“Peter told them, “You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean. ”
How we urgently need to understand what Paul came to realize: we should not write off ANYONE as beyond the reach and transformation of God's grace.
Paul (when he was called Saul) believed he had earned favor with God by his religious deeds. He was educated, careful in His obedience to the law, and isolated from those outside the Jewish faith because he saw Gentiles as beyond the reach of God's grace. Then God knocked Him (literally) off his donkey to show him he had been mistaken for his whole life to this point. Paul was shown his need to trust in Christ's work on his behalf. And that is what he did.
So when Paul now looked at others, he saw those who could potentially believe. He saw people, not labels. The labels "Jew" and "Gentile" might today be the equivalent of "blue and red," or "black and white," "rich and poor," "male" and "female." Our task is to look past the labels and stereotypes to see PEOPLE. All these people also need to know about Jesus. Our job is to tell them.
Beyond the Labels 11.22.21
“Peter told them, “You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean. ”
How we urgently need to understand what Paul came to realize: we should not write off ANYONE as beyond the reach and transformation of God's grace.
Paul (when he was called Saul) believed he had earned favor with God by his religious deeds. He was educated, careful in His obedience to the law, and isolated from those outside the Jewish faith because he saw Gentiles as beyond the reach of God's grace. Then God knocked Him (literally) off his donkey to show him he had been mistaken for his whole life to this point. Paul was shown his need to trust in Christ's work on his behalf. And that is what he did.
So when Paul now looked at others, he saw those who could potentially believe. He saw people, not labels. The labels "Jew" and "Gentile" might today be the equivalent of "blue and red," or "black and white," "rich and poor," "male" and "female." Our task is to look past the labels and stereotypes to see PEOPLE. All these people also need to know about Jesus. Our job is to tell them.
God can redeem anyone . . . even you!