Justification by faith is good news but not everyone thinks so. Look at the difference of response and reaction between God-fearers and ethnic Jews, back in the Apostle Paul's day, as seen from the book of Acts. God-fearers embraced it with great joy. The ethnic Jews were incited to riot and murder. How does one justify the two?
Centurion Cornelius of Acts 10, was just such a "God-fearer". He was "devout". Look at his CV: "he gave generously to those in need; and he prayed to God regularly". The angel that appeared to him told him these were "a memorial offering before God" (vs.1-7).
Cornelius' men who had come to fetch Peter added,
"he is a righteous and God-fearing man...respected by all the Jewish people" (v. 22).
To me, this is wondrous.
By way of explanation to differentiate between "God-fearer" and the "ethnic Jews" who also feared God, we need to know that the former were Gentiles. These Gentiles were not proselytes: those who'd converted to the Jewish ways and adhered to the Law of Moses, including being circumsized, and lived as Jews, having free access to the Temple.
The "God-fearers" were those who did have the fear of God, obviously, as seen by Cornelius' example, and lived much as if they were Jews. However, they did not go so far as to be circumsized; therefore, they did not have such free access to Temples and synaogues. It seems this group was more sincere, worshiping God from the heart and not by the exact letter of the Law.
It was heart involvement more than form or obligation that following the whole plethora of Jewish Laws entailed. This is the crux of the matter. Don't get me wrong though. There were certainly, earnestly devout ethnic Jewish folks too; after all, look at Mary and Joseph. Nevertheless, for this discussion we focus on those who were more seemingly about the 'form'.
These literally followed the "letter of the law" all their lives as the apostle Paul, when he was more known as Saul, had done. These also saw themselves entitled to be in greater favor with God because of their "pious," "righteous" living. This is also the group that Jesus confronted time and again, about their often hypocritical ways. They were mostly respected by the general Jewish masses who thought of them as "holy" and "righeous".
Since this group had been following all these commands, decrees, laws, statutes, precepts and word of God as laid out in their Torah, then to have someone come along an say, "Umm, this is no longer, THE way; it is now only by repenting of your sins, believing in Jesus; and accepting the justification of those sins by faith in Jesus Christ, that you can now connect with God and be His "chosen" ones: His sons and daughters...well, think of it...
How would YOU feel?!
It would be like having your legs wiped out right from under you! Your whole world would come crashing down upon you! You'd be become furious too! Stark raving mad! This would indeed incite to riots and the stoning of the messenger as happened to Stephen, the first Christian martyr, and the attempted stoning to death of Paul, later on.
By absolute sharp contrast, the God-fearers soaked this up with wide-opened, welcoming arms and hearts. They knew following sets of rules had limitations and were a fatiquing struggle to maintain so it must have brought great relief to be able to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and be justified by faith in Him alone. This was indeed, "good news"!
These God-fearers desired that relationship with God they could have through Jesus Christ. They realized it was not enough to just fear God, although that was a major part of it, but they could have that access of communing through faith and salvation in Jesus Christ. Paul was able to plant many new churches among these God-fearing Gentiles because of it.
Today, there are many religions where the "works" of following many similar laws are venerated. However, the Good News the apostles, including Paul who had once lived strictly according to Jewish law, preached is still the same. All the people of the world must come to the Father God, and be justified BY FAITH in, and through, Jesus Christ.
~ERC January 2021~
Sing, Therefore Being Jusified By Faith, along with New Creation Singers
Read Romans 5:1, 5, 8.
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