God’s Unchanging Purpose

KEY VERSE: “There is no difference between the Jew and the Greek for the same LORD over all is rich unto all that call upon him.” —Romans 10:12

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Romans 10:12-17; 11:1, 11, 12

THROUGHOUT the age, various issues have tended to place a strain upon the spirit of Christian unity. Some of these have been essentially the same in each generation; others have been peculiar to the time in which they existed. One of the issues which tested the unity of the Spirit in the Early Church was that which arose when Gentiles began to accept the Gospel, and to associate themselves with congregations which had been hitherto exclusively Jewish.

But what did the Holy Spirit dictate with respect to the Jew and Gentile issue in the Early Church? This is the question which we should all ask ourselves in connection with the difficult-to-understand situations which may arise among us. The answer is to be found on the basis of what the Holy Spirit says, through the written Word.

In the Early Church there should have been no difficulty for any of the Lord’s consecrated people to know where they should stand with respect to the Jewish and Gentile converts—but there was difficulty, and largely because certain teachers were going about teaching error on the subject. Paul withstood these, as did others. Even Peter wavered in his conduct on one occasion. Religious prejudice doubtless entered into the matter.

True, to begin with, Jesus had instructed his apostles not to go to the Gentiles. Probably some remembered this, but did not keep their instructions up-to-date, for later, after his resurrection, Jesus instructed his disciples, beginning at Jerusalem, to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. And then the Lord performed a miracle in bringing Peter and Cornelius (the first Gentile convert) together. When Cornelius and his household accepted the message, and the Holy Spirit came upon them as it had upon the Jewish converts at Pentecost, Peter, reporting it, said concerning the work of God’s grace in their hearts, “God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us; and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.” (Acts 15:8-11) One of the great lessons Peter learned from his experience was that henceforth as between Jew and Gentile “there is no repect of persons with God.”—Rom. 2:11

In presenting his admonition on the importance of keeping the unity of the Spirit, Paul gives an outline of essential beliefs involved in this unity. We quote: “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”—Eph. 4:4-6

It is in the knowledge of these things that our Heavenly Father has indeed been rich unto all that are called. The true riches now imparted to the faithful include a knowledge of the truth—“the treasures of wisdom and knowledge”—or, as Paul elsewhere expresses it, “the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God.”—Rom. 11:33

The eternal riches beyond the veil are also “unsearchable,” in that they cannot be secured by human enterprise, but by a faithful conformity to the will of God, allowing him to work in us to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Seeing that the Father and our Redeemer have arranged to bestow upon the called ones of this Gospel Age such boundless riches of his grace, what manner of persons ought we to be, in all holy conversation and godliness? (II Pet. 3:11) As Paul exhorted the church, so let us pray for one another, regardless of kindred or tongue, that we may all walk worthy of the calling wherewith we are called (Eph. 4:1); seeking to become “rich in faith” and rich in the knowledge of God.

When Jesus said, “Freely ye have received, freely give” (Matt. 1:7,8), he suggests that our sharing of the riches so freely bestowed upon us consists of revealing the kingdom of heaven to others. While this message has been for the most part rejected, in the age to come it will be heard and make all men rich in the knowledge and blessings of God, both Jew and Gentile.

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