What is the meaning of Acts 15:8? And God • Acts 15:8 opens with a deliberate reminder that the subject of the action is God Himself. Peter is stressing that the events in Cornelius’s house (Acts 10:34-48) were initiated and overseen by the Lord, not by human strategy. • Just as in Acts 2:33, where “God has exalted [Jesus] to His right hand,” Luke consistently presents the Father as actively directing the spread of the gospel. • Because the verse begins with “And,” it ties back to verse 7, emphasizing continuity with God’s earlier promise that the Gentiles would hear “the word of the gospel and believe.” God is finishing what He started (Philippians 1:6). Who knows the heart • Peter reminds the council that God alone sees the inner person (1 Samuel 16:7; Psalm 139:1-4). Human leaders might have questioned Gentile inclusion, but the Lord had already examined their hearts and found genuine faith. • Earlier, the Jerusalem believers prayed, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart” (Acts 1:24), asking Him to select an apostle. Now Peter applies that same truth to Gentile converts—proving God’s impartiality (Romans 2:11). • The statement exposes any tendency to judge by external rites such as circumcision; authentic Christianity is heart-deep (Romans 10:9-10). Showed His approval • The phrase means God publicly testified, declared, or bore witness that Gentile believers were accepted. Similar divine endorsements occur at Jesus’ baptism (“You are My beloved Son,” Luke 3:22). • Hebrews 11:4 notes that God “commended” Abel’s offering; in Acts 15, He commends Gentile faith. That approval is decisive—no human council can overturn it. • By placing His stamp of approval first, God settled the matter before any church debate, illustrating Romans 8:33: “Who will bring any charge against God’s elect?” By giving the Holy Spirit to them • The visible outpouring in Acts 10:44-46 was unmistakable: they spoke in tongues and magnified God, paralleling Pentecost (Acts 2:4). • Ephesians 1:13 affirms that the Spirit is God’s seal on every believer, Jew or Gentile. His indwelling presence, not ceremonial law, proves membership in the new covenant. • John 15:26 promises the Spirit as “the Advocate” sent from the Father; His arrival in Cornelius’s household confirmed that promise beyond the Jewish community. • This gift fulfilled Joel 2:28’s prophecy of the Spirit on “all people,” showcasing God’s faithfulness to His Word. Just as He did to us • Peter levels the field: the Gentiles received the identical gift that the apostles did at Pentecost (Acts 11:15-17). No second-class believers exist in Christ’s body. • Galatians 3:2 echoes the point—“Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?” The obvious answer is faith. • The symmetry underscores God’s unchanging method of salvation: grace through faith, authenticated by the Spirit, apart from Mosaic regulations (Ephesians 2:8-9). summary Acts 15:8 shows that God personally authenticated Gentile believers by looking into their hearts, approving their faith, and giving them the Holy Spirit in the very same way He did the Jewish apostles. The verse affirms that salvation is God’s work from start to finish, received by faith and evidenced by the indwelling Spirit, leaving no room for human barriers or additional requirements. |
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