What does Peter's experience teach about God's impartiality in Acts 11:15? Setting the scene Peter had just returned to Jerusalem after witnessing the Holy Spirit fall on the Gentile household of Cornelius (Acts 10). Some believers questioned him for entering a Gentile home, so Peter recounted the whole story. His core evidence is found in Acts 11:15. Peter’s testimony in Acts 11:15 “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as He had come upon us at the beginning.” Key lessons on God’s impartiality • Same Spirit, same sign – The Spirit “fell upon them” exactly as He did on Jewish believers at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4), proving God makes no ethnic distinction when granting salvation. • No human qualifications required – Cornelius’s household had not yet been circumcised, baptized, or instructed in the Mosaic Law. God acted first, showing acceptance is grounded in faith, not ancestry or ritual (Romans 3:29-30). • Divine initiative, not human permission – Peter was still “beginning to speak” when the Spirit moved. God did not wait for apostolic endorsement, underscoring His sovereign, impartial grace (John 1:12-13). • Validation before critics – By giving Gentiles an identical experience, God furnished undeniable evidence Peter could present to skeptical believers, uniting the church around the truth that “God shows no partiality” (Acts 10:34-35). Supporting Scriptures • Acts 10:34-35 — “I now truly understand that God is not One who shows partiality…” • Romans 2:11 — “For God does not show favoritism.” • Ephesians 2:13-18 — Jew and Gentile made one in Christ. • Galatians 3:28 — “There is neither Jew nor Greek… for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” • Isaiah 49:6 — Salvation intended “to the ends of the earth.” Living it out today • Welcome every seeker without hesitation, confident that the gospel is for all peoples. • Evaluate ministry methods: are they open to anyone God may draw, or do they favor a particular culture or background? • Rejoice when God works outside our expectations; His impartial grace is a cause for shared celebration, not suspicion. |
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