Year of the Bible: Part Ten of TwelveSample

One Identity, In Christ

When God promised to bless all people through Abraham's descendants, He was pointing many centuries ahead to the coming of Jesus. We know from Scripture that God gave Israel multiple opportunities to align with Him and receive life and blessing, but they rebelled repeatedly and were often exiled from God. During all those years, traditions and mindsets were formed. The human interpretation and application of God's commands usually dissolve into a religion of rules and regulations.

Peter was a product of his Jewish education and experience with Jesus. He wanted to share Jesus’s story with the Jews, and he did so with great fervor. Just when things were going great, God threw Peter a curveball. We see the full story when we read scripture, but when Peter asked for lunch and then went into a trance while waiting, he did not know that God had just appeared to Cornelius and was about to turn Peter's whole worldview on its head.

When Peter woke from the trance, he knew God was challenging him to put aside preconceived notions to be part of a bigger picture. The Jews, as a people, were not willing to devoutly follow God, so God declared that He would give all people the opportunity to access Him through Jesus. God foresaw the day when He would tell Peter to include the Gentiles in the opportunity for salvation, fulfilling His promise to bless all people through Abraham.

No group gets preferential access to God's Kingdom based on background, good works, upbringing, ethnicity, or race. When we choose to follow Jesus, our identity is hidden in Him. God looks at us and sees Jesus in us. No matter where we come from, our identity in Christ makes us look like Him. Peter and Cornelius modeled the Kingdom of Heaven by embracing belief in Jesus and accepting that God wants all people to know Him.

Question: Do you have mindsets rooted in tradition rather than God's Word?

Prayer: Ask God to show you things that you hold too dearly. Lay these things down to receive more of Him and experience a great revelation of His Kingdom ways.