Pride can sneak in subtly. We identify what is required of us, work hard to meet those requirements, and measure our success by comparing ourselves to others. We think, “Well, at least I am not as bad as that person.” This is the plight of humanity. Yet, as God reveals Himself to us, we find ourselves broken and undone in light of His nature and character. In comparison to God, there is nothing we can hold up that doesn’t leave us wanting.

Can you imagine how the good news of the gospel would have sounded to both Jews and Gentiles at that time? For Gentiles, hearing about a God who sacrificed His Son on their behalf—satisfying His own wrath so that they could have peace with Him—was revolutionary. All that is needed is to accept this gift of salvation through faith. This God is unlike any other, one who does not demand endless sacrifices for His satisfaction.

For the Jews, who had received revelation about the one true God and His righteous standards, the reality of being broken daily was evident because they were given the law, the righteous standards of God. They needed yearly sacrifices for atonement to temporarily satisfy God’s righteous wrath (Leviticus 5:10, 16:22). But then, they hear that God has provided His one and only Son as the ultimate sacrifice, once and for all, to quench the wrath incurred by our daily sins (John 3:16, Hebrews 10:1-8). All that is required is to trust what God has provided for us.

For both Gentiles and Jews, this good news of salvation is a call to freedom, but it also exposes the heart of the hearer. It can’t be that easy! Surely there is something I must do to obtain this salvation. Yet the truth remains: it has already been provided (Genesis 22:8, 1 Peter 2:24). For Gentiles who have served many gods and offered countless sacrifices to appease one deity after another, hearing about the true God—the Creator of heaven and earth—who calls them to believe and receive acceptance because He Himself has satisfied their debt is a breath of fresh air (Colossians 2:14).

For Jews, who take pride in their status as God’s chosen people, the law itself exposes their hearts, revealing their deep need for salvation. They can become envious and jealous of Gentiles who know nothing of God yet are accepted without the burden of the truth about God and His righteous standards. They might think, “Who do these people think they are, appropriating our culture and our God?” (Matthew 20:1-16). Yet, this is God’s plan: to have a people who are set apart to display His greatness, righteousness, and salvation to all who believe (Genesis 22:18).

As God calls both Jew and Gentile to Himself, the hardening of the hearts of some Jewish people has led to the gospel being spread to the ends of the earth (Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 1:8). For Gentiles, there is no room for boasting: “Look, I have been accepted without heritage, and you, Jew, have not. Your God accepts my faith, not your works.” This attitude reflects a complete misunderstanding of the gospel. Although some Jews may not hear the message today, the gospel is always available. So, we should preach it again tomorrow, as what they practice will take on a fuller meaning as they come to know Christ—the fulfillment of the very law they attempt to follow (Matthew 5:17, Galatians 3:19-26).

Father, keep us from boasting and from taking on spiritual pride, as though we have obtained righteousness on our own. Grant us zeal in bringing the good news of the gospel to those who cross our paths, that they may hear, turn, and believe.