What do these passages mean?

Not in the sense of these verses he isn't. He does not prefer Americans over Saudis, nor Jews over Koreans. The equality of ethnicities is what is in view in Acts 10 and Romans 2. Nor is God more pleased with wealthy believers than poor believers, believing masters more than believing servants, as Ephesians 6 says.

 

Calvinist: No. He will have mercy upon whom he will have mercy.

Noncalvinist: No. He will have mercy upon those who have the natural moral propensity to believe and repent. IOW, Yes.

 

OHHH... you mean this is a Cal v Arm thread??? :smilewinkgrin:

 

Peter, a Jew, is made to exclaim concerning Cornelius, an Italian, who was a righteous man that feared God, and was devout, gave alms, and prayed:

And Peter opened his mouth and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to him. Acts 10:34,35

[Paraphrase] Blow me down! It's not just us Jews that are included in this new covenant, Gentiles are too! Christ really does have other sheep among the nations!

knowing that whatsoever good thing each one doeth, the same shall he receive again from the Lord, whether he be bond or free. And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, and forbear threatening: knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no respect of persons with him. Eph 6:8,9

There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female; for ye all are one man in Christ Jesus. And if ye are Christ`s, then are ye Abraham`s seed, heirs according to promise. Gal 3:28,29

For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all made to drink of one Spirit. 1 Cor 12:12,13

tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that worketh evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek; but glory and honor and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek: for there is no respect of persons with God. Ro 2:9-11

10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us work that which is good toward all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith.
16 And as many as shall walk by this rule, peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. Gal 6

 

All human beings, races, classes, genders are all equally sinners in God's sight. There is nothing found in any sinner that makes one sinner more acceptable in God's sight than can be found in another sinner. That is why salvation is by grace - unmerited basis.

However, some believe God is a respecter of persons as they believe one person can do something or become something that makes God respect them above others.

 

This is exactly the OPPOSITE of what Peter said.

Acts 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

Did Peter here say there is nothing any sinner can do to make himself acceptable with God. NO.

Peter said that in every nation, that person who fears God and does righteous works is acceptable with him.

You couldn't get an interpretation of scripture more wrong if you tried.

 

Look at the text more carefully. There is no conditional clauses. Peter is not defining what a person must "DO" IN ORDER TO BE ACCEPTABLE TO GOD, but rather what "IS acceptable" to God and merely lists those things that are descriptive of THAT STATE of acceptance. For example, Peter did not say this is what one must DO in order to be accepted by God, but rather merely pointed out the characteristics of what constitutes the STATE of acceptability with God.

Ephesians 2:10 demands that "good" works follow being first "created in Christ" rather than preceding being created in Christ. These "good" works" do not refer to works for justification or becoming a Jew under the Law but for living the Christian life. Your position seems to reverse/deny this order in Ephesians 2:10.

 

Peter was referring directly to Cornelius. Was Cornelius saved? NOPE. Nevertheless, Peter said of Cornelius that in every nation, those that fear God and do righteous works are accepted with him.

God was so pleased with Cornelius that he sent and angel to tell him to send for Peter so he could hear the gospel and be saved.

I know that turns your world upside down, but oh well, that is what the scriptures say.