapter for free of my book on The Dominion of God vs the Dominance of Man