I’ve been reading through Acts and today I came across a great passage that brought about some thoughts I wanted to share.
Peter was a Jew. He grew up being taught it was against the law to associate with Gentiles.
“He (Peter) said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean.”
Acts 10:28 NIV
http://bible.com/111/act.10.28.niv
Jesus came to the world to save the world but who’s “world” was it? Up to this point the apostles believed it was to save them. Their people. But God had a much bigger plan in mind.
God arranged a meeting between Peter, a Jew, and Cornelius, a Centurion. This was a gateway to Jesus for the rest of the world! It must have felt awkward at first for Peter to be disobeying the Jewish law and at the same time obeying God. He had to make a choice to talk to a stranger from another “world” than his. Probably one that he knew little about. He probably didn’t understand Cornelius’ customs, what his day-to-day “world” was about. It didn’t matter though. The Holy Spirit told him to go, so he went.
This was a very vital step of faith for Peter and affected the future of Christians greatly.
How thankful I am sitting here today in 2016 in the United States, a follower of Jesus that God did not show favoritism in His plan but accepted ANY person into His family.
What does He require to be accepted?
He accepts anyone who fears Him and does what is right.
“Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.”Acts 10:34-35 NIV
http://bible.com/111/act.10.34-35.niv
We don’t have a choice where we are born, what race we will be, if our parents will be rich or poor, city or country folk, educated or not. The good news is that none of that matters. We do get a choice who to follow and what to believe.
Had God’s plan only included Jews, the vast majority of Christians today would still be lost. We would have no choice otherwise.
I wonder how Peter would feel today seeing how this meeting with Cornelius affected the future for all humanity. Pretty awesome.
Thanks for reading!
adam parkhurst 