The Book of Acts: Discipleship In Action Pt. 46 God Is No Respecter Of Persons! He Looks On Our Heart!

We stopped in our last post, with Peter traveling to the home of a Roman Centurion named Cornelius. God had prepared this soldier's heart to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ, and he called family and friends to his home to hear Peter preach.

We noticed that Peter told Cornelius how God showed him that he should not call someone unclean, when God has cleansed them of their sins. Unclean people in this context, refers to non Jewish people, generally known as "Gentiles."

The vision God showed to Peter meant that He was going to cleanse those whom most Jews viewed as unclean heathens. 

God does not regard a Jew, because he is Jewish, nor does he detest Gentiles because they are not of Jewish descent. 

The Jewish people clung to a deeply rooted opinion that God never would extend His grace and salvation to the Gentiles. They strongly believed that only the descendants of Jacob could be blessed.

This is a fallacy that God exploded when Peter preached the gospel to a Gentile household. 

In Romans 2 through 4 and 9 through 11, Paul demonstrated that the Jewish people could not rely on being descended from Jacob because the covenant of promise is in Abraham.

God was after a circumcision of the heart, which involved the Spirit of God doing a work of regeneration when people turned to Christ with repentant faith. 

God does not discriminate against people. 

Acts 10:34  Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 

Peter began to speak truth to the household of Cornelius. Notice the first point of emphasis. Peter was a devout Jewish man converted to Christ, and ordained as His apostle. 

He declared "I perceive" which means Peter took hold of this truth  and make it his own. God's vision showed Peter that salvation through faith in Jesus Christ was going to include the Gentiles!

Next, Peter declared that God is no respecter of persons. This phrase means that Holy God does not accept one person over another on the basis of human standards like race, ethnicity, education, status, or wealth. 

We need to think about this truth for a moment. 

Leviticus 19:15  Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour. 

Deuteronomy 1:17  Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it. 

The poor and the rich are to be judged equally under the moral law of God. Judges appointed by God were not to be harsh on the poor because of their condition, nor were they to be biased toward the wealthy because they might receive a bribe from them. 

Peter was convinced that God was no respecter of persons. Light of this truth flooded his mind the moment he entered the home of Cornelius. 

Previously, it never entered Peter's mind that God wanted to save the Gentiles. Now, the apostle understood that God is also going to save non Jewish people. 

A Gentile would not have to become a Jew in order to become a Christian. Evidently Peter never thought God might do this, even though Christ ministered to Gentiles. 

On the great Day of Pentecost when he spoke of the promise of God “to all those afar off” (Acts 2:39) Peter understood that Gentiles must first become Jews and then Christians. 

New revelation from God transformed Peter’s outlook. God showed him that Christ can and will save Gentiles like Cornelius, without their becoming Jews at all!

This point of God not respecting persons was contrary to what Cornelius knew. 

The "gods" of Greece and Rome, pagan deities  reflect the hearts of the men who created them. 

Thus, a pagan "god" could be in a good mood and grant requests one day, and be in a foul mood and destroy someone the next day. 

God reveals Himself to those who seek Him. 

Acts 10:35  But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

In every nation are those who fear God and worship Him alone. They seek to work righteousness by abstaining from all evil. They are honest in their dealings with others and do not cheat anyone. 

The word "feareth" means to have a reverent attitude toward God, obeying Him and worshipping Him alone. Cornelius feared God and gave his energy to shunning sin and doing what was righteous. 

He may have heard about the holiness of God from Jews that he knew, or other believers may have told him about God's righteousness.  

Peter makes it clear in his preaching that they had heard of the baptism of repentance preached by John the Baptist. 

Based upon what he had heard, Cornelius acted upon what he knew about God. Now, Peter was going to show him the full glory of God in Jesus Christ.

Why was Cornelius accepted with God? Because he did not receive the grace of God in vain. Cornelius watched, fasted, prayed, and gave alms while most of his peers did not.

How can people who have never heard the gospel somehow come to know God and obey Him, according to their understanding of who He is? 

Cornelius is a good example of this truth. He heard at least the baptism of repentance from John the Baptist or one of his followers.  He responded with repentant faith.

God gives a moral conscience to all mankind.

Romans 1:18-20  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: 

The human conscience can look on creation and recognize that God exists and therefore, they are morally responsible to Him for their works. 

Many invisible things of creation loudly testify of the Glory of God, such as the laws of physics like gravity, motion, inertia, or thermodynamics. Other things such as the precise planetary motions or our 365 day calendar, are also indicators of God's power and presence. 

Therefore, God declares that those who remain ignorant and continue to sin against Him, will have no excuse and they will be judged by their evil works. God says that "They are without excuse" (Romans 1:20). 

The moral law of God written on all hearts. 

Romans 2:14-15  For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15) Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) 

The moral law of God is known by our conscience and when we transgress His holy law, our conscience convicts us of our wrongdoing. Our conscience may condemn us for sinning or it may encourage us when we refrain from evil. 

However, when we continually sin, we encounter the danger of "searing" our conscience, so that it cannot perform the function God intended for it to fulfill. A seared conscience has layers of mental scar tissue built up over it so that we become desensitized to our sins (1 Timothy 4:1-4). 

God looks on our heart!

1 Samuel 16:7  But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. 

Jehovah sees things differently than you or I do. He does not look at outward things but rather, looks into our hearts. For a Gentile like Cornelius, Jehovah looked into his heart and saw a man who genuinely feared Him and wanted to please Him. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

God views all mankind the same. We are like sheep who have gone astray and He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to be the Good Shepherd who calls us home.

Are you still wandering about in the wilderness of sin? Christ came to save you from your sins and to change you into His image. 

God will judge all mankind for their sins. Have you repented of your sin and turned to Jesus Christ for salvation? The Lord will save all who call upon Him with repentant hearts. 

God is not a discriminator. Do we see people as God does, or is our attitude shaped by age old prejudice and lingering hatred? God will change your heart if you turn to Him. 

If you seek Jehovah earnestly, you will find Him.

Deuteronomy 4:29  But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.

Repentance for sin is required. Forgiveness will be granted.

Isaiah 57:15  For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. 

A new year is rapidly approaching but we do not have to wait until January 1st to enjoy a fresh start and a new beginning. 

We can enjoy a fresh start with God as soon as when we confess our sins and turn to Christ (See 1 John 1:7 to 2:2). 

I pray that any who read this blog and who know they are not born again, will make this day, the day of their salvation. 

I pray that we will see people changed by the regenerating work of God's Spirit, so that they begin to walk in newness of life in Christ. 

I pray that we will enjoy the great liberty and blessing of having our old life pass away as God transforms us and make all things new. 

Please pray for the will of God for each of us be done. May He find us ready to respond to His Word.

Bob