Acts 11:17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?
The Foundational Relationship
Doesn’t it feel good to belong to something? All of us belong to something. You belong to a family, perhaps, to a church, and, in some sense, to a nation or country. All these things are important, and I give thanks to God for each of these in turn. But none of these are the main thing that identifies me to God. The main relationship that identifies me to God is the relationship I have with His Son.
This is something that God was teaching Peter in Acts 11. God taught Peter this lesson, and Peter is recounting this lesson to his own countrymen who were contending with him because he was fellowshipping with people who loved Christ, but were not Jewish. Peter says in Acts 11:17 and 18, “Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.”
The only relationship you have that impresses God is the one you have with Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us that in Christ, we are accepted in the Beloved. It is not my merit, title, or nationality that impresses God; it is my relationship to the Lord Jesus.
Now, the other secondary areas of identification in my life have their place of importance, as well. It just so happens that the people with whom I enjoy the closest fellowship tend to have other things in common, but I must always remember that the foundational relationship that identifies me the most is my relationship with the Lord Jesus.
Is it possible for someone to belong to my church but not belong to Jesus? Is it possible for someone to belong to my family but not to Jesus? Is it possible for someone to belong to my country but not to Jesus? The answers are “yes, yes,” and “yes.” It’s very easy for me to love people who love me, but the bottom line is that the only relationship that I have that impresses God is the one I have with Jesus Christ. Whatever else you do today, make sure that relationship is what is ought to be. If it is, your other relationships will follow suite.