“Then Peter began to speak: ‘I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears the Lord.’” (Acts 10:34-35)

The context of this passage is this: the apostles are realizing for the first time that God intends to extend his grace and love to all nationalities, and not just to ethnic Jews.

This was a total surprise to them. Up to this point, Jews didn’t even eat with or enter the house of gentiles. Gentiles, as far as the Jews were concerned, were disgusting, ceremonially unclean. Gentiles were best unseen and unheard and absolutely to be avoided.

But Peter has a vision where God tells him to eat – all kinds of unclean foods. And then God tells him to hang out with a gentile – go to the gentiles house – and to extend forgiveness of sin to the gentile. And when he does, the Holy Spirit falls upon the gentile and his entire household just as the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples at Pentecost.

This was a total surprise.

God does not show favoritism. Wow! Who knew.

But the truth of the text does not stay with the phrase that God doesn’t show favoritism. You see, God extends his offer of salvation to ALL people, ALL sinners, ALL. In the offer of forgiveness of sins God truly does not show favoritism.

And the offer of salvation and forgiveness of sins is effective and impacts those who fear the Lord. Those who obey. Those who have the utmost regard for God and his word.

Do you see that?

It’s both. The offer of salvation and forgiveness is for all people. God does not show favoritism. ALL sinners are given the opportunity to repent and turn to God.

AND God’s forgiveness is effective upon those who fear God. Not everyone is saved. Only those who fear God and trust in God’s plan for salvation in Jesus Christ.

That’s why we share the gospel with all people. Because salvation is available to all. But only those who receive and repent are forgiven of their sins.

Why would anyone reject such amazing grace?

Man, Francis Chan knows how to meddle.

Just going to leave this here.

“What would your church (and the worldwide church) look like if everyone was as committed as you are? If everyone gave and served and prayed exactly like you, would the church be healthy and empowered? Or would it be weak and listless?”

• Francis Chan in Forgotten God

“For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more” (Hebrews 8:12).

Let it go.

Sometimes, because of the gravity of our sins we feel like we need to grovel a bit in our guilt.

Let it go.

When God forgives us our sins, he has already dealt with them completely and absolutely.

The psalmist tells us, “The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:8-12).

Let it go.

In Christ, all of our sins have been forgiven. God remembers our sins no more.

The only one that keeps reminding us of our past is the devil. The only one that allows the devil to keep us in our past is us!

Let it go.

God already has. If you have confessed your sins and repented. God has already dealt with them in Christ.

Let it go.