What God has Sanctified do not call common or unclean!
Definition:
sanc·tify (saŋk′tə fī′) transitive verb -·fied′, -·fy′·ing
to make holy; specif.,
to set apart as holy; consecrate
to make free from sin; purify
to make binding or inviolable by a religious sanction
to make productive of spiritual blessing
to make seem morally right or binding a practice sanctified by custom
Gen 2:2-3: "And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made".
Act 10:15 “And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.”
As you can see from the dictionary definition above it is understood that the word 'sanctify' can mean 'purify' and purify shares a common meaning in the expression “to clean' or 'make clean'. When Yeshua (Jesus)spoke to Peter as recorded in Acts 10 we find that the Gentiles who believed were now considered 'clean' or sanctified as in 'holy or set apart'. This passage has no connection to food or to God's commanded dietary laws that are still required of us who are 'set apart' by His word that dwells in us. I propose that the reason God used the concept of unclean beasts was this: We who are Israel by faith and or faith plus birth are to distinguish between the clean and unclean, not allowing ourselves to be defiled by the unclean things of this world be they thoughts, persons, animals or of such as the Heavenly Father has called unclean, detestable or abominable. (Lev. 11:44, Lev. 20:26, Lev. 22:32, Heb. 10:22, 1st Peter 1:22, 1Jn. 3:3, Ex. 22:31)
Example:
Lev. 11:44 “For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify (purify) yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”
God's laws that govern our bodies teach us spiritual principles to keep our souls without spot or blemish. There are many of this world that teach against God's laws because of ignorance, personal gain or perhaps both but I say this is like the reasoning many use today to convince young girls that their virginity is no longer necessary! If the church believes that we can remain chaste virgins until marriage (another old testament law) then why is it the church teaches us to commit acts of spiritual harlotry? If the church teaches us that it is sin to commit adultery against our spouse why is it now alright to commit spiritual adultery against God? You see it is plain and simple to understand the concept of the natural laws for our flesh teaching us the spiritual for our souls when you put it in proper perspective isn't it?
The first followers of Yeshua were all Jewish and they were the body of Messiah. God had now sanctified (purified) believing Gentiles (Non-Jews) (Acts 15:9,17) and since To fulfill the prophecy of God taking a people for His name from among the Gentiles it was necessary to first make them clean spiritually by faith even as Yeshua's Jewish followers were. In fact salvation has always been by faith even for those believers (Joshua and Caleb) in the wilderness (Acts 7:38) so long ago. (Acts 15:9, Is. 11:10, Is. 49:6, Mal. 1:11) Now being the body of Christ; which is of course symbolic, the concept of eating some unclean animal or beast was abhorrent to any Jewish believer as it should still be for all today. The Gentiles were now to be brought into the midst of the body which for a Jew was an equally unpleasant thought. Yet Yeshua revealed His will to His Jewish followers and they obeyed. Now I mention all this to share this thought with you. The fact is that all peoples both Jew and Gentile are made clean or holy being sanctified by faith in God's word made flesh that dwelt amongst us (John. 1:14) and God's word, namely Yeshua, contains all God's commandments, statutes and laws and so to truly follow Jesus you must learn His ways and He says His ways are NOT His but His Father's in Heaven. (John 14:24, 15:10) Yeshua kept the Sabbath day holy (Luke 4:16, Matt. 5:17-19) shouldn't we who follow do as He did? What God has made clean or holy and so sanctified should not be called common or unclean by anyone Jew or Gentile whether it be a place, person, thing or time and since God declares the 7th day Sabbath Holy along with Gentiles who believe who can say that either is not? Certainly not Paul, James or Peter and most certainly not Yeshua! Do you dare contradict God? In Paul's letter to the Colossians many teach that these verses (Col. 2:16-17) prove that believers are set free from keeping days holy or our bodies from unclean foods but is this even possible when we understand the concept of Acts 10:15, Ex. 30:25-33, Ex. 3:5, Gen. 2:2-3 where God reserves the authority to declare who, what, where or when is clean, sanctified and or holy? I dare not call God a liar do you? Now we must understand Col. 2:17 clearly since it tells us that the Holy days, Sabbaths and dietary laws are a shadow of things to come. What can this word shadow truly mean? Well one thing to consider is the fact that the Tabernacle on earth was patterned after the one in Heaven (Ex.25:9,40, 1st Ch. 28:11-19, Heb. 8:5) And we are now a mere shadow of Messiah Yeshua created in Him by faith but He has ascended to the right hand of the Father in Heaven (Acts 2:33). See we are to be as He is and because of His works and our faith we will be someday. (2nd Co. 3:18) However we are still carnal vessels that contain the spirit of holiness even the seed of promise Yeshua (1st John. 3:9). We need food, water, shelter and rest for these earthen vessels or tabernacles and we must not deny these things to ourselves while we remain in the flesh. Thus I maintain just as we must not commit murder, adultery, robbery, idolatry etc. so we must rest our bodies, minds and souls on holy days and feed our flesh with holy foods since to break any of Gods commandments willfully is sin (1st John 3:4) And sin defiles these temples of God of which we are commanded by God to keep holy! (Lev. 18:30) So in conclusion I ask you to carefully and prayerfully seek the Lord and read what He says in His Holy Word the Bible and forsake the misleading doctrines of men that teach you the way of destruction and take you away from the true word of life Yeshua!
