Two Lines to Serve God

Paul wrote: Romans 2:12-16 "For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law; for it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus."

In the beginning, God had a special relationship with His creation where He spoke directly to His creation. Eventually he selected Abraham through his son Isaac to begin the people through which Messiah would come. At that time there were two lines. Abraham through Isaac was one everyone else, the other. Abraham through Isaac became who we refer to today as the Jews everyone else Gentiles.

The Law of Moses was intended specifically for the Jews; to guide them to the point in time, the fullness of time, when Messiah would come. Everyone else, those we call Gentiles did not have the law but when by nature they did what the law required became a law unto themselves allowing them to be acceptable to God and saved as were obedient Jews.

On Pentecost, Peter announced the Good News of Jesus to the Jews, requiring the Jews to come to Jesus. The Law of Moses was intended to provide a way for Messiah to be born. Messiah being born removed any necessity for the Jews to be treated special by God. But the Law was not fulfilled until Jesus died, arose, and ascended. Stopping at any time prior to Jesus' return to the Father would have meant no Messiah and mankind would have been left in their sin. Meanwhile the Gentiles continued as they were being acceptable to God when they did by nature things of the Law. Cornelius was among that number, as were others. In Acts chapter 10 we have the accounting how God opened the kingdom of God to Gentiles. "At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God." At this point the two lines, the descendants of Abraham through Isaac as well as the Gentiles were together in Jesus. Acts 10:1,2