3.The testimony of Peter to the Church of Jerusalem concerning fraternizing with Gentiles (Acts 10:1-11:18) 

Circumcision was at the heart of God's covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17:9-14). It was the sign of the everlasting covenant between God and God's people. The importance of this rite is emphasized in Genesis 17:14: "Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised … shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant." This became such an important doctrine of the Jewish faith that to eat or fellowship with an uncircumcised Gentile was unthinkable. Therefore, we can understand Peter's consternation with God's object lesson (repeated three times) that he was to do something contrary to what he had always thought and believed firmly to be right.
Peter was called to account for his actions by the circumcised believers in Jerusalem. Step-by-step, he told how God led him to act contrary to the tradition and teachings of the church when he went to the home of a Gentile. Then he said, "As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?" (Acts 11:15 and 17)
I thank God that Peter was willing to risk his reputation and position as a leader of the church to follow the truth God was leading him to. If Peter had not obeyed, where would we Gentiles be today?

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