Acts 15:8-9
The scripture for today is Acts 15:8-9
Acts 15:8-9 So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
That God has no partiality and is not a respecter of persons is clearly demonstrated in the Bible. The Jews, including the early church which was primarily Jewish, were under the impression that they were the chosen people and that all other peoples (gentiles) were excluded from the family of God and His blessings. When God revealed His plan to include all people into His Body, the Jews still insisted that the gentiles be circumcised and keep the law of Moses. The dissension and turmoil became so great that the church leadership council, which was led by the apostles, convened to seek God to settle this issue.
“The council which decided this case was composed of apostles and teachers who had been prominent in raising up the Jewish and Gentile Christian churches, with chosen delegates from various places. Elders from Jerusalem and deputies from Antioch were present, and the most influential churches were represented. The council moved in accordance with the dictates of enlightened judgment, and with the dignity of a church established by the divine will. As a result of their deliberations, they all saw that God Himself had answered the question at issue by bestowing upon the Gentiles the Holy Ghost; and they realized that it was their part to follow the guidance of the Spirit.” Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 195-196
Our preconceptions can preclude us from seeing the plan of God. If the Jews had only understood what God had promised, they would have known that the promises that God gave to Abraham and the patriarchs were to be extended to the whole world. Through their misunderstanding of the word, they developed beliefs that were not consistent with God’s will and those beliefs caused dissension in the church.
That is always a strategy of Satan; to bring confusion into the church, thus dividing God’s people. But thank God for praying saints who will get on their knees and seek God for His will and surrender all so that His will can be done in them. As we stand for Jesus in these last days, may we have the singleness of heart, as the early church leaders did, and seek God’s will and not our own, and may our prayer always be, “Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
God bless you as you continue in His service.
Tim