Acts 10: 44 - 48
While Peter was still speaking these things, the holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word. (44) Note, first of all, that God did not wait for Peter to finish his speech, but started pouring out the holy Spirit in the midst of it. What does this teach us? For one thing, that one does not need to hear, understand and subscribe to every jot and tittle of the Gospel (nor of Church doctrine!); rather, one needs only to be open and attentive: the holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word. Listening, paying attention, taking it in, heeding God's Word. The Gospel of grace in Christ Jesus does not come with a lot of prerequisites; the holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word.

What "things" was Peter saying? Review verses 34-43. The Gospel message is succinct, but it begins and ends with statements that the Church and every Christian should take thoughtful notice of. "In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears {God} and acts uprightly is acceptable to {God}." (34-35) "To {Christ} all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in {Jesus} will receive forgiveness of sins through his name." (43)

Now many in the Church have a long list of things one must either do or eschew in order to "act uprightly". But how do these compare with God's list? A Prophet provides one comparison(1) :

"In truth... God shows no partiality. Rather... everyone who believes in {Jesus} will receive forgiveness of sins through his name." This is the essence of the Gospel; this is why it is called Good News, for there is one and only one requisite: to listen, to heed God's Word. Many Christians argue that this is "cheap grace", but God's grace cannot be cheap, for it is without cost or price; it is free for the asking. Of course, after one asks and freely receives, God does expect some indication of gratitude.

The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded (45) by God's gracious reception of the "outsiders", people who were "without the law". Theirs is a very human reaction. When persons have gone through rituals and sacrifices (however unnecessary in God's eyes) in order to become Christian (or so they were told and believed) and join the Church, then naturally they think it is necessary for others to "suffer" the same or a similar process. Such Christians need to be "astounded", for they have been blinded to the magnificent benevolence of God's grace in Christ Jesus by man-made doctrines and traditions. The Church stands in need of another Peter (or Luther) to "astound" them with the truth of God's Word.

Psalm 98

What "victory" has God won? The victory over everything that stands in the way between God and human beings has been won in the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus. God's marvelous deeds "astounded" the early Christians. Why were they "astounded"? Because they were still beholden to the traditional teachings that they had learned; having eyes, they saw not how completely revised and revitalized the relationship between God and mankind has become. This is why the Psalmist urges believers to Sing a new song, for the "old song" is a relic, already on God's shelf. Sing a new song to the LORD for God has done something new (Isa. 43: 19); Jesus Christ has won the victory!

1Jn. 5: 1 - 6

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God (1). The key, as the Apostle Paul so vociferously maintains, is faith. For God so loved the world that {God} gave {the} only Son, {Jesus}, so that everyone who believes in {Christ} might not perish but might have eternal life. (Jn. 3: 16) Whoever believes in {Jesus} will not be condemned (Jn. 3: 18a).

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God, and everyone who loves {God} loves [also] the one begotten by {God}. (1) There is some confusion here, due to the prevalence of the identification of Jesus as "the only-begotten Son". But the immediate context indicates that every believer is begotten by God. So the latter half of the verse teaches (again) that every believer is to be loved by every other believer. We must "love one another" (Jn. 15: 17, see below); the reverse corollary being that if we do not love everyone-- most especially another believer-- then we do not truly love God.

1John is full of these "tests", and we ought not ignore them or take them lightly. The Spirit of Truth is emphasizing the primary article on God's list. And {God's} commandment is this: we should believe in the name of {God's} Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as {Jesus} commanded us. (3: 23) Jesus replied, "The first is this: 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." (Mk. 12: 29-31) Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law. (Rom. 13: 10)(2)

John 15: 9 - 17

"If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept {God's} commandments and remain in {God's} love." (10) "This is my commandment: love one another as I love you." (12) "This I command you: love one another." (17) How these relate to the above should be obvious.

What does it mean to remain in {God's} love? The KJV's "abide in" shows the strong connotation of dwelling in, living in God's love. Jesus implies an active state of being; of doing God's love, not simply resting in, relaxing and enjoying it. Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth. (1Jn. 3: 18)

Finally, note how Jesus repeats this one, singular command: "love one another as I love you." We have an example to follow, a person whose life among human beings we are to emulate. {W}hoever claims to abide in {Jesus} ought to live [just] as he lived. (1Jn. 2: 6) We need to get busy being copy-cats.

1. 1 Two other summaries of God's list are found in Gal. 5: 22-23 and Php. 4: 8.

2. 2 See also Mat. 22: 37-40; Rom. 13: 8-9; Gal. 5: 13-14; Jas. 2: 8; 1Jn. 3: 11, 4: 7-8, 11-12, 21.

Please feel free to utilize anything from these pages; just give God the Glory, Praise and Thanks and me whatever credit may be due.

(comments to Phil at ENAPXH@aol.com )