For “Everyone who calls upon the name of ADONAI [the LORD] shall be saved.” Romans 10:13, TLV

Everyone?   Back when Paul wrote this, it was considered quite controversial. Paul was including everyone including—oh my stars—the Gentiles. As most people sitting in churches today are Gentiles—non-Jews—that doesn’t seem like a big deal.

However, back when Paul wrote this, Gentiles were synonymous with pagans. You know, those pagans who worshipped other gods? Sacrificed their own children? Drank blood? Had orgies in their temples? The ones God had forbidden them to associate with for thousands of years? Even them?

But the critics of the Jewish emissaries to these pagan nations were wrong. Just as the set time had come for the Messiah, so had the set time come for redemption to be offered to the world.

Thus says ADONAI-Tzva’ot [the LORD of Hosts], “In those days it will come to pass that ten men from every language of the nations will grasp the corner of the garment of a Jew saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’” (Zechariah 8:23, TLV)

Jesus not only came as our atonement — the sacrificial Lamb — He ushered in a new age. The age we are living in today. An age where ANYONE can be adopted into God’s family.

What does that mean for us? The contemporary version of this would be for someone who had abused us and our family — our greatest enemy — calling on the name of the Lord in true repentance and being saved. Would we embrace them as family?

That would give most of us pause, yes? I know it would me. But if we don’t understand what redemption and forgiveness are then we don’t understand our Father and His Son. We can become prideful and critical, just as those confused Jewish leaders so long ago.

When seeds of God’s Good News are scattered, we never know what or where they will spring up. Let’s be sure we don’t stomp on the new seedlings.