Thursday, March 1, 2018

OUR HEART IS IMPORTANT NOT OUR RACE ETHNICITY OR NATIONALITY

Proclamation:
“He said to them: ‘You are 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)

Explanation:
These words were written by Luke, the physician, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Luke records that a devout and God-fearing man named Cornelius, who was a centurion in the Roman army, had a vision in which he was told to send for Simon Peter. (Acts 10:1-6)  About the same time Peter had a vision in which The Lord God told him not to call anything impure that He had made clean. (Acts 10:9-16)  While Peter was still trying to figure out his first vision, The Holy Spirit came to him and told him to go with the three men who were looking for him because He had sent them. (Acts 10:17-19)  Peter went with them and when he arrived at the home of Cornelius he told them that their law did not allow a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile, but God had shown him that it was okay. (Acts 10:23-29)  Cornelius had invited his relatives and close friends to his home to hear the message that God had for them. (Acts 10:24)  Peter found a large gathering in the house (Acts 10:27) and preached to them until The Holy Spirit came upon all of those who heard him. (Acts 10:44-46)

Application:
With The Lord God there is no respect of persons, (Acts 10:34 and Romans 2:11) there are believers of all nationalities.  We are to accept all believers as brothers in Christ, regardless of our ethnic differences.  All believers possess The Holy Spirit of God within them.  It should not matter to us what race, creed, ethnicity, or nationality someone is, all that is important is if they believe or not.  If they believe, then they are to be accepted.  If they do not believe, then we are to share the gospel with them and let The Holy Spirit work on them and add to the church as He sees fit. (Acts 2:47)

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