What should American Christians think of those who belong to different cultures? As people from all over the world stream to our shores in huge numbers, this is not merely an academic question. Should we retreat into our holy huddles, as the Church seems to be all too fond of doing, and just surround ourselves with people who already agree with us?

No, today’s passage clearly demonstrates that Christians are called to welcome everyone, regardless of their ancestry. In verse 34, Peter says that God shows no partiality toward any certain ethnic group – and this was quite an amazing statement for a Jew to say to a group of Gentiles. Instead, Peter insists that God accepts people from every nation. God is no racist, and none of His followers thus have any room to imagine that anyone is superior just because of his particular ethnic background.

But at the same time, Peter insists that God does not accept all cultures as equally valid. The word culture, after all, is closely related to the world cult, and so it should come as no surprise that the hallmark of any culture is the unique mixture of things that a particular group of people values. We might say, for example, that modern Mississippi culture values college football and fried food, while other parts of the country might value soccer and sushi. We all tend to gather in groups which share our habits and values, and that’s really all a culture is.

So, if the Christian faith treats all ethnic groups as equal, it does not say that all things are equally worthy of our time, attention, and praise, regardless of what any group of people may think. That’s why the lion’s share of Peter’s message to the Gentiles doesn’t focus on the particular folkways that separated Jews from Gentiles – circumcision, avoiding certain foods, and participating in certain rituals. Instead, Peter talks about the only One Who is worthy of our time, attention, and praise – Jesus.

For, as Peter says in verse 43, it is only those who believe in the crucified Christ, trusting in Him as Savior who can receive forgiveness of sins. It is only those who bow the knee to the risen Christ as Lord who will be saved on the day that He returns to judge the living and the dead, as verse 42 says. In other words, if the good news is that salvation is open to everyone regardless of ancestry, salvation only comes to those who abandon whatever it is that their previous culture values and who worship Jesus alone.

So, how should we American Christians treat people of different cultures all around us? Instead of avoiding them or looking down on them for their strange ways, let’s respect them and welcome them, just as God has welcomed all of us. But at the same time, let’s seek to bring them into the only culture that will last forever, the group of people who acknowledge Jesus Christ to be the Son of God and the only Savior of sinners, the culture that expresses itself in obedience to God and loving welcome of others.

Acts 10:23-48 (ESV)

23 So he invited them in to be his guests. The next day he rose and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.
24 And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.
25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him.
26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.”
27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered.
28 And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.
29 So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.”
30 And Cornelius said, “Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing
31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God.
32 Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’
33 So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”
34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality,
35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.
36 As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all),
37 you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed:
38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
39 And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree,
40 but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear,
41 not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
42 And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.
43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word.
45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles.
46 For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared,
47 “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”
48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.