Live what you have learned

Everything we know about the biblical character known as Cornelius is found in chapter 10 of Acts. As we will see, he played an important role as Christianity extended its boundaries to include those from the non-Jewish world. The text tells us some important facts about this Roman centurion who lived in Caesarea. He was well known in the community as a ”righteous and God-fearing man” (v. 22), a man of prayer (v. 30) who was respected by the Jewish community (v. 22), and known for his generosity for the poor (v. 31). One day Cornelius was at prayer when an angel in shining clothes appeared and told him to have a man called Peter come to his house so he could learn what the disciple had to say. Cornelius obeyed the angelic directive and gathered his “relatives and close friends” (v. 24) to hear what Peter would have to say. When Peter arrived, Cornelius “fell at his feet in reverence” (v. 25). 
      These verses paint a very favorable picture of a Gentile officer in the Roman military system. It is extremely important to hear what Peter has to say about Cornelius and others like him who are described as fearing God. Peter told the group that he now realized that God does not show favoritism, but “accepts from every nation the one who fears him (God) and does what is right” (v. 35). In the following discourse Peter says that, as the prophets declared, “Everyone (not the Jew only) who believes in God receives forgiveness of sins through his name” (v. 43). As Peter was speaking, the Holy Spirit was poured out on the group and they began to speak in tongues (vv. 44, 46). The Jewish brethren who had come with Peter were astonished (v. 45) that these Gentiles were to be “baptized in the name of Christ” (v. 48). 
       The issue that arises is that Cornelius is accepted by God because (1) he “fears God,” (2) he “does what is right,” and (3) he receives forgiveness of sins because he (3) “believes in God.” The immediate question is, “How does Jesus Christ fit in this picture.” One can assume that Cornelius knew about the Christian movement but there is nothing in the text that indicates any repentance and acceptance of Christ as personal savior. He believed God, feared Him and led a good life. The text says God accepted him and that sure sounds like “being saved.”
       Let’s compare Cornelius with Abraham. One day God told Abraham to count the stars because that’s how many offspring he would have. The patriarch must have started counting, then shook his head, and after a pause, trusted what God was promising. Genesis 15:6 reads, Abram believed the Lord, and he credited to him as righteousness” (Cf. Rom 4:3, 30, Gal. 3:6 and James 2:23). So what did Abraham believe? What he believed was that which God had said and as a result he became the great example of righteousness by faith. These two good men believed what they knew of God through God’s self-revelation and were accepted.
       And how does this fit with Peter’s teaching that “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved?” (Acts 4:12). Without going through all the arguments on both sides of the question, “Can natives who have never heard the gospel be saved?” consider this simple answer. God said Abraham was righteous because he believed God’s promise of a large family; and Cornelius was accepted by God because he feared God and led a good life. At this point I simply accept what scripture says and know that I will meet them both in heaven. Does that negate the value of Christ’s redeeming death? In no way, because Christ died for both of them and paid the penalty for their sins. Does that mean there are two ways of salvation? No! It simply means that both men were righteous because of their relationship to God. If there is any confusion in one’s mind remember that God’s ways of acting are incomprehensible to man because He is God and we are his creation. An infant can enjoy and please his father without understanding the intricacies of his father’s world. And recall the doxology in Paul’s letter to the church in Rome: 

       Oh the depth of the riches 
              of the wisdom and 
              knowledge of God!
       How unsearchable his judgments 
              and his paths beyond tracing out!
       Who has known the mind of the Lord? 
       Or who has been his counselor” (Ro. 11:33-34.)

God has revealed himself both in nature and through scripture. On our part that is all we need to know for forgiveness and an eternity in his presence. Don’t let what you don’t know about God and his ways rob you of pleasure of living according to what you do know.