Accepted With Almighty GOD

"God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him." —Acts 10:34, 35 [KJV]

It is a common, artful device of the adversary to insinuate, "one part of scripture opposes and contradicts another." Hereby he aims to distress the minds, weaken the confidence of disciples, and to render the doctrines of grace of no esteem. The unlearned and unstable in the truths of free grace salvation, "wrest this, as they do also other texts of scripture, to their own destruction." It was farthest from St. Peter to make this declaration, to subvert the fundamental truths of the gospel, and the one only way of salvation taught by himself; namely, by "election, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ." —1 Peter 1:2.

But he now perceived of a truth that this blessing came equally alike upon Gentiles as well as Jews. "God is no respecter of persons." This is a most comfortable truth to the vilest of the human race. There is nothing that claims respect in the person of one man above another in the sight of God. "All are alike corrupt and become abominable. There is naturally no fear of God before our eyes. There is none that doeth good; no not one." There is no difference. Jew and Gentile, publican and pharisee, outwardly devout, and openly profane, are all upon a level in point of justification before God. Enlightened souls see and own this in deep humility, and self-abasement: while proud pharisees challenge and claim respect from God, because they think their persons and characters are more amiable in His sight than others.

But saith Moses, "The LORD your God is a mighty and terrible God, who regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward."—Deuteronomy 10:17. What reward can poor sinners give to procure God's regard, bribe His justice, or avert His wrath? Do they naturally fear God and work righteousness in order to this? Lay thine hand upon thine heart, O soul; judge as in the sight of God. Say, was this thy natural conduct and practice towards Him? God knoweth, to hate Him and work wickedness is the natural state and practice of thee and of all men. But yet he that feareth God and worketh righteousness, be he who or what he will, is accepted with God. For this is a full proof of being "accepted in the beloved Jesus." The Lord puts His fear in one's heart according to covenant promise—Jeremiah 32:40. He renews us in righteousness and true holiness. Hence our practice is agreeable to our state. Prayers and alms come up before the Lord as a memorial of what He has done on the heart. And "the same Lord over all, is rich in mercy to ALL that call upon Him. Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved."—Romans 10:12, 13.

-preacher William Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)