Preach the Gospel to All Nations

by Hugh DeLong

Really? All? Even those from the country of ……..? Yes. All.

This goes back to the very beginning – the mother of all living and the promise that her seed would bruise the head of the serpent, the devil. What followed was a list of all her offspring – some good (Enoch, Noah) and many not! Then Abraham was chosen, and the promise was that through HIS offspring all nations would be blessed.

We then see the telling of this story dealing mainly with his offspring – through Isaac, Jacob, and thus the 12 tribes of Israel. Along the way, there are other people that were mentioned that were not these ‘chosen’ descendants, but they are usually the enemies of God’s people. Yet, the promise looked forward to all nations being blessed through an offspring – and the New Testament reveals that the promised offspring is Jesus. Yet the promise of ‘all nations’ was not forgotten; it was repeated many times in the Old Testament.

Jesus came and primarily dealt with the Jewish offspring from Abraham. Now, after his crucifixion and resurrection, He again mentions that the good news of God's promise is for all nations  – Jews and all the Gentiles (non-Jewish) people! Many Jewish people objected, but that was Jesus' commission. With the salvation of Cornelius and his family, Peter learned that now through Jesus … “that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him. The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)" (Acts 10:34-36).

Our prejudices and national allegiances make accepting others difficult. But, difficult or not, we are to accept all of those whom Jesus accepts! I am to learn to love them as brethren. I am to care for them. Do not reject those whom Jesus accepts.