ESOCS Devotional 30 June 2025: God Shows No Favouritism

ESOCS Devotional 30 June 2025 – God Shows No Favouritism

MEMORY VERSE: “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right” Acts 10:34

TEXT: ACTS 10:24-48

And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends. ²⁵As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. ²⁶But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I myself am also a man.” ²⁷And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. ²⁸Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. ²⁹Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?”

³⁰So Cornelius said, “Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, ³¹and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God. ³²Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. ^[c]When he comes, he will speak to you.’ ³³So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God.”

³⁴Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. ³⁵But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. ³⁶The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all— ³⁷that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: ³⁸how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. ³⁹And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. ⁴⁰Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, ⁴¹not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. ⁴²And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”

⁴⁴While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. ⁴⁵And ^[g]those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. ⁴⁶For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.

Then Peter answered, ⁴⁷“Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” ⁴⁸And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.

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What a message! What an insight! God “accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.” Oh, how revolutionary it would be if we could truly grasp the power of this truth! How devastating has the breaking of this rule been to the Church and to nations down through history? How silly, pathetic, and demonic is our erecting of human barriers and distinctions along race lines! What pain and unnecessary suffering has been done because we did not listen to what Peter said here, what he realized! God “accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.” EVERY nation. No exception.

With power, Peter then preached the gospel to these Gentiles, and as he preached the Holy Spirit fell upon them. Of course! Pentecost has arrived for these now that the gospel is preached to them too and a new wave of God’s Spirit begins to rest on these people. How merciful is God, and how great and good He is!

Like soft clay in God’s hands, Peter then makes another momentous decision. With God accepting these nations, what on earth could prevent him from baptizing them? How wise it would be if we would make similar decisions. Instead of attempting to stand in the way of a new work of God, embrace it, baptize those who are so moved by God, and shepherd what God is doing. There is much more to be said about this, but in this context we can at least say: Don’t attempt to play God. When God moves with power, rejoice!

What can we learn from this story? Three lessons. 1. The gospel is for all nations. You may have heard differently from someone either in the past or currently. But listen to what the Bible says. 2. Those who are converted are to be baptized. 3. Bring our preferences into line with God’s truth. Where God speaks clearly in His Word, let us do what we can to be a channel for God to work through; not a dam to try in our foolishness to erect our preferences over His power, His gospel, His Word, and the work of His Spirit.

CHALLENGES