Acts 8-10--For All

Who can recieve God's salvation? We in the church have, unfortunately, engaged in this debate since the inception of the Church. For the ancient Church, salvation was initially be for the Jews; since Jesus was a Jew and was the fulfillment of God's promises to the Jewish people. As a result, there were all sorts of arguments against evangelizing to non-Jewish people. We read here in these chapters God's perspective. Peter sums it up neatly in his speech at the home of Cornelius, "I truly understand that God shows no partiality". What glorious words these are!! This statements serves as a summary of three chapters that have seen all different sorts of people recieve God's salvation and the Holy Spirit; we see Simon the magician of Samaria, an Ethiopian eunuch, Saul of Tarsus, and the household of Cornelius the Roman all recieve these gifts of God. Only Saul of Tarsus is a Jew, and he is a murderous, Christ-persecuting Jew! We have different people, from different backgrounds, and with different ways of life being accepted into the family of God. The message is unmistakable...the Gospel of Jesus Christ is for all people. The Good News of God's salvation and the presence of God's Holy Spirit is a gift that God intends all people to recieve. Who are we to dare determine who is and who is not worthy of what God intends for all people?