Salvation And Damnation. Who Gets What And Why? The Epiphany Is Clear

And what happened as a result? When the Gentiles heard this, they were rejoicing and praising the word of the Lord. This too is an amazing thing when I think about it. They are basically being told that they were supposed to be second fiddle to the Jews. Paul was reaching out to them directly because his fellow Jews rejected him. But the Gentiles didn’t get angry about it. They didn’t say, “We won’t play second fiddle to the Jews! Why didn’t you come to US first?!?” No. Not at all. They were GLAD that Paul was reaching out to them. They were overjoyed that they were wanted by God as well and that they were a part of God’s salvation plan. Jesus died for THEM too and Jesus wanted THEM too. What an awesome attitude! Just to be thankful and praise the LORD for salvation.

Why was it that these Gentiles believed in Pisidian Antioch specifically? Luke wants to make sure that we know exactly why. All who had been appointed for eternal life believed. It is a passive verb in the Greek. They were appointed. By whom? Appointed by God. For what? To believe in Jesus as their Savior, for eternal life. It was obvious what had happened. God worked a miracle of faith in them.

Think about the Wise Men and try to figure it out. Why did THEY get it? Was it merely because of their knowledge of the stars? Where did the knowledge come from? Perhaps it was a prophecy through Daniel who also was a wise man in the east along with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Did God draw them through that? But even then, nature only took them so far. The star disappeared. They had to go to the chief priests and the teachers of the law to find out the baby would be born in Bethlehem. But even then - why them? Was it because they knew the stars better than anyone else in the world? I doubt it. Ultimately, it was all by the grace of God, who appointed them to come and find Jesus and worship him, fulfilling the Scriptures. How else could you describe these grown men going to Israel to worship a baby?

If we all are truly born spiritually dead in our sins, as Paul says in Ephesians 2, then it is going to have to be a miracle that we are brought to faith. We can’t make a choice to come to faith any more than a baby chooses to be conceived or born. That’s what happened for the Gentiles in Antioch. That’s what happened for the Wise Men. That’s what happens with us too. How else could you explain the fact that we come here on a Sunday morning to worship and pray to Jesus, who lived 2,000 years ago in Israel?!?

Don’t overcomplicate it. It’s supposed to be simple. Your coming to faith isn’t based on how smart you are. You aren’t the smartest. It isn’t based on how much you want it. You and I are sometimes pretty lazy with our spiritual lives. It isn’t because we are better than others. There are plenty of unbelievers that are probably much nicer than we are. What makes you get it? It can’t be based on me, and frankly, I don’t want it to be. God knows what a sinner I am. It has to be grace alone. To God alone be the glory.