There is no partiality with God ...

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For there is no partiality with God. For all who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous before God, but those who do the law will be declared righteous. For whenever the Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature the things required by the law, these who do not have the law are a law to themselves. They show that the work of the law is written in their hearts, as their conscience bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or else defend them, on the day when God will judge the secrets of human hearts, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus. -Romans 2:11-16 NLT

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In these few verses Paul addresses the issue of those who have not heard of the name of Jesus. He tells us that the Gentiles (those not counted as God's chosen people) have a law that is written in their hearts and a conscience that bears witness to right and wrong. I tend to see things in that light. I think that we are all created with a God given ability to respond to the voice of the Holy Spirit. God has never been partial with respect to race or ethnicity.

I love the way that the apostle speaks to the issue of responding to the information that we already have. He does not say that those who do not understand Sabbath laws should keep them. Rather he indicates that faith is responding to the things that we already know. The gentile Cornelius was such a man and the bible tells us that he was was devout and God-fearing. This man knew in his heart to be charitable and he generously responded in faith to God's voice.

Lord, help us to be like Peter and share the good news of your Son to those who are like Cornelius.

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