Acts 10:34-35

DISCOURSE: 1766
SALVATION OFFERED EQUALLY TO ALL

Acts 10:34. Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

GOD’s purpose of love towards the Gentile world had been made known even from the time that God separated Abraham and his posterity as a peculiar people unto himself. The call of Abraham in an uncircumcised state, and the justifying of him by faith whilst he yet continued uncircumcised, was in itself a sign that God would not ultimately limit his mercies to those of the circumcision: and his declaration, that in Abraham and his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed, was a pledge that in due time all the nations of the earth, Gentiles as well as Jews, should be blessed in Christ. Our Lord had repeatedly informed his Disciples, that “he had other sheep, which were not of the Jewish fold;” and, that “many should come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and sit down with the Patriarchs in the kingdom of heaven;” whilst the Jews, the natural “children of that kingdom, should be cast out.” He had given the express command, that “his Gospel should be preached to every creature;” and he had actually “given to Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven,” that he might open the gates thereof both to Jews and Gentiles. In obedience to this commission, Peter had opened the kingdom to the Jews on the day of Pentecost; but so entirely was he under the power of Jewish prejudice, that, for six years, both he, and all the other Apostles, had forborne to preach unto the Gentiles: nor, till he was overcome by the force of evidence which he could no longer doubt, would he believe that the Gentiles were to be admitted to the privileges of the Gospel. His doubts however being at last removed, he, with a mixture of surprise and joy, acknowledged his former error, and proclaimed the blessed truth which we have just read to you.
We propose to state,

I. The import of his words—

Plain as the words of our text appear, they have been very differently interpreted by different persons; some supposing them to be decisive upon points, wherewith, in the eyes of others, they have no immediate connexion. We will endeavour therefore to shew,

1. What they do not mean—

[They do not, as many imagine, restrict the Supreme Being in the exercise of his grace. God’s grace is his own; and he dispenses it according to his own sovereign will and pleasure. That he has done so in former times, it is impossible to deny. Was not Abraham an idolater in the land of Ur? yet “God called him alone, and blessed him [Note: Isaiah 51:1.].” In blessing the seed of Abraham, did God take Ishmael, who was born according to nature? No; but gave Abraham a son in a prζternatural way, even Isaac: and limited the blessing to his line. In the seed of Isaac, God exercised the same sovereign grace; choosing, even whilst they were yet in the womb together, the younger son, Jacob, in preference to Esau, the elder; saying, “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated [Note: Romans 9:7.].” Now, whether we suppose these persons chosen to everlasting salvation or not, it is evident that they were chosen to enjoy the means of salvation; and consequently either God is “a respecter of persons,” or ‘the respecting of persons’ must mean something very different from the sovereign distribution of God’s favours unto men. We all know that God did vouchsafe peculiar mercies to the Jews above the Heathens; as he still does to the Christian world. If this was not wrong formerly, it is not so now: but Christ himself made this free exercise of God’s grace and mercy, a ground of praise and thanksgiving; and therefore we also may adore God for it, and say, “I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes; even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight [Note: Matthew 11:25.].”

Neither do these words establish the doctrine of salvation by works. If there be any thing plain in God’s word, it is, that God has given us a Saviour, through whose obedience unto death we are to be saved. As the whole Jewish ritual shadowed forth our acceptance through the Great Sacrifice, so the epistles to the Romans and the Galatians were written on purpose to establish this great truth, that we are to be saved by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and not by any works of our own. Indeed, if salvation were by works, even in any degree, Christ would so far have died in vain. Moreover, salvation could no more be of grace; because works and grace are opposite to each other; the one implying, that salvation is paid us as a debt; and the other, that it is freely and gratuitously bestowed upon us. Now this being the uniform declaration of God throughout the whole Scripture, it is manifest, that this single expression must not be so understood, as to set aside the universal testimony of the written word.

We will now proceed to state,]

2. What they do mean—

[The Jews imagined themselves to be the only people whom God would ever admit to his favour. As for the Gentile world, the Jews regarded them as dogs, and as accursed of the Lord. Some of them went so far as to think, that no Jew, however wicked, would be condemned, nor any Gentile, however righteous, would be saved. Against this kind of error both the Baptist and our Lord bore testimony [Note: Matthew 3:9; John 8:39; John 8:44.]. And even the Apostles themselves were far from having a correct judgment respecting it: they supposed that God would favour the Jews, because they were Jews; and that he would not look upon the Gentiles, because they were Gentiles. But God had now shewn to Peter, that this was an error: he had shewn to him, that the partition-wall between Jews and Gentiles was broken down; that no man was henceforth to be accounted unclean; that his Gospel was to be freely preached to all without any distinction; and that all, of whatever nation they might be, should be accepted with him, provided they really feared him, and wrought righteousness; that is, that God would not regard any thing in man, but his moral and religious character: if any man possessed ever so many privileges, they should avail nothing to his eternal welfare, unless they were accompanied with such dispositions and actions as characterized the elect of God: but, if any man sought him humbly, and served him faithfully, he should be brought to the knowledge of salvation, and his feet be guided into the way of peace.

That this is the real meaning of the passage, appears from the whole context. Peter no sooner came to Cornelius, than he reminded him of the barrier which had been placed between Jews and Gentiles, so as to cut off all friendly intercourse between them; and told him how that barrier had been removed: and, when he found the account which the messengers had given him, confirmed by Cornelius himself, and that God had interposed as much to direct Cornelius to send for Peter, as to direct Peter to go to him, “he opened his mouth” with a solemnity suited to the occasion, and proclaimed God as the common Father of all mankind, equally accessible to all, and equally gracious unto all, who should seek and serve him in his appointed way [Note: Romans 10:11.]

The words thus explained are very instructive. Let us consider,

II.

The truths to be deduced from them—

They shew us,
1.

That we have nothing to hope from any worldly distinctions—

[The Jewish notion of God’s regarding men on account of outward distinctions is generally prevalent amongst ourselves. Many fancy, that because we have been baptized we must of necessity be in a state of favour with God; and many who will not altogether avow that principle, yet imagine that God will not proceed with the same severity against the great and learned, as he will against the poor and ignorant. Hence, though we may be permitted to warn the poor of their guilt and danger, we must not presume to take such a liberty with the rich: we are not to suppose that any of them can perish, or that God requires from them the same homage and service as he does from the lower classes of mankind. But to this point the text is plain and express: “God is no respecter of persons:” his law is equally obligatory on all; and his decisions in the day of judgment will be impartial, every one being adjudged to happiness or misery according to his works [Note: See Job 34:19.]. In the book of Revelation is a passage well deserving the notice of those who think that any regard will be shewn to learning or wealth or honour in that day [Note: Revelation 6:15. Observe how many words are used to characterize the rich! Does not that speak loudly to them?] — — — At the same time, the poor will find it equally instructive to them: for they are ready to suppose that their present trials and difficulties will procure them the same kind of favour in that day, as the rich are looking for on account of their fancied greatness. But the poor, even the poorest bond-slaves, will there be found, associates in misery with their proud oppressors, and equally “calling upon the rocks and mountains to hide them from the wrath of the Lamb.” The only difference between one and another will be this: they who were the foremost in religious privileges, will be most signally visited with the Divine judgments: in that only will the Jew be distinguished from the Gentile, or the rich from the poor [Note: Romans 2:9.]; “To whom much has been given, of them will the more be required:” but there will be the same ground of judgment for all [Note: 1 Peter 1:17.]: the image of Christ upon the soul will be the only thing that will be regarded, either as the evidence of our conversion, or as the measure of our recompence [Note: This is the true meaning of Colossians 3:11.]

2. That we have nothing to fear from any secret decrees—

[That “God chooses men to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth,” is asserted by God himself: but that he reprobates any, and from all eternity decreed to consign them over to perdition without any offence or fault of theirs, we cannot admit: we think that oath of God’s, that “he has no pleasure in the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn from his wickedness and live,” is decisive on the point; and all the reasonings of fallible men are lighter than vanity, in opposition to it. But, not to enter into dispute about these things, one thing is clear, that of whatever sect, or party, or nation we may be, if we “fear God and work righteousness, we shall be accepted.” What then have we to do with the Divine decrees? What reason has any man to say, ‘It is in vain for me to seek after God; because God has not elected me?’ Who ever ascended to heaven, to see whether his name were, or were not, written in the book of life? “Secret things must be left to God, to whom alone they properly belong: the things that are revealed belong to us:” and this declaration in our text is plain, and clear, and absolute. Let every one therefore put away all distressing apprehensions about the decrees of God, and seek to attain that character which shall infallibly lead to happiness and glory — — —]

3. That if we improve diligently the light we have, God will give us more light—

[God forbid that we should for a moment entertain the thought, that we, by any diligence of ours, can merit any thing at the hands of God, or lay him under an obligation to confer upon us the blessings of salvation. We have no claim upon him, except that which his own free and gracious promises have given us: but if, in dependence on those promises, we press forward in his appointed way, then may we expect assuredly that those promises shall be fulfilled to us. Now God has promised, that “then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord; &c. [Note: Hosea 6:3. Quote and explain the whole verse.]” We may be confident therefore that we shall not use the means in vain. Whether Cornelius would have been saved if this fresh revelation had not been made to him, we will not take upon ourselves absolutely to determine; though Peter, and the rest of the Apostles appear to have considered his salvation as altogether effected by his conversion to Christianity [Note: Acts 11:14; Acts 11:18.]. But throughout the whole history, frequent notice is taken of the prayers and alms of Cornelius, as approved of God, and as being the means of bringing down yet greater blessings upon him: they are represented as being accepted before God, precisely as the meat-offerings were accepted from the Jews: as a memorial of the latter, when burnt upon the altar, was an offering of a sweet savour unto the Lord [Note: Leviticus 2:1; Leviticus 2:9.], so “the prayers and alms of Cornelius came up for a memorial before God [Note: ver. 4.].” Such a memorial shall our prayers and alms-deeds be, if offered unto God with real humility of mind, and with an earnest desire to obtain a fuller knowledge of his will. Though therefore I would not exhort any one to rest in a low state of knowledge and of grace, I would encourage the weakest person, if sincere, to expect from God still richer communications of his grace, together with the ultimate possession of his glory. God will “fulfil the desire of them that fear him, and of them that hope in his mercy.” Only let us listen to the word of God with the same disposition as Cornelius and his family did [Note: ver. 33.], and God will rather work miracles to save us, than suffer us to “perish for lack of knowledge.” I mean not that God will really work miracles for any one; but that he will either, by his providence, bring us an instructor for the further illumination of our minds; or that, by his Spirit, he will guide us into all truth through the instrumentality of the written word: “He never said to any, ‘Seek ye my face’ in vain.”]