THE GENTILES WERE ACCEPTED INTO THE CHURCH

In Acts 11, the news reached the apostles and other brothers in Judea that Gentiles also were being converted! But when Peter arrived back in Jerusalem, the Jewish believers argued with him. “You fellowshipped with Gentiles and even ate with them,” they accused. Then Peter told them the whole story about the vision he had and God decided to accept the gentiles as well as the jews into the kingdom of God. God told him Don’t say it isn’t right when God declares it is!’ Then the Holy Spirit told me to go with them and not to worry about their being Gentiles! “Well, I began telling them the Good News, but just as I was getting started with my sermon, the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as he fell on us at the beginning! Then I thought of the Lord’s words when he said, ‘Yes, John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with* the Holy Spirit.’ And since it was God who gave these Gentiles the same gift he gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to argue?” When the others heard this, all their objections were answered and they began praising God! “Yes,” they said, “God has given to the Gentiles, too, the privilege of turning to him and receiving eternal life!” FRIENDS, GOD ACCEPTS ALL WHO CALL UPON HIS NAME NO MATTER WHAT SINS WE HAVE COMMITTED. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.