Peter's strange vision of the animals had its effect: Gentiles were no longer to be called "common" or "unclean". The gospel of Jesus Christ would be preached as enthusiastically to them as to the people of Israel. This was part of the great transition where the kingdom of God had come and a new era where all things had become new. For us, the distinction between clean and unclean is based on a man's standing before God: righteous or unrighteous.
