“I
NOW REALIZE HOW TRUE IT IS THAT GOD DOES NOT SHOW FAVORITISM
BUT
ACCEPTS MEN FROM EVERY NATION WHO FEAR HIM
AND
DO WHAT IS RIGHT.”
God’s
gracious presence is available to all, for it is his nature as Creator to
have a favorable attitude towards all he has made! God is for us! Even if we
ignore his presence and break his harmonious design for living, our actions cannot,
change his favorable attitude towards us. God supplements his favor with
compassion. He never condemns us but disciplines us so that we return to his ways.
The
way of Jesus, which is the only Way to come to the Heavenly Father, is much
wider than most would admit to. It includes the light from a billion
sunsets and the wisdom from a multitude of elders. If people who never
heard the name of Jesus embrace the light that they have and walk with integrity,
they find acceptance! Just like God
accepted Old Testament Jews who embraced God’s mercy as revealed in the rituals
of Judaism, people who never heard about Jesus, can also find wholeness if they
embrace the revelation of God’s mercy that they have!
GOD’S NEARNESS TO ALL PEOPLE
Even though man rebels against
wisdom, his sin can never erase the image of God within him. In other words,
within man’s nature resides the indestructible power and divinity of God yet
man is not God but only his image. The power and divine nature of God are not
far from us but an essential part of our being, as well as the foundation of
all created things! God is “through all
and in all.”
Furthermore
to assist man in connecting with God, God established people, tribes and nations
in
specific
places
so that they might reach out and find Him, Acts 17:26-27. We live in an
environment filled with God’s presence: Creation in its own unique way speaks to
us about God! Yet its speech must be heard!
In addition to God’s
nearness through nature and in the context of holy places, Jesus,
“the true light” the bible says
“gives light to
every man,” John 1:9. Every person who comes into the light does
so by Jesus whether they know it or not! He is the “Truth” behind
all truth. His death and
resurrection speaks volumes about God’s love and the cycle of life!
Faith
or trust is required of all people who hope to connect with God! “Without faith it is impossible to please
God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he
rewards those who earnestly seek him,” Hebrews 11:6. What does a person
need to believe? It depends on whom
you ask! Some people would say, ‘you must hear the gospel and believe in
Jesus!” However, Old Testament saints who lived prior to Jesus only had a rough
draft of the gospel in the form of sacrifices and promises. They never
heard the gospel which we have or the name of Jesus yet because they
believed the rough draft, they were commended for their faith, Hebrews
11:39.
The
point is this: A person is responsible to believe in and obey the light that
they have and if they do, God will accept them! Our text in Hebrews, says that God is pleased with “anyone who
comes to him” prompted by their belief “that he exists.” This is salvation in
its most elementary form! However, simply believing that there is a God is not
good enough, one must also obey the revelation that they have, live
humbly before God and bless people by doing good! “Show me your faith
without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that
there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that – and shudder,” James
2:18-19. Faith and actions, work together in the person that is
righteous by faith, v. 22-23. A person must live in harmony with the
light of truth they possess.
Note carefully what Romans chapter 2
says: “When gentiles …do by nature things required of the law … they
show that the requirements of the law is written on their hearts, their
consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even
defending them, Romans 2:14-15. Stamped upon the nature of man, are the
things required by God. They are written in his heart! For this reason it says,
“their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts
now accusing, now even defending them.”
Mans conscience bears witness to the truth that the
image of God is stamped upon his nature! It accuses him if he violates
the godly part of his nature or defends him if he lives in harmony with
it! Both the written law of God and the conscience therefore, tell man what God
requires of him!
What
do the law and the conscience of man require?
Micah
6:8 says “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord
require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your
God.” In Matthew 23:23 Jesus accuses the teachers of the law and the
Pharisees of neglecting “the more important matters of the law - justice,
mercy and faithfulness.” The
light of God, therefore, requires man to act justly, love mercy, and
faithfully and humbly walk with God!
One
of the best illustrations of salvation, coming to a person (outside of Judaism and Christianity)
who embraced the light of God that they had, is the example of Cornelius in
Acts 10. Cornelius is described as a military commander, who along with his
family was devout, God-fearing and righteous. It says that he gave
generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. When St. Peter met
him, he concluded, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show
favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is
right,” Romans 2:34-35.
God’s
grace and mercy are great for all mankind. Jesus’ death and resurrection prove
this beyond a shadow of a doubt!
Bill Redondo, Call 559 442-1278 to organize a fellowship
Group in your home or to discuss this flier!
