It should have come as no surprise to Peter that the message of salvation was to be spread to all the world; but, it did at first. The earliest church was in Jerusalem and was made up of Jewish believers. After all, steeped in tradition, no Jew was to commune with the gentiles. They were unclean; by Jewish law and tradition. True God had called out His people to be separate from the world, so as not to participate in idolatrous or lascivious lifestyles. However, the sad reality was that the Jewish nation often in the Old Testament took on the idolatrous and lascivious lifestyles; while at the same time rejecting the people. Or, as was the case of King Solomon, he married Gentile women for political reasons; but, allowed them to continue in their idolatrous rituals, never witnessing to them of the truth of Jehovah God.
That had never been God’s plan. He had called them to Himself to be separate from the sin filled lifestyles while becoming the light of hope to all the world. In Isaiah 60, God speaking to His people commanded them to rise and shine.
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. (Isaiah 60:1-4)
The Message
The Jewish Nation had always been commissioned by God to live a life set apart unto God. However, by example, they were to spread the message of God to the rest of the world. Their light of faith was to shine into the darkness of the world. Throughout the Old Testament, God sent prophets to teach them this truth. None more notably than Jonah, who wanted nothing to do with the salvation of an evil, gentile nation. As though, the Jews by birthright deserved God’s saving Grace despite their constant rebellion and failure to follow Him as Lord. A remnant of faithful followers always remained; but the majority? No.
Jonah tells of God’s grace reaching out to a Gentile nation and of a prophet’s prideful rebellion at the thought of this. Yet, Jonah is the book read each year at the end of Yom Kippur, the day of atonement. Still, it was in Jesus day, that the Jewish nation preferred to keep an outward physical separation from the gentiles, calling them unclean. Meanwhile, they failed to truly look at their own hearts. They hated Jesus for pointing out their hypocrisy. Thusly, they were so blinded by their own sin of pride that they did not even recognize Jesus as their Messiah. Emmanuel came from his throne in heaven to earth to dwell among us and they rejected Him and cried for His crucifixion.
Jesus died on the cross to complete the work of redemption and rose again victorious over sin and death. He completed the work that men and women could never do for themselves. That is the message of the gospel to the Jew and to the Gentile.
Opening the Door to the Gentile Nation
Therefore, God would do what the nation of Israel had failed to do throughout the centuries before. He would open the door to the Gentile Nation, establishing His church of all believers from every creed and nation. Peter had watched Jesus reach out to the Samaritans through the woman at the well. He had seen Jesus heal the Centurion’s child. Yet, it required a direct vision from God to open Peter’s heart to take the gospel message to the Gentile Nation.
As God prepared Peter’s heart to be the messenger God sends, God is also preparing the heart of Cornelius to receive the truth of the gospel message. Acts 10 details this very truth. Cornelius was a gentile centurion who “loved God” and sought to know Him. With whatever glimmer of light regarding God he had, Cornelius wanted to know God. That desire, my friend, God always honors which is why no one is outside of the reach of God. Even those in some remote country who never heard of the gospel are given some light from which they might desire God. He is faithful to those who desire to know Him, He will send His truth so they might receive the gospel message for salvation. This was the case with Cornelius.
John McArthur wrote it this way, “Here is a man who, in his own heart and his own mind, has come to the understanding of the true God. He has a certain amount of light, and he’s living to the full capacity of that light, and God moves in and really shows him the full light, the light of the world, Jesus Christ.[1]
God Reveals Himself to All Who Desire to Know Him
ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork (Psalm 19:1).
Paul wrote in Romans 1:
So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.
Volition vs Election (a brief side note)
So, there is a degree of volition (choice) afforded every human being. There is also, God’s election. I believe both volition and election are true; although, that is something beyond my human ability to fully grasp. But the Bible is clear that both are true. God does not live within the same time/space restraints I do; therefore, He is true and one day will reveal to me this truth fully.
The Message Expands to the Gentile Nation. How?
So, Peter saw a vision in which God tells him that “What I have cleansed do not call unclean.” Immediately, upon seeing the vision, a knock on the door brought two men from Cornelius house seeking Peter. He went and taught Cornelius the gospel message. Cornelius and many in his household were saved. Then the Holy Spirit entered them with the same spectacular appearance as the day of Pentecost and later in Samaria. God was fulfilling His commission. “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
God will accomplish all that He has planned. I am God, and there is none else. (Furthermore) I am God, there is none like me. Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying. “My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.” (Isaiah 46:9-10).
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD?
If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you to go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because, He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
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©Effie Darlene Barba, 2019
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Credits:
[1] John McArthur, Gracetoyou.org, https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/1734/the-salvation-of-the-gentiles-part-1
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