#DailyDevotion God Show No Partiality
6th Sunday of Easter
Acts 10:34 Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all),
Peter was preaching at the house of Cornelius, the Roman centurion, a Gentile. This in itself was an amazing thing for Jews didn’t ordinarily enter the homes of Gentiles. But the Lord had told him in a vision to do so. Already the Gospel has gone to the Jews and the Samaritans. Now the Gospel was coming to the Gentiles just as Jesus had commanded the disciples.
Now Peter is not preaching that we are saved by good works here, though they are not excluded. The Old Testament had taught in many times and places that God shows no partiality. When Israel or Judah lost their fear of God and did evil in his sight, he punished them. When the Ninevites repented after Jonah’s preaching and did right, the Lord spared their city. To fear God is to trust the Lord. It is to believe what he has said and then to act on that belief.
Now Cornelius was a man who feared God. As Peter’s sermon demonstrates he already know not only about what the Lord taught in the Old Testament, but he knew about the events of Jesus’ life. He had not yet come to faith in Jesus though. The Lord Jesus had brought Peter that Peter may preach the faith to Cornelius and so he and his household may come to faith.
Peter here preaches the good news of peace through Jesus Christ. He is not talking about peace on earth, i.e. the cessation of all wars and conflicts. Rather the peace of Jesus Christ is about peace between God and man. Man’s sin placed him at enmity with God. God is holy. Man is sinful. God’s law demands a certain type of righteousness. Man is unable by his own power or strength achieve this righteousness. Jesus though has by his blood covered our sin and made atonement for it. His blood removes from us our iniquities. We have been reconciled to the Father by the death of Jesus.
God has given us a promise of reconciliation through Jesus’ suffering and death. This brings us peace of heart. If God forgives us then we won’t hate him. If God forgives us, then we can forgive those who sin against us. This is the peace Jesus brings. If we believe this good news, we have even greater news, the Father counts our faith in Jesus as righteousness, the righteousness that stands before God.
This is because Jesus is not any ordinary man. Besides being man, the son of David, Jesus is Lord of all. That means he is the Lord of Hosts. He is the Lord of the Old Testament who is Israel’s God. It is his righteousness that is given to us. So he is the Lord our righteousness. Then reconciliation and righteousness is gotten by Jesus the Messiah for all nations, making one holy nation in himself. That includes you.
Heavenly Father, ever grant us true fear and faith in you that we may believe the peace won for us by Jesus and that we may do all that he has instructed us to do. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.