ISN’T IT HARD TO WISH THE BEST FOR THOSE WHO HAVE PRESENTED SUCH A PROBLEM TO HUMANITY?

Acts 8 is the record of Philip going into Samaria to preach the gospel to them. If we return back to the woman at the well, she had no use for Jews (John 4:9). James and John were ready to call down fire from heaven on a village of the Samaritans (Luke 9:54). Philip going into Samaria could not have been easy. Yet he was there because there a persecution which had arisen in Jerusalem and he went to Samaria (Acts 8:3). It may have been hard due to the culture of that day but the Bible shows us that Philip preached to them the gospel of the kingdom and the authority of Jesus the Christ (Acts 8:12).

What about the relationship that Jews had with Gentiles? Peter coming to the house of Cornelius would not allow Cornelius to bow down and worship him (Acts 10:26). Kind of strange action from someone who was supposed to be the first Pope, do you not think? At any rate Peter expresses the culture of that day. He says to Cornelius that it is unlawful for a Jew to keep company or come to one of another nation (Acts 10:28). In the same verse Peter admits that God showed him not to call any man unclean. The ones whom God will accept in any nation are those that fear God and work righteousness (Acts 10:35).

There is great disturbance created via the new media and other means about hating Muslims. The Christians in the first century had to deal with the Samaritan and Gentile question. Whatever they felt as individual the record is the gospel went to Samaritans and Gentiles. In short each of us must deal with the anger we have over things being in done in Washington or in other parts of the world. From the will of God I cannot imagine any Christian if they have the opportunity to teach any one, refusing to do so. When we control our anger we can reach the same conclusions that Jonah did; those in Nineveh needed to be saved.