Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right. This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee, after John began preaching his message of baptism. And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. “And we apostles are witnesses of all he did throughout Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a cross, but God raised him to life on the third day. Then God allowed him to appear, not to the general public, but to us whom God had chosen in advance to be his witnesses. We were those who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. And he ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed by God to be the judge of all—the living and the dead. He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.” Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message. The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, too. For they heard them speaking in other tongues and praising God. Then Peter asked, “Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?” So he gave orders for them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Afterward Cornelius asked him to stay with them for several days.
Acts of the Apostles 10:34-48 NLT
Something new was happening here. Cornelius and the other Gentiles become Christians – without becoming culturally Jewish first. They were not circumcised, not eating kosher, and not going to Temple. Peter saw that God accepts all who fear Him and are willing to obey Him. The Holy Spirit filled those who had faith in Jesus, and they were baptized and recognized by the church as full members of the family of faith.
Jesus had told the disciples to go and proclaim the Good News in every nation to the ends of the earth. They could have thought He meant Jews in every nation, since Jewish people were dispersed all across the Mediterranean. But this chapter made it clear – people have direct access to the Father through the Son and the filling of the Spirit. The death of Jesus, who was Jewish, means salvation to the whole world, even without becoming Jewish.
Christianity is not an ethnic culture; it is meant to transform every culture and nation. We must do our best to communicate biblical faith and not our cultural rules and obstacles. The Holy Spirit is not bound to our culture, and He is working in every heart to draw each person closer to the Father through the name of Jesus.
Make a list of what “rules” are part of your culture, and which ones are part of the way of Jesus. Peter was called to cross ethnic and cultural lines. How can you do the same? What lessons from this chapter can you live today?
