Delighting in God’s Gracious Way

If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?
Acts 11:17

One of the greatest internal struggles the New Testament Church faced was the inclusion of Gentiles. It was one thing–actually it was a very fitting thing–that Jews found the Messiah. Their ancestors had waited for him, wrote of him, and encouraged Israel to hope for the Lord's Messiah. But it was a wholly other thing to concede, let along embrace, that Gentiles were also among God's people, through faith. Paul sums this nicely in Galatians: "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

Peter was placed in the challenging position of speaking truth to the leaders in Jerusalem. Once he broke bread with Cornelius the centurion, he was criticized for how he could have such intimacy with Gentiles. His response was not a long attempt at self-justification. He did not present ad hominem arguments. His response was simple and true: "If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” Who indeed? Peter rightly recognized that, as hard as it was for him and those in Jerusalem to come to grips with what God was doing, the fact that He gave his Spirit to the Gentiles says enough. And to attempt to talk around that action would be to "stand in God's way." (No mortal should attempt this.)

As is often the case with Scripture, though it speaks of situations in generations past, it still speaks to us because we all as humans share the same heart. And because the same Spirit who authored those Scriptures dwells with the people of God. Though it may no longer be the inclusion of Gentiles that troubles us–if it were, we would all most likely have some serious problems. But we all have our list of people who certainly cannot be among God's people. Who is on that list for you? Is it Republicans or Democrats? Is it those who stand by and march for Black Lives Matter? Is it those who are strong advocates for the second amendment? Is it those who identify as LGBTQ+? And yet, if God's grace can extend to you, why not "those others" also? If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who are we that we could stand in God’s way?

– Matthew+

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Waiting: An Act of Love

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The Seesawing of Anxiety & Faith