34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: w“In truth I perceive that God shows
no partiality (. 35 But xin every nation whoever fears Him and works
righteousness is yaccepted by Him. 3
4 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no
respecter of persons: 35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh
righteousness, is accepted with him. 36
Not as clearcut when seen in light of other passages:
Respecter of person is used casually to equate our human views of equality and
equal rights with God’s views. But His ways are “beyond our finding out” in this
life. Now we see dimly, then face to face. The many Sciptures that seem to
divide the Jews from the Gentiles – even after the cross and resurrection – seem
to indicate that His earthly plan differs between those two groups. For example:
“For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you,
and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” 18 Therefore He has mercy on
whom He wills, and whom He wills He ahardens.
19 You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For bwho has resisted
His will?” 20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? cWill the
thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Does
not the dpotter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make eone vessel
for honor and another for dishonor?
22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured
with much longsuffering fthe vessels of wrath gprepared for destruction, 23 and
that He might make known hthe riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which
He had iprepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us whom He jcalled, knot of the
Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
25 As He says also in Hosea:
l“I will call them My people, who were not My people,
And her beloved, who was not beloved.”
26 “And mit shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them,
‘You are not My people,’
There they shall be called sons of the living God.”
27 Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel:
n“Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea,
oThe remnant will be saved.
28 For 2He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness,
pBecause the Lord will make a short work upon the earth.”
29 And as Isaiah said before:
q“Unless the Lord of 3Sabaoth had left us a seed,
rWe would have become like Sodom,
And we would have been made like Gomorrah.” (Ro 9:17-29
I say then, ahas God cast away His people? bCertainly not! For cI also am an
Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not cast
away His people whom dHe foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of
Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, 3 e“Lord, they have
killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they
seek my life”? 4 But what does the divine response say to him? f“I have reserved
for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 gEven so
then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of
grace. 6 And hif by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no
longer grace. 1But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is
no longer work.
7 What then? iIsrael has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained
it, and the rest were jblinded. 8 Just as it is written:
k“God has given them a spirit of stupor,
lEyes that they should not see
And ears that they should not hear,
To this very day.”
The New King James Version. 1982 (Ro 11:1-8). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
potter
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You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” 20
Well said. Because of wunbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do
not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He
may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of
God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, 5goodness, xif you continue in
His goodness. Otherwise yyou also will be cut off. 23 And they also, zif they do
not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in
again. 24 For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and
were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will
these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery,
lest you should be awise in your own 6opinion, that bblindness in part has
happened to Israel cuntil the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so
all Israel will be 7saved, as it is written:
d“The Deliverer will come out of Zion,
And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
27 For this is My covenant with them,
When I take away their sins.”
28 Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the
election they are fbeloved for the sake of the fathers. 29 For the gifts and the
calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For as you hwere once disobedient to God, yet
have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so these also have
now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain
mercy. 32 For God has 8committed them iall to