Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. (35) But in every nation whoever who fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. (36) The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ – He is Lord of all – (37) that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: (38) how 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.
The book, Acts of the Apostles, was written by Luke, author of one of the gospels, physician, historian and frequent companion of the apostle Paul. Acts is a record of apostolic success in that ancient world – of the way God moved in the minds and hearts of men and women. It is designed to be a history of the early church. On Pentecost Sunday, when the Spirit of God came, there was an explosion of faith in Christ in that ancient world; the gospel was spread by witnesses to the ends of the earth.
The Jews thought the Gentiles had to convert to Judaism to be saved; through the Jews, by the Jews. Now all is swept away in Christ and a radical shift takes place. Salvation is NOT based on national identity nor based on good works. In Christ God beings the Gentiles to partake of salvation – brings them directly into a relationship with Him apart from becoming Jews. This one insight changed the world. Salvation comes to everyone who believes in the name of Jesus; it is not a vague general belief but rather it is specific and personal. Eternal life is God’s gift through Christ and is not based on human merit but in grace. Jerusalem heard the gospel first and then it was carried into Judea and Samaria. Then there was the conversion of Paul who was to be the apostle to the Gentiles but before Paul’s ministry, Peter was recorded as opening first the door to the Gentiles who were considered aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise. Peter’s message at Pentecost declared that the promise was also to those far off but he didn’t realize the implications of that utterance. However, the hour had come that the walls were torn down.
The point of our verses today is that ALL, Jews and Gentiles, have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Fear of God and the working of righteousness is not a product of the natural heart but the work of God Himself. It was not confined to the Jews but to Gentiles also through grace in faith in Christ. Every barrier between the Jew and the Gentile has been removed.