“You yourselves know how
unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit
him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean.
That is why I came without even raising an objection when I was sent for. And
so I ask for what reason you have sent for me.” Acts 10:28, 29, NASV
(emphasis mine)
The above scriptural quotation contains the words of the Apostle Peter in Acts
10 as he spoke to Cornelius. Before this, Peter had three visions about the
visit, a message from the Spirit, and a confirmation that Cornelius was a
righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the Jews. With all of this
verification, Peter did not Get it.
It was not until after Peter arrived at Cornelius’ home, spoke to Cornelius, and
saw the group Cornelius had assembled to hear Peter that Peter finally Got
It. In verse 36 Peter said, “I most certainly understand ...” Here was an
Apostle who found it very difficult to Get It because God acted in a
manner that was beyond his comprehension (and the comprehension of most other
Jewish Christians and Jewish non-Christians). Before this incident he knew that
God was interested only in Jews and proselytes (gentile converts to Judaism).
Had the suggestion been made prior to this incident that God was interested in a
gentile who was not a proselyte, Peter would have said, “No way! God just does
not function like that!”
Wonder if it will take until judgment for many Christians to Get It.
Wonder if we, like Peter, fail to grasp something obviously of concern to God
because our view of God excludes him doing “something like that.”
The bad news: Getting It quite often is not at all simple! Why? Too
often, like Peter, we are conditioned by past views not to “Get It.”
Quite often we do not Get It because we never thought about God as we
focused on His word.
The good news: The fundamental of Getting It means God loves you—no
matter who you are, no matter what you have done, and no matter where you came
from. God loves you because you are you! All you need to do to return God’s love
is to live in Christ. Get It?
David Chadwell
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