One Gospel for All!

Acts 10: The Vision of Peter

An angel of God appeared to Cornelius in a vision telling him that he needs to send out men to bring the Apostle Peter. Cornelius men journeyed to fetch Peter; meanwhile Peter went up to his housetop to pray. As he prayed he had a vision where the Lord commands him to “kill, and eat” all “manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air” (Acts 10:12-13). Peter then goes on to tell the Lord that he can’t because he has “never eaten anything that is common or unclean. (Acts 10:14). The Lord tells Peter that animals have now been “cleansed” and therefore not common anymore. The vision Peter had was a message from the Lord telling him that the gospel should be preached to everyone even those who were not Jews. The Gentiles were represented as unclean animals in Peter’s vision because the Jews believed that Gentiles were spiritually unworthy and unclean. Peter’s resisted to the Lord’s command at first was due to his obedience to the Law of Moses, which forbade Jews to eat unclean and common animals. The Lord repeated the vision three times for Peter in order to make an impression in him to know of the things he must do.

Once Peter understood the meaning of the visions, he was more than willing to do as the Lord had commanded. His perspective of Gentiles changed and he declared to treat everyone the same, as they were all equal men to God. He knew that God is “no respecter of persons,” meaning that God did not have preferences, and to Him we are all the same (Acts 10:34). He will bless us all the same, and we all have access the blessings of the Atonement, and Plan of Salvation, and therefore the gospel was meant for everyone alike. As Peter went on to share this message with Jewish Saints, the Holy Ghost “fell” on those who heard the word causing them to understand that the blessings of the gospel were to be available to all people at that time.