Why did God visit the Gentiles according to Acts 15?
According to Acts 15, God visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name. This called-out people is the church, which is His body. For over 1900 years the church has been formed predominantly by Gentiles called out from among pagans to become members of the Body of Christ.
Les explains that in Acts 15 Peter recounts how God chose that the Gentiles would hear the Gospel by Peter’s mouth and believe. Then Paul and Barnabas report the miracles and wonders God worked among the Gentiles. James confirms that God at first visited the Gentiles—at the house of Cornelius—to take out of them a people for His name. Les identifies that people as the church, the Body of Christ. For over 1900 years the church has been formed predominantly by Gentiles called out from paganism into Christ’s Body. As this began, Jews became envious and opposed it, so God blinded the nation nationally. Yet Les reminds that God deals with the Jew on both national and personal levels; national blindness does not remove the personal opportunity for salvation.
Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
More Questions
What does James mean by 'God at the first did visit the Gentiles' in Acts 15?
When James speaks of God having 'at the first' visited the Gentiles, he means the first approach to Gentiles after Paul's conversion, in the chapter right after Saul's conversion on the road to Damascus.
How is God taking a people out of the Gentiles in Acts 15:14?
God's taking 'a people for his name' out of the Gentiles is not a mass conversion; He takes them here and there, one at a time.