Cornelius – La Vista Church of Christ

How could Cornelius be righteous if all of man’s righteousness are filthy rags before God?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 17 Feb 2019 20:43:40 +0000

Question:

Hey Mr. Jeffrey,

I'm having trouble in my understanding on a matter. In the book of Isaiah it seems to insinuate that a man's righteousness is filthy rags before God, and Isaiah, a righteous prophet, felt unclean in the sight of Holy Yahweh; yet, the Bible also states we can please God with our deeds and words. My thinking leads me to believe only the forgiven man's righteousness is acceptable to God. But then there is Cornelius who wasn't a Christian at first but seemed to please God.

Can you please help?

Answer:

"For from days of old they have not heard or perceived by ear, nor has the eye seen a God besides You, Who acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him. You meet him who rejoices in doing righteousness, Who remembers You in Your ways. Behold, You were angry, for we sinned, we continued in them a long time; and shall we be saved? For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; and all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. There is no one who calls on Your name, who arouses himself to take hold of You; For You have hidden Your face from us and have delivered us into the power of our iniquities. But now, O LORD, You are our Father, we are the clay, and You our potter; and all of us are the work of Your hand. Do not be angry beyond measure, O LORD, nor remember iniquity forever; behold, look now, all of us are Your people" (Isaiah 64:4-9).

In contrast to God's holiness, all of us come out looking like we are wearing filthy rages because of our sins. Our righteousness is not much, which is why we note that God has never owed anyone salvation. We could not earn it with the lives we live.

"More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead" (Philippians 3:8-11).

Left on our own, none of us could be saved. That is why Jesus stepped in. When we obey God in faith, then it is not our own righteousness that we are doing, but we are working the works of God. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10).

When Isaiah saw a vision of God in Isaiah 6, Isaiah was terrified because he realized how inadequate he was to appear before the Creator. "So I said: "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts" (Isaiah 6:5). But God wasn't interested in Isaiah's self-evaluation. He had a task for Isaiah to accomplish.

Though Abraham sinned, like any other man, his faith, demonstrated through his obedience, was counted as righteousness (Genesis 15:6). That is what matters: having a faith that causes you to do the Lord's will. Paul asked, "Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision?" (Romans 2:26). Thus, "Now there was a man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort, a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually. About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come in and said to him, "Cornelius!" And fixing his gaze on him and being much alarmed, he said, "What is it, Lord?" And he said to him, "Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God" (Acts 10:1-4). Because Cornelius, though not a Jew, was living in accordance with God's teachings, God took note of him. Peter later said, "I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him" (Acts 10:34-35). While Cornelius was a good man, who feared God, he still was a sinner and wasn't saved until he did as God directed (Acts 10:47-48).

When Was Cornelius Saved?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Mon, 27 Jul 2015 00:04:00 +0000

When Was Cornelius Saved? -- His Past When Was Cornelius Saved? -- A Man of Prayer When Was Cornelius Saved? -- Cornelius Experienced Miracles When Was Cornelius Saved? -- Cornelius Received the Holy Spirit When Was Cornelius Saved -- We are Saved in the Same Manner

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

Text: Acts 11:5-18

I. Sometimes is it useful to examine the Scriptures in detail, to get more out of an account

A. Today we will be looking at the conversion of Cornelius, recorded in Acts 10 and recounted in Acts 11. It is also mentioned in Acts 15.

B. Obviously, something significant and important took place when Cornelius and his household were converted.

II. Cornelius’s Past - Acts 10:1-2

A. Cornelius was in the Roman army

1. He served with the Italian cohort (or band) stationed in Caesarea.

a. A cohort was a company of approximately 600 soldiers

2. As a centurion, he had charge over 100 soldiers, making him the equivalent of a captain in today’s army.

a. Polybius in his book History, wrote this about centurions, “Centurions are required not to be bold and adventurous so much as good leaders, of steady and prudent mind, not prone to take the offensive or start fighting wantonly, but able when overwhelmed and hard-pressed to stand fast and die at their post.”

B. Surprisingly, this rock-steady man in the Roman army was a worshiper of God.

1. He is described as a devout man.

2. In Acts 10:22, his own followers describe him as a righteous man

3. He had a good reputation among the Jews, though he was a gentile. Not a small feat given how much the Jews hated Gentiles in general.

4. He was good to people, giving gifts of charity (alms) when opportunities arose.

5. He had a good influence on other people

a. His whole house feared God - Acts 10:2

b. When an opportunity came to hear a message from God, he pulled in friends and relatives - Acts 10:24

6. He was a man who continually prayed

7. He was obedient to the Lord’s command - Acts 10:5-8

a. Even though an angel of God was there, Cornelius was directed to send for a man living in a small town with a common tanner.

b. He had to wait several days, yet we see his eagerness - Acts 10:32-33

c. He was receptive to God’s desire before even hearing Peter speak.

C. Think about the devotion that would be required for a man who lived and worked among idolatrous people.

1. Paul described the Gentile society as thus - Romans 1:29-31

2. Peter, describing the difficulty Christians had in the Gentile society, stated this - I Peter 4:3-4

3. Cornelius would have been an outsider.

a. He was still a Gentile. He had not converted to Judaism

(1) The Christians in Jerusalem objected to Peter’s visit to a Gentile who was uncircumcised -Acts 11:1-3

(2) Peter was prepared for the request by a vision of unclean food - Acts 10:28

b. He was not a Christian, having not been taught

c. His strong faith in God existed without external support

D. Yet, God said he needed to be saved - Acts 10:30-33; 11:13-14

1. The words Peter would tell him would bring salvation to Cornelius and his household

2. You know, there are a lot of good people in this world today. People who are not nearly as devote as Cornelius, but good people none the less. Yet they do not think they need to be cleansed by the blood of Christ.

3. God, in their view, would not destroy a good person.

4. In other words, their hope of a heavenly reward is based upon their own moral goodness. They hold to the fact that by being good, they will have earned a place in heaven.

a. Yet all of man’s “goodness” is not enough - Romans 3:23

b. Salvation does not come of ourselves - Ephesians 2:8-10

c. It takes the blood of Christ - Ephesians 2:11-13 – such described Cornelius’s situation

E. Objections

1. But wasn’t he devout?

a. Yes, but other people are described as devout who have not been saved

(1) In the synagogue of Antioch in Pisidia, Paul met and talked with devout, God-fearing proselytes of the Jewish religion - Acts 13:43

(2) Yet, many of this same group rejected the message a week later - Acts 13:44

(3) Among the gentiles were devout women - Acts 13:50

(4) But they were prodded into persecute Paul and Barnabas

b. Ananias was devout and a Christian - Acts 22:12

c. Hence, we must conclude that Christians should be devoted to God, but every devout person is not a Christian.

2. But wasn’t he God fearing?

a. Yes, along with his household, but it obviously wasn’t enough in God’s eyes

b. No one can say they are without sin - I John 1:10

3. He was even evangelistic before his conversion, as he brought friends and relatives in to hear Peter preach. But even that wasn’t enough.

4. He did charity work. He continually prayed to God. He was a righteous man in the sight of others (Acts 10:22), but he wasn’t a saved man.

a. Yet, he was a man whom God would welcome - Acts 10:34-35

F. What we learn ...

1. Salvation is for all men - Titus 2:11-14

a. Not just for the corrupt and despised, but it is also for the good and admired people.

b. Because no person is good enough - Romans 3:23

2. God wants people to do good - Titus 3:3-8

a. But our salvation is not based on the good deeds that we have done - Titus 3:5

b. While we cannot earn or merit salvation, it does not imply there is nothing to be done.

(1) God told Cornelius to send for Peter.

(a) God did not tell Cornelius directly that he would be saved.

(b) God didn’t even send Peter to Cornelius.

(2) Cornelius had to listen to what Peter told him - Acts 11:13-14

(3) Cornelius knew he would have to do the things that Peter told him to do - Acts 10:33

c. God had works for Cornelius to do - Ephesians 2:10

(1) Those works did not earn Cornelius salvation

(2) But salvation would not have been given to Cornelius if he did not do them.

3. It doesn’t matter if we or other think that we are righteous.

a. To declare ourselves righteous is simply being self-righteous

b. Paul wanted a righteousness that was not his own - Philippians 3:9

c. The Jews established their own righteousness, but it wasn’t God’s - Romans 10:3

d. Loving God with our whole being means yielding to all his commands - John 14:15

4. Cornelius did not trust in his righteousness.

a. God gave him orders, and he hurried to obey

b. What about you?

III. Cornelius was a man who prayed and whose prayer was heard by God - Acts 10:1-4

A. Have you heard those who tell us that to be saved we just need to get down on our knees and pray to God for salvation and it will be granted?

B. Cornelius was praying at the ninth hour (about 3pm) - Acts 10:30

1. It appears this was his customary time for prayer.

2. Josephus states in Antiquities 14.4.3 that public sacrifices were offered in the temple “twice daily, in the early morning and about the ninth hour.”

3. At this time of offering the Jews customarily prayed - Acts 3:1

4. While not a Jew or a proselyte, this does show that Cornelius followed the Jewish practices of his day.

C. Cornelius was not just a man who prayed, but a man whom God heard pray

1. His prayers and alms were described as ascending before God as a memorial before God - Acts 10:4

2. It is an allusion back to the sacrifices done before God in the Old Testament - Leviticus 2:1-2

3. As the Psalmist requested - Psalm 141:1-2

4. It is not odd, the Christian’s deeds are described in a similar manner

a. Philippians 4:18 - Their gifts to Paul were a sacrifice to God

b. The sacrifice of praise and good works - Hebrews 13:15-16

D. It was a memorial before God - God took note of it

1. The greatest fear of man ought to be being forgotten or forsaken by God - Matthew 27:46

2. Deeds can bring remembrance - Matthew 26:13

3. Our partaking of the Lord’s Supper reminds us of Christ’s death - I Corinthians 13:23-26

4. God does not need man to remind Him of our existence, but the language describes God’s acceptance of Cornelius’s prayers and deeds. It tells us that God took note of what Cornelius had done.

a. God will not forget our work - Hebrews 6:10

E. The fact that God heard his prayer shows he was one willing to obey - Proverbs 28:9

F. Some might say, “Ah! Now I have you! God doesn’t hear the prayer of the sinner, so Cornelius must have been saved.”

1. The concept comes from John 9:31.

a. Note that it is what the blind man has stated.

b. The Pharisees had labeled Jesus a sinner - John 9:24

c. The blind man could not comment on Jesus standing - John 9:25

d. But he did note that he must not have been such a sinner that God was against him

2. The fact that God heard Cornelius’s prayer shows us that he was not a rebellious sinner, but a man willing to obey God. We already noted that Cornelius was such a man, but it doesn’t reflect on his current status of being saved or not.

G. Cornelius prayed, but the answer to his prayer was not salvation – at least not directly - Acts 11:13-14

1. In this case, the answer was no different from what Paul was told - Acts 9:6

a. While waiting Saul prayed - Acts 9:9-11

b. Yet the prayers of Saul did not bring him salvation

c. When Ananias visited Saul, he was not told to keep on praying for salvation - Acts 22:16

2. The answer to his prayer was directions on how to learn to be saved.

H. What commands were given to others?

1. Acts 2:37-38 - These people were told to repent and be baptized.

2. Acts 8:4-5, 12-13 - These people believed and were baptized

3. Acts 8:35-39 - This person heard, confessed his belief, and was baptized.

4. Acts 16:13-15 - Even though they were in a place of prayer, it was Paul’s preaching that opened Lydia’s heart and the result was that she and her household were baptized.

5. Acts 16:30-34 - The jailer was told to believe, he and his household heard the word preached, and immediately they were baptized.

6. Acts 18:4-5, 8 - Paul taught and many Corinthians responded by listening, believing and being baptized.

7. Acts 19:4-5 - Paul taught some Ephesians that they needed to believe in Jesus and on hearing this they were baptized.

I. What command was given to Cornelius?

1. Acts 10:33, 42-43, 48 - These people were commanded to believe and be baptized.

2. Was Cornelius told anything different?

J. What we learn is that the desire for salvation, expressed in prayer, is not sufficient to bring salvation to a person. God expects more from us.

IV. Cornelius experienced miracles

A. Cornelius was visited by an angel - Acts 10:3-7

1. This is not the first time that an angel has intervened to instigate a man’s conversion - Acts 8:26

2. Though the angel appeared to the man to be converted in Acts 10 and to the preacher in Acts 8, the purpose was the same – to bring the preacher together with a person needing the message of God.

3. In both cases, the angel did not do the preaching, but arranged for a man to teach another man.

B. As we read through Acts, not every conversion was accompanied by angels appearing. But each conversion follows a similar pattern.

1. A man teaches the gospel

2. The listener response to the message

3. Hence we conclude that the supernatural actions on God’s part doesn’t overrule the requirement for a man to teach the gospel - Romans 10:13-17

C. Why then the miracles?

1. The gospel was in the process of being revealed and confirmed - Hebrews 2:3-4

2. The revelation would be done once - Jude 3

3. But the spreading of the gospel was done by men - II Corinthians 4:7

4. In no case did an angel teach someone the gospel so that they could be saved.

a. Saul saw and heard a vision of the Lord - Acts 9:3-5

b. But he was directed to wait for a man to teach him - Acts 9:6

c. Ananias was contacted by an angel, but he had to go to Saul - Acts 9:10-18

5. Hence we conclude that while confirmation of the gospel was needed in the original delivery, it does not take a miracle to hear or accept the gospel - I Corinthians 1:21

D. Could it happen today?

1. Some claim a miraculous event

a. It would not be worth arguing since I wasn’t there.

2. Instead I would be interested in what was told to them

a. Is it similar or different from the teachings of the Bible?

b. If different, then ... - Galatians 1:8

3. Next ask, what do you teach now?

a. If the Holy Spirit is guiding them and teaching them, the Spirit would not contradict today what He taught back then.

b. If there is a difference, then the conclusion must be that it is not the Spirit

4. What do you do?

a. In other words, what evidence is given to you by God to support your claim

b. Cornelius began speaking in other languages as evidence that he received the Spirit.

E. Notice that Cornelius’s claim was not based on his word only

1. Peter received a vision that collaborated what Cornelius saw.

a. The same is true of Paul and Ananias – two separate visions that confirmed what happened

b. Note, by the way, that Peter’s vision was the second miracle involved in Cornelius’s conversion

c. A third divine event occurred when Peter was directly told to go with Cornelius’s men - Acts 10:19-20

2. Few today offer collaboration. It is their word only, and as Jesus said - John 5:31

F. You know despite these miraculous events, Cornelius still needed to hear words from Peter in order to be saved - Acts 11:13-14

1. And so do you

V. Cornelius receive the Holy Spirit

A. There are a variety of phrases describing what happened

1. The Spirit fell on them all - Acts 10:44; 11:15

2. The gift of the Spirit had been poured out on them - Acts 10:45

3. They had received the Holy Spirit - Acts 10:47

4. They had been baptized in the Spirit - Acts 11:16

5. God gave them the same gift - Acts 11:17

6. God gave them the Holy Spirit - Acts 15:8

B. The event was the same as what happened at the beginning of the church - Acts 11:15-17

1. It almost sounds like two different times: at the beginning of the church (i.e. Acts 2) and when the apostles believed. Yet, the apostles believed on Jesus before his death (Matthew 16:18)

2. The answer is that their earlier belief was not based on full knowledge

a. John 16:12-13 - Apostles not ready to hear everything

b. After his resurrection, their minds were opened - Luke 24:44-49

c. Yet, they still didn’t understand everything - Acts 1:6-8

d. The Holy Spirit would remind them of everything when they were ready - John 14:25-26

e. Hence Peter is placing the beginning of the apostle’s faith at the time when all the facts came together. Faith was not true faith until they had the truth to believe in.

3. What happened at the beginning - Acts 2:1-4 – Notice the similarities

C. The event was not common place

1. The fact that it reminded Peter of what happened at the beginning implies that it had not been occurring since the beginning.

2. There are quite a number of conversions mentioned between Acts 2 and Acts 10

a. In particular details are given of the Samaritans in Acts 8:12-17

b. Notice the differences

(1) They were baptized, but did not receive gifts of the Spirit immediately

(2) Even though Philip was present who had the gifts of the Spirit, these people had to wait until apostles came from Jerusalem

(3) The Spirit came by the apostles’ hands - Acts 8:18. But at the beginning and for Cornelius the Spirit came directly by an act of God

c. Hence, we must conclude that receiving the gifts of the Spirit by the hands of the apostles was not baptism in the Spirit

(1) Otherwise Peter would have been reminded of more recent baptisms in the Spirit, instead of reaching all the way back to the beginning.

d. Since baptism in water came before receiving the Spirit in Acts 8 and it came after receiving the Spirit in Acts 10, we must conclude that they have separate, unrelated purposes

D. Let us take a brief side-track. Frequently there is confusion when baptism is mentioned as to which baptism occurred. There is baptism in water and baptism in the Holy Spirit

1. Baptism in the Spirit was administered by Christ

a. John promised that Jesus would baptize with the Spirit - Matthew 3:11

b. When we read of the two events that are called the baptism of the Holy Spirit, we see that no man was involved

(1) It came from heaven - Acts 2:2

(2) God gave them the gift - Acts 2:17, 32-33; 11:17; 15:8

2. Water baptism is administered by men - Matthew 28:19; Acts 8:38

3. Baptism in the Spirit was promised by Christ - Luke 24:49; Acts 1:5, 8

4. Baptism in water is commanded

a. Peter commanded it of Cornelius - Acts 10:48

b. Ananias told Saul to be baptized - Acts 22:16

c. Jesus commanded that his disciples do so - Matthew 28:19

d. A command can be obeyed, but a promise cannot be obeyed. A promise must be given.

5. Baptism in the Spirit was accompanied by signs - Acts 2:4-8; 10:44-46

6. Baptism in water did not confer miraculous gifts - Acts 8:12, 16

7. All Christians were not baptized with the Spirit.

a. Recall those between Acts 2 and Acts 10

b. All Christians could not perform miracles - I Corinthians 12:28-30

8. All Christians were baptized in water - Matthew 28:19; Romans 6:3; Galatians 3:27

E. Isn’t the baptism received by Cornelius the gift of the Spirit promised by Peter in Acts 2:38-39?

1. The promise of the gift of the Spirit would come after repenting and being baptized for the forgiveness of sins

2. Cornelius received the Spirit before he was baptized.

3. Hence, it was not the same gift promised.

4. Also note that the gift promised in Acts 2:38 was universal. All who received remission of sins would receive this gift

a. Yet, as we noted earlier, every one did not receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit or miraculous gifts of the Spirit.

b. Yet, there is a gift of the Spirit promised that all who have the sins remitted would have - Ephesians 1:13-14

c. This gift is not one which is accompanied by miraculous signs, but it is a gift that every child of God would possess.

F. What purpose did baptism in the Holy Spirit serve?

1. The first baptism of the Spirit

a. To teach and remind the apostles - John 14:26

b. To give the apostles power to be witnesses - Acts 1:8; Hebrews 2:3-4

2. Let us first address what Cornelius’ the baptism of the Spirit did not come to do

a. The Spirit did not come to make Cornelius acceptable to God

(1) Cornelius was a God-fearing man - Acts 10:2

(2) He had a good reputation - Acts 10:22

(3) As Peter said - Acts 10:35 - Cornelius was already acceptable to God

b. The Spirit did not come to give him faith.

(1) Cornelius already believed in God.

(2) Faith comes from the word of God - Romans 10:17

(3) By hearing the word of the Gospel, Cornelius believed - Acts 15:7

c. Nor can it be claimed that the Spirit came to give salvation

(1) Again, such is not stated of Cornelius or any other that the Spirit coming upon a person makes them saved.

(2) In fact, there are instances when the Spirit came upon those we know were in sin

(a) Saul while looking to murder David - I Samuel 19:18-24

(b) Balaam while trying to make money - Numbers 23:1-5; II Peter 2:15

(3) Because the Spirit comes upon a person does not imply that the person was saved or had become saved.

(4) In other New Testament cases, the Spirit came upon those already saved

(a) The apostles were chosen by Jesus and were baptizing prior to His death - John 4:1-2

(b) The Samaritans believed and were baptized prior to receiving the gifts in Acts 8

(d) The same at Ephesus - Acts 19:5-6

(5) As we pointed out, not everyone received gifts, but all Christians did receive salvation from their sins.

(6) Besides, Cornelius was told that he would hear words whereby he would be saved - Acts 11:14. Peter said we are all saved by the grace of Jesus, just as Cornelius was - Acts 15:7-11

d. The Spirit did not come to sanctify them. That is done through the word - John 17:17

e. The Spirit did not come to bring him forth. That is done through the word - James 1:18

f. The Spirit did not come to make him born again. That is done through the word - I Peter 1:22-23

g. The Spirit did not come to cleanse his heart. His heart was cleanse by faith - Acts 11:9

h. The Spirit did not come as an alternative or replacement for baptism in water. Cornelius was still commanded to be baptized - Acts 10:48

i. The Spirit did not come to make him a child of God. That is done by baptism in water - Galatians 3:26-27.

3. So why did the Spirit come?

a. Acts 15:8-11 - To bear them witness

(1) Witness to what?

(2) The issue was whether one had to become a Jew to be saved - Acts 15:4-5

(3) Peter said the Spirit came to witness that they could be saved without being a Jew.

(4) He did not say the Spirit came to witness that you could be saved without baptism.

b. Why did the Spirit come before baptism?

(1) Notice that Jewish Christians had come with Peter - Acts 10:23; 11:12

(2) The Spirit’s coming shocked the men with Peter - Acts 10:45-46

(3) Peter asked them if they dare object given the obvious testimony of God - Acts 10:47; 11:17

c. Note that the Spirit did not come until Peter began to speak - Acts 11:15

(1) Here was testimony that the Gentiles could be saved through the word of God - Acts 11:13-14

4. The testimony of Peter

a. When Peter testified at the gathering in Jerusalem, he used the example of Cornelius to prove that Gentiles, as Gentiles and not Jews, were accepted by God.

b. He did not use the case of Cornelius to prove that everyone should receive the Spirit or that the Spirit burned sin out of a sinner’s heart, or that the Spirit’s coming made him a child of God.

c. In fact he used the event in Acts 10 and 11 to prove that Cornelius should be baptized

d. In all three instances the case was used to prove that the Gentiles were to receive the Gospel without being bound by the Law. To claim otherwise would be to try God - Acts 15:10

VI. We are saved in the same manner as they - Acts 15:11

A. The method which saves every Christian saved Cornelius and his household.

B. In other words, the salvation of Cornelius was the rule and not the exception

1. Cornelius was not saved by unusual events. His salvation came in the same manner as every other Christian

2. Now, was the baptism of the Holy Spirit common or unusual?

a. We showed that it was an oddity. It had only happened once before. And we have no record that it ever happened since.

b. We know that both baptisms by the Spirit were accompanied by miraculous signs, especially the speaking in other tongues.

c. We know that not all Christians had the ability to speak in tongues. Some did not have gifts at all.

C. How then were others saved?

1. Saved by grace - Acts 15:11; Ephesians 2:5

2. Saved by faith - Ephesians 2:8; John 3:16

3. Saved by confession - Romans 10:8-10

4. Repent that your sins may be wiped away - Acts 3:19

5. Repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins - Acts 2:38

D. Did Cornelius experience things common to other Christians?

1. He received grace - Acts 15:11

2. He believed - Acts 15:7

3. He was granted the opportunity to repent - Acts 11:18

4. He magnified God - Acts 10:46

5. He was baptized in water - Acts 10:47-48

6. All this resulted from hearing the Word of God - Acts 10:44; 11:13-15

E. This is all taught in the word of God - I Corinthians 15:1-2

1. Satan doesn’t want you to have this word because it will save you - Luke 8:12

2. Romans 1:16 - The gospel of our salvation

F. Cornelius was saved just like you or I.

1. Yes, he experienced unusual events

a. He was visited by an angel, but few would claim that you need to see an angel to be saved

b. His preacher saw visions, but few would claim that the preacher needs to see a vision before he has permission to teach you the gospel

c. His preacher was told to teach him

d. He was baptized by the Holy Spirit, which only occurred once before.

2. So why pick out one exceptional event and claim it as a rule when God, through Peter, said that Cornelius was saved like everyone else?

3. All of us where baptized - Romans 6:3-4

4. Baptism now saves - I Peter 3:21

5. Cornelius was saved in just the same manner

Was Cornelius Saved Before Water Baptism?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 22:36:00 +0000

by Fred B. Walker
in The Preceptor, Vol. 1, No. 11, September 1952.

One of the strongest arguments that can be made on the theory that one is saved before and without water baptism is based upon the conversion of Cornelius in Acts 10 in the light of what Jesus taught in Jno. 14:17. This is the way the argument is stated: "Jesus said in John 14:16-17, "And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may be with you forever, event the Spirit of Truth: Whom the world cannot receive; for it beholdeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: ye know Him; for He abideth with you, and shall be in you." Cornelius received the Holy Spirit before he was commanded to be baptized in water. Therefore, Cornelius was not of the world but a child of God before he was baptized in water."

The above is specious reasoning, it looks good on the surface, but will break down under the light of the Scriptures. It contradicts Acts 11:14 which states that Peter would speak unto Cornelius "words whereby he would be saved." He could not have been saved until he heard the words. He had to hear the words before he could believe (Acts 15:7), and his heart was not purified until he believed (Acts 15:9). Now when did the Holy Spirit fall on Cornelius and his household? From Acts 10:44 we read, "While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them which heard the Word." He fell during the sermon, "while Peter yet spake," but from this passage, we cannot determine whether He came in the first, middle, or conclusion of Peter's sermon. The next chapter of Acts leaves us in no doubt because in it Peter "rehearsed the matter from the beginning and expounded it 'in order'" (Acts 11:4). To his Jewish audience in Jerusalem, Peter tells exactly when the Holy Spirit fell. Note in Acts 11:15, "And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, as on us at the beginning."

The Holy Spirit, therefore, fell when Peter opened his mouth, of at the beginning of his speech, before the words which saved Cornelius could have been spoken. Since "faith comes by hearing" (Romans 10:17), the Holy Spirit fell on Cornelius before Cornelius believed or before he repented. It is not enough to say he received the Holy Spirit before water baptism. He also received the Holy Spirit before he believed or repented. Now, if the ability to speak by means of the Holy Spirit, qualifies the possessor as a child of God then Cornelius was a child of God or saved:

Before the words whereby he was to be saved were spoken to him.
Before he could have believed (Acts 11:7).
Before he repented.

From the argument by those who deny the efficacy of water baptism strikes out water baptism as being essential to salvation, it strikes out faith also in the case of Cornelius. All Bible believers know that "without faith it is impossible to please God" (Hebrews 11:6). Thus their speaking by the Holy Spirit did not prove they were children of God unless one would also claim that they saved without believing. After they received the Holy Spirit, (which was to enable them to speak in tongues and convince the Jewish disciples present, that the Gentiles were eligible to receive the gospel) they were then shown the necessity of believing and being baptized in order to be saved, just like Jesus commanded previously in Mark 16:16.

If John 14:17 cannot be so applied to Cornelius to make him a child of God before water baptism, just what does it mean? In this discourse, Jesus was addressing the twelve. He was soon to leave them, and knew that they would feel that they were "as sheep without a shepherd." He wishes them to know they should not be left orphaned. He tells them, "I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter." The word "Comforter" is a translation from the Greek word paracletos which is used only four times in the New Testament and that only in His private address to the twelve, found in the 14th, 15th, and 16th chapters John. It is never applied to the work of the Holy Spirit in relation to mankind in general or even to the church in general. The paraclete was an infallible guide. Speaking by Him, the apostles did not contradict each other. Among other things, He was to teach them all things, bring to their remembrance all things Christ had spoken unto them, convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment to come; guide them into all truth, and show them the things that were to come. The Comforter continued with the apostles till the end of their ministry and through them gave to mankind the New Testament, "the perfect law of liberty" (James 1:25). It is quite obvious that Cornelius did not receive the Holy Spirit in the sense the Lord promised it to the apostles in John 14:17.

It is also true that Cornelius later received the ordinary gift of the Holy Spirit, not miraculous, which comes to every Christian. This is promised after obeying the conditions of salvation including water baptism for the remission of sins. "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38). In this sense, the Holy Spirit comes to all those that obey Him (Acts 5:32).

If the ability to speak by means of the Holy Spirit makes the possessor a child of God then what about these?

Balaam prophesied against Balaak by the immediate direction of God (Numbers 23,24). Did that make him a child of God?
The Spirit of God came upon King Saul and he prophesied. Yet God rejected Saul as a wicked king (I Samuel 10:10).
The lying prophet of Bethel was enabled by the Spirit to foretell the sad fate of the man of God, whom by falsehood he had seduced from the Word of the Lord (I Kings 13:11-32).
A dumb animal, Balaam's ass, spoke by the Holy Spirit (Numbers 22:27). Did that make the dumb animal, which had no soul, a child of God?
Caiaphas, the wicked high priest, spoke "not of himself" that one man should die and not the whole nation. He held the office of high priest by Roman appointment. Was he a child of God, just because we have a record of the Holy Spirit's speaking through him on one occasion (John 11:41-52)?

In the above cases, the Holy Spirit merely used these parties as mediums for God's speaking to men or impressing upon him some important lesson. So it was in the case of Cornelius. If he had to hear words by which he would be saved (Acts 11:14), he could not have been saved by the words until he heard them. As the Holy Spirit fell on them, as Peter began to speak (Acts 11:15), it follows that they had not heard the words when the Holy Spirit fell on them, and hence were not saved at that time. In Acts 10:48, Peter commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. On Pentecost baptism "in the name of Jesus Christ was for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38). Thus Peter understood water baptism in the name of the Lord to be for (in order to) the remission of sins and this is what he commanded Cornelius and his house to do since he said, "God put no difference between us and them" (Acts 15:9).

Does the Case of Cornelius Prove the “Sinner’s Prayer” Doctrine?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 03:17:00 +0000

by Wayne Jackson

Does not the case of Cornelius, the Roman soldier (Acts 10), prove that God hears the prayers of those who have not been baptized? The angel told Cornelius, "your prayer has been heard" (Acts 10:31), and yet the centurion was not baptized until later. Can you explain the apparent conflict between this case and the idea that God does not hear the sinner’s prayer?

There are several important facts that need to be established in responding to your question —for which we are grateful. Reason with me, please.

God Is Omniscient

One of the fundamental Bible truths relative to God is that of his omniscience. This is a term that signifies “all-knowing.” Jehovah knows everything there is to know — past, present, and future. He is “a God of knowledge” (I Samuel 2:3), who “knows all things” (I John 3:20). The Lord’s “understanding is infinite” (Psalm 147:5). All things are “naked and laid open before the eyes” of the Almighty (Hebrews 4:13).

It is quite clear, therefore, that God is aware of the sinner’s prayer.

The key question, however, is this. Does God respond to the alien sinner’s prayer, in granting forgiveness of sins, separate from the plan He Himself initiated within the New Covenant? By the expression “alien sinner,” we mean the sinful person who has never surrendered to the conditions of the Gospel system, and thus who stands outside of a Father-child relationship with the Creator.

The New Testament Reveals God’s “New Birth” Plan

The New Testament is unequivocal in its instruction as to what it takes to access a praying relationship with God, whereby the Heavenly Father bestows pardon for sins committed. The Father-child connection in the spiritual family of God is accessed (as in a physical relationship) by means of a “birth” process.

This was precisely the message of Christ in his instructive conversation with Nicodemas (John 3:3-5). This process, in principle, consists of:

The implantation of the seed (gospel preaching — I Corinthians 4:15);
A conception (the production of “faith” — I John 5:1 (ASV); I Peter 1:23); and,
The birth process (deliverance out of the water of immersion — Ephesians 5:26; Titus 3:5).

This new union with God grants the Christian the privilege to pray, "My Father in heaven … "

Examples in Acts

There is not one case of conversion in the book of Acts in which the outside-of-Christ sinner prayed for (and received) pardon from his past sins. Saul of Tarsus, in fact, is a demonstrable case to the contrary. Indeed, Cornelius himself is another example.

Saul prayed for three days and yet was instructed: “Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins” (Acts 9:18; 22:16).

Similarly, though there was a sense in which the prayer of Cornelius was “heard” (Acts 10:31), clearly it was not “heard” in the granting of pardon. This is evidenced by the fact that the prayer was “heard” before the centurion ever met Peter, and yet, it was by the apostle’s mouth that he was to hear “words” (the gospel) whereby he might be saved (Acts 11:14). That settles the Cornelius-prayer issue.

Having argued our case on the basis of biblical evidence, we feel that we must add one dimension yet that warrants exploration. We would urge the reader to consider the following facts.

Heaven’s Desire

There is ample inspired testimony that our loving God is not desirous of seeing any person die in a mode of rebellion (I John 4:8; Ephesians 2:4; I Timothy 2:3-4; II Peter 3:9). He is moved by the honest person who is of a contrite disposition (Psalm 34:18). He wants those who hunger and thirst after righteousness to be filled (Matthew 5:6).

His compassionate interest in lost humanity is so intense that he was willing to sacrifice his beloved Son as an atonement for human iniquity (John 3:16), even though men were the sinful enemy of their Creator (Romans 5:6ff). File this concept away for the moment.

The Honest Response

The most terrifying thought that a person will ever entertain is the reality that he is lost — that there is the potential that he could be separated eternally from the “Father of all mercies and God of all comfort” (II Corinthians 1:3).

What will be the attitude of an honest person when he comes face-to-face with this stark reality, and yet he does not know what to do in order to access divine forgiveness? Most likely he will pray instinctively — just as Saul of Tarsus did (Acts 9:11).

The venerable David Lipscomb once noted that “when a man believes in God and realizes that he is lost, he cannot help praying” (Queries and Answers, Nashville: Gospel Advocate, 1963, p. 341).

Does this imply that the Lord will set aside the plan that he has implemented across the centuries, and save that person independent of obedience to the terms of sacred law (Hebrews 5:8-9)? It does not.

It might well be suggested, however, that God could, and would, respond to the honest sinner’s prayer by setting in motion such providential actions as would allow the searching person exposure to the gospel plan. This is a marvelous thought to contemplate.

The Macedonian Man: Begging for the Gospel

Let us consider a case in the book of Acts that strongly points toward the concept suggested above. When Paul (together with Silas) began his third missionary journey, he traveled westward across Asia Minor (Acts 16:1ff). After stops at Derbe and Lystra (where Timothy joined them), they proceeded through that region known as Phrygia and Galatia.

Even though they labored under the great commission, with the obligation to preach the gospel to every creature in all the nations (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16), for some curious reason the Holy Spirit forbade them to preach in the Roman province of Asia. Accordingly, they skirted the border of Mysia and started to enter Bithynia.

Again, though, the Spirit of Jesus (i.e., the Holy Spirit) did not permit them to proceed. The New Testament student cannot determine whether these two “roadblocks” were effected miraculously, or by providential means. Clearly, however, these men were being guided by divine influence (Acts 16:6-7).

Presently they arrived in Troas. Here, in a vision at night, Paul saw the image of a Macedonian man, pleading, “Come and help us.” Concluding, then, that it was Heaven’s will that they evangelize in Europe, Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke (who joins the group here in Troas — see “we” Acts 16:10) sail across the Aegean Sea and ultimately make their way to Macedonia. The conversion of Lydia and her household, together with that of the jailor and his family, in Philippi, are perhaps tokens of the “ripeness” of this area for gospel teaching.

Now here is the point toward which we’ve been progressing. The man in Paul’s vision, who “kept on begging” for help (so the force of the imperfect verb in Acts 16:9), quite obviously represented the longing of honest hearts who were searching for the truth. Clearly, God “heard” their cries and responded by dispatching his men to that region.

It is important to note, however, that the Lord did not circumvent his own plan of salvation, by issuing pardons to these folks independent of the law of conversion. He did see to it, though, that they had access to the sacred message.

Might he not likewise operate today, in some providential, indirect fashion?

Your website does an excellent job of explaining the Scriptures in an understandable manner

Jeffrey Hamilton — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 03:52:00 +0000

Question:

I was sitting here reading from the website "while I probably should be working," and thought I would send you an email telling you how special your website is at teaching and helping one understand the Scriptures. One of my problem areas is I know what is correct but have trouble understanding and developing a thorough process to bring it together. One of those areas is the baptism of Cornelius. The site explained the events that took place in an excellent manner. So excellent, in fact, that it is the reason for me taking the time to send this email. I commend you and the elders' work for spreading the true gospel from the New Testament pattern.

I could easily keep going, but I should get back to work.

Answer:

I really appreciate the kind encouragement, though I hate to think I'm contributing to the lack of productivity in someone's business.

Sadly, La Vista has always been a small work, typically averaging about forty members. We tend to lose people to job moves about as fast as we bring them to Christ. There was only one year in its forty-year history when the congregation had elders. We just can't seem to keep multiple qualified men in the area long enough to have elders.

So what you see here is the work of one preacher doing what he can to teach the glorious good news.

Did Cornelius need to work before or after his salvation?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 03:31:00 +0000

Question:

Hello,

I just wanted to say thank you for the sermons you provide online. I actually came across your web site this evening as I was searching for resources on Cornelius and his salvation, as I think his life greatly parallels many in today's culture.

I do have an inquiry from the 15th paragraph, which I'm posting here:

God had works for Cornelius to do, just as God has works for each of us. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10). These works do not merit the worker's salvation, but salvation will not be given if the works are left undone. Cornelius would not have been saved if he did not obey the commands of God.

Referring to the bolded text above, do you feel these works are the actions of obeying God's commands to seek Peter, or does this refer to works after salvation, which seals our sanctification? Specifically speaking, in our own lives what works must not be left undone in order to secure eternal salvation through the precious blood of Jesus Christ? I should preface that I am a born again Christian. After many years of believing I was saved from a simple pray at age six, I came to the realization in late 2009 that professing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is much more than a simple prayer. I have been longing to better understand the salvation of Cornelius for some time now, and I found your sermon quite helpful. Would you please clarify your statement above?

Answer:

First, many wish to distinguish justification, salvation, and sanctification as if these occur at different times. Each of these words has different meanings, but God uses them to refer to the same moment in time. See "Are we judged based on justification or based on sanctification?" for details.

It has become a mantra among various denominations that salvation is by faith alone, even though James says the opposite: "You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone" (James 2:24). In the confusion caused by insisting something that is not true, people have come to believe that effort on man's part is not in God's design for salvation. To show the fallacy of the "alone" doctrines, I would like you to look at: "What Saves a Person?"

Regarding Cornelius, would he have been saved if he did not seek out Peter? What if he wasn't interested in hearing Peter's message? What if he refused to be baptized? In each of those things, Cornelius had to do something. What he did showed his faith. Refusing to do those things would have demonstrated a lack of faith. "Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself. Yes, a man will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without works, and I by my works will show you my faith" (James 2:17-18).

Many people are surprised to learn that the Bible never states that salvation comes to a person through prayer. There is no mention of a sinner's prayer. See "Praying a Sinner's Prayer" for details.

Had Cornelius heard John’s teaching and, perhaps, was baptized by John?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Fri, 16 Jul 2004 03:37:10 +0000

Question:

Would you please help me to understand why, in Acts 10:37, KJV, Peter says, "That word, I say, ye know." It sounds as if Peter is aware that Cornelius, and maybe some of the others, had already heard the word, and been baptized with John's baptism. Although they were the first Gentiles to receive the Holy Spirit, was Cornelius' situation the same as those at Ephesus, in Acts 19:3? Thank you very much. I can not thank you enough for your help.

Answer:

Giving the context of the phrase in question; Peter is speaking to Cornelius and states, "The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ -- He is Lord of all -- that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him" (Acts 10:36-38).

Peter reminds Cornelius and those with him that they were aware of the recent events in Judea. The "word" Peter refers to is the preaching of Jesus Christ (John 1:14). The preaching started when Jesus was baptized by John (Mark 1:1), starting in Galilee and then spreading through all of Judea. That teaching was upheld by God when God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit at his baptism and by the power, God showed through Jesus in the miracles that Jesus did (John 20:30-31; Hebrews 2:3-4). It is not John's teaching that Peter is discussing, but Jesus' teaching. The baptism referred to is Jesus' baptism by John and not the general baptisms John was doing.

The reason for mentioning this is quite clear. To effectively teach someone, you need to start with common ground. For example, when Paul spoke to the Athenians on Mars Hill, he started with mention of their worship of the unknown God (Acts 17:22-23). Peter started Cornelius with the things he had heard concerning Jesus. This served as the foundation for the message which Peter then delivered to Cornelius. Peter did not need to prove that Jesus existed or that Jesus had done miracles by the power of God because Cornelius was aware of these things. Hence, Peter started on common ground to then introduce Cornelius to the things he and those he knew needed to do.

While Cornelius and his friends were aware of the events surrounding Jesus' ministry, there is nothing in this passage to indicate whether they had interacted with John.

Could Cornelius have been an Israelite of foreign birth?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Wed, 07 Apr 2004 17:40:10 +0000

Question:

This man is used by many as an example of a so-called "Gentile" non-Israelite being saved. The place of birth, or citizenship tells us nothing about race. But this man's race can be determined by Scripture, even if he is not described as a "Jew" [or "Judean"]. In the AV of Acts 10:28, Cornelius is described as being of another nation but, the Greek text uses the word allophulos which is a compound of allos [another of the same kind], and phulos [a kindred tribe (phule)].

Cornelius was a devout man, we are told, and he feared [the] God, therefore he was one who could believe. According to Vine, devout means careful as to the presence and claims of God. So Cornelius knew the Old Testament claims of God upon Israel. We do not find devout being used of people other than Israelites. Also, he feared "God" [Acts 10:2] and he prayed to [the] God and was heard by [the] God. "God" here is ho theos, the term used to denote the one true God. So, Cornelius was not a Roman polytheist! He was an Israelite!

Answer:

The evidence that Cornelius was not an Israelite is given by the people of Israel. "Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him, saying, "You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!"" (Acts 11:1-3). By declaring that Cornelius and his household were uncircumcised, the Jewish Christians were stating that Cornelius was not under the covenant of Moses. Paul talks of this in Ephesians 2:11-12, "Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh -- who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands -- that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world." Being uncircumcised in the flesh was equivalent to be a Gentile.

In Acts 10:28, Peter tells Cornelius, "You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation." You argued that the Greek word, alophulos refers to people of the same nationality, but born in a foreign location. Quoting from The Complete Biblical Library Greek-English Dictionary, "This word is formed from two Greek words: allos, 'different, other,' and phule, 'a tribe, people, race, or nation.' It means one of alien descent, a foreigner. It was used in this sense in classical Greek culture, as well as by the Jews. In the Septuagint, it is the word used for "Philistines' in such passages as I Samuel 13:3, Psalm 108:9, and Isaiah 2:6. In Isaiah 61:5 it denotes 'aliens.' ... In the New Testament allophulos is found only in Acts 10:28 to denote the Gentiles." Thayer's Greek Lexicon states, "when used in Hellenistic Greek in opposition to a Jew, it signifies a Gentile [A.V. one of another nation]."

You stated that devout is only applied to Israelites. "But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region" (Acts 13:50). Hence in Antioch of Pisidia there were women among the Gentiles who were described as being devout.

The fact that Cornelius was devoted to God did not indicate he was an Israelite. See the chapter "Cornelius Was a Devout Man" in the study "When Was Cornelius Saved?" for more information.

Is the Spirit only given to the obedient?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sat, 20 Mar 2004 02:34:52 +0000

Question:

In your study on Cornelius, you indicated that receiving the Holy Spirit did not necessarily indicate that a person believed or was saved. You cited the examples of Saul and Balaam as proof, but doesn't Acts 5:32 contradicts this?

Answer:

The study being referred to is "Cornelius Received the Holy Spirit." Acts 5:32 states, "And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him."

First, please notice that Peter's statement is not exclusive. Peter did not state that the Holy Spirit is only given to those who obey God. If it was exclusive, then there would have been a contradiction between Peter's statement and the events that occurred to King Saul in I Samuel 19:18-24 and to Balaam in Numbers 23:1-5 and II Peter 2:15. Neither Saul nor Balaam were righteous men, yet Spirit was given to them for a specific purpose.

Second, notice that the Spirit is given by God to those who obey Him. In particular, I would like you to note that belief is not mentioned. This is in agreement with what Peter stated earlier, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call" (Acts 2:38-39). Peter stated that the gift of the Spirit would be given to those who repent and are baptized. Such is consistent with Acts 5:32. Yet, while belief is not specifically mentioned, it is implied, and it is shown in Ephesians 1:13-14, "In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory." Paul's statement in Ephesians does not contradict Peter's two statements in Acts. Instead, it is additive, giving us further details because none of the statements are exclusive.

Hence, the Spirit is given to all who have been saved, the conditions of which are faith, repentance, and baptism. Yet, the Bible does not state that the Spirit cannot be given to the unfaithful. Instead, the Bible records a few occasions where the Spirit was given to the disobedient to make a point. In the case of Cornelius, the point was not to show that Cornelius was saved but to show that Gentiles were acceptable to God while remaining Gentiles. Quoting from the original article:

So why did the Spirit come upon Cornelius and his household? The answer is clearly stated by Peter in Acts 15:8-11. "Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they." God acknowledged them, or bore them witness, or testified to them (depending on your translation) by giving them the Holy Spirit.

Hence, our next question ought to be, "A witness to what?" Some time after Cornelius's conversion the issue was raised as to whether a Gentile had to become a Jew before he could be saved. "Some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses" (Acts 15:5). Peter's response to this was to point out that the Spirit came to witness that these Gentiles could be saved without being first a Jew. But take note that Peter did not say that the Spirit came to witness that a person could be saved without baptism.

This then leads to the question, "Why did the Spirit come before Cornelius was baptized in water?" In order to answer this question, you need to notice that six Jewish Christians had accompanied Peter to Cornelius's house (Acts 10:23; 11:12). As stated in the text, the Spirit's coming was a shock to these men. "And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God" (Acts 10:45-46). Peter then turned to these same men and asked if they dare object to Cornelius being baptized in water given the obvious testimony of God (Acts 10:47; 11:17).

Also, notice that the Spirit did not come upon the Gentiles until Peter began to speak (Acts 11:15). Here was testimony to all that Gentiles could be saved through the word of God (Acts 11:13-14).

When Peter testified at the gathering in Jerusalem, recorded in Acts 15, he used the example of Cornelius to prove that Gentiles, while remaining Gentiles and not becoming Jews, were accepted by God. Peter did not use the case of Cornelius to prove that everyone should receive the Spirit, or that the Spirit burnt sin out of a sinner's heart, or that the Spirit's coming made him a child of God. Instead, we find that Peter used the baptism of the Spirit as proof that Cornelius and his household should be baptized in water, as recorded in Acts 10 and Acts 11. Peter consistently argued that the Gentiles were to receive the gospel without being bound to the Law. For anyone to claim otherwise would be trying God. "Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?" (Acts 15:10).

Can a person be a believer and not be saved?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Wed, 17 Mar 2004 02:22:04 +0000

Question:

What biblical reference is there that uses the word "believer" and says that person isn't saved?

Answer:

The term "believer" is frequently used to refer to those had entered the kingdom of the Lord. For example, "And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women" (Acts 5:14). (See also Acts 10:45; 16:1; II Corinthians 6:15; I Thessalonians 1:7; 2:10; I Timothy 4:10; 5:16; 6:2; I Peter 1:21).

However, every person who believes is not necessarily a believer in this biblical sense. James tells us, "You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe--and tremble!" (James 2:19). Demons believe in God, but their belief does not indicate that they are saved. You could rightly say demons believe, but they are not believers.

Cornelius was a man of faith (Acts 10:2), but he was instructed by God to send for Peter, "who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved" (Acts 11:14). Cornelius believed, but he did not become a believer until he was added to the Lord. "And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation." Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. ... And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved." (Acts 2:40-41, 47). Cornelius did the same as those found in Acts 2. He and his household were baptized (Acts 10:47-48); hence, they were added to the church and thereby became numbered among the believers.