The book of Acts and racism in the Church.

Chapters 10 and 11 of Acts confront racism in the early church. It is odd that anyone was really confronting racism back then. No one had a problem categorizing people by their heritage at this time. No one that is, except Jesus.

Peter was no different than the rest of the apostles. He struggled with how radical Jesus’ teachings were and how so many things he had learned since he was child were being overturned. How far did being free from the Law go?

So before he was called to preach to the Gentiles, Jesus prepared him so that he did not even have to ask the question. Jesus showed him that all people were clean in his eyes. The racism within the Hebrew community of this time which kept them separated from the invading Roman forces was torn down.

Jesus was not going to allow Peter to even debate this topic. Gentiles, non-Hebrews, were just as able to be saved by Jesus’ grace as the Jews. And even after the visions, God still showed Peter this was undeniably the case when the Holy Spirit came on the Gentiles even before they were baptized.

When Peter saw this, there was no denying it. God was saving the Greeks and the Romans. Peter knew at this point that was following God, where ever He took him, and he was not about to get in God’s way.