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03 Acts 10 34-48 THE GENTILES HEAR AND RECEIVE THE WORD 01 Acts 10 34 No partiality with God
📖 Acts 10:34-48
01 – Thu22Aug2024 – *No partiality with God* - _Acts 10:34-48_ – THE GENTILES HEAR AND RECEIVE THE WORD – _Deuteronomy 10:17-19_
_Acts 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality._
Cornelius’s home gathering was a tremendous place of receptivity for Peter to share the word of God. The first thought from the Lord through Peter was, "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality…”
For us Gentiles, this may seem like stating the obvious. For Peter, a Jew, realising the context in which he was, entering the home of a Gentile, and sharing the word of God with them, this was a huge step toward faith and understanding of the character of God.
The first lesson that we see here is that the Holy Spirit was leading Peter on what he should speak in any given situation. Some of us have a problem that we speak when we ought to keep quiet, and we say things that do not need to be said.
_Matthew 12:36-37 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. (37) For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."_
It is therefore mandatory that we speak only as led by the Holy Spirit, not by the flesh. Paul is asking the church to pray for him in what he should speak. _Ephesians 6:19 and for me, *that utterance may be given to me*, that I may open my mouth boldly to *make known the mystery of the gospel*,_
Praise the Lord, Peter was being led by the Holy Spirit as he spoke to his audience of Gentiles.
This character of God that He is not partial was not a new understanding of God. _Deuteronomy 10:17-19 For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, *who shows no partiality* nor takes a bribe. (18) He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing. (19) Therefore love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt._
Peter should have been familiar with this Scripture and several other passages, which categorically reveal that God is not partial. Then how is it that Peter was stating that he was perceiving that God is not partial?
It is the Holy Spirit who takes the Scriptures and enlightens it to us. _John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and *bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you*._
The Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth. _John 16:13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, *He will guide you into all truth*; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come._
As we obey God in what He has revealed to us, He will reveal the greater light of Himself. _John 14:21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and *I will love him and manifest Myself to him*."_ Peter was walking in step with the Lord and as he did so, he was receiving greater revelation of the nature of God.
God’s character is love. He had instructed His people to love the strangers. As we have discussed earlier, the Jews held on to only one side of God’s word to them.
_Deuteronomy 7:5-6 But thus you shall deal with them: you shall destroy their altars, and break down their sacred pillars, and cut down their wooden images, and burn their carved images with fire. (6) "For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth._
*The Jews should have understood that the Lord God expected them to be His holy people, and at the same time to love the stranger.* This seems contradictory to the human mind, but not with God, for what is impossible with men is possible with God. _Luke 18:27 But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."_
*The Jews should have been God-dependent to demonstrate both sides of the nature of God – to be His holy people and at the same time to love the stranger.* Since they set aside the side of loving the stranger, they became skewed in their culture as a people, and over time became so paranoid that they cut themselves off from relationships with the Gentiles. Whereas, the Lord was calling them to be a light to the Gentiles.
It was the work of the Holy Spirit that broke down the middle wall of separation that they had erected in their minds. _Ephesians 2:14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,_
The Holy Spirit was working powerfully in Peter for him to overcome barriers and then to state, with understanding, "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality…”
Consider the ways of the Holy Spirit in each of us to change our deep-seated opinions and perceptions, to having the nature of God.
```Will we yield more to the Holy Spirit, to change us profoundly?```