The Church Is for All People

KEY VERSE: “When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.” —Acts 11:18

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Acts 11:1-18

GOD GAVE EXCLUSIVE favor to the nation of Israel for a period of 490 years, even as promised to Daniel. (Dan. 9:24-27) This period came to an end in AD 36. After Jesus provided the ransom by his death .on the cross, the Early Church selected by God was composed exclusively of natural Israelites. If an adequate number of “Israelites indeed” (John 1:47; Rom. 2:28,29), had been found by the time AD 36 arrived, God would not have needed to look further to find a “people for his name.” (Acts 15:14) But this did not happen, so he turned to the Gentiles to seek among them for his purpose.

Cornelius and his household were the first of the Gentiles to be “saved” (Acts 2:21), or invited to follow in the footsteps of Christ. This was incomprehensible to the Early Church. When Peter returned to Jerusalem after visiting Cornelius and his household, he was criticized by the circumcised believers. They asked, “Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?”—Acts 11:3, Revised Standard Version

He told of his visit to Joppa, and how, at the time of evening prayer, he saw a vision of beasts of prey—reptiles, and fowls of the air. He heard a voice saying, “Rise Peter; kill, and eat.” (Acts 10:13) These were all unclean animals, and Peter refused to comply. He was told, “What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common [unclean].” (vs. 15) This vision was repeated three times.

When three men sent by Cornelius from Caesarea arrived at Peter’s home, he was able to associate the vision with their coming. These men told Peter how Cornelius had been visited by an angel of God, and instructed to send for Peter. So Peter returned to Caesarea with them, accompanied by six brethren from Joppa.

Peter found many assembled at Cornelius’ home—his kinsmen, and close friends. As Peter spoke to them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, even as it had done three and one-half years earlier upon the apostles at Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost. Peter said, “Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, “John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost [Spirit]. Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?”—Acts 11:16,17

Peter was given the ‘keys’ of the kingdom of heaven by Jesus. (Matt. 16:19) He used one key when God had him explain the meaning of the events on the Day of Pentecost, and how they related to the death and resurrection of Jesus. On that day there were 3,000 who were immersed into Christ. He used another key when he was bidden to go to the home of Cornelius, to explain to the Gentiles assembled there, why Jesus was sent to earth. The Holy Spirit came upon these who also were immersed into Christ.

The title of this lesson, is not intended to convey the thought that anyone or everyone can be immersed into Christ, thereby becoming part of the church. The invitation to run for the high calling comes from God, and the exclusive invitation was made to natural Israel first. However, “God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation he that feareth [reverences] him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.”—Acts 10:34,35

This is so. However, Jesus said, “No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him.” (John 6:44) The church is comprised of “the elect [chosen] according to the foreknowledge of God, the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit.”—I Pet. 1:2

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