10. For doing this, Peter is called to answer before the Jewish believers at Jerusalem (11:2). Peter tells the story carefully (11:4-14). Then he says in 11:15: "As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning." He appeals to them in 11:17: "So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could withstand God!" He had no option but to baptize them and receive them as part of God's people!
11. We need to understand how these Jews felt before we can appreciate how big a step this was. Of course they knew salvation in Christ was for all (Mark 16:15). Of course they understood that all believers should be allowed to be baptized to be saved (Mark 16:16). But they didn't know that this extended to all men independent of their becoming Jews and being circumcised! This truth they didn't need to know until now! Up to this time the only people they were preaching to and baptizing, were circumcised people, people within the Jewish framework.
12. Jesus was their Messiah, the blessings were their blessings! They didn't mind others sharing the blessings provided they became Jews! Even after this incident, there would be Jewish believers who would still insist that Gentiles had to become Jews in order to be saved in Christ (see Acts 15:1). Some would forbid the baptizing of "raw" Gentiles (10:47) but the Cornelius case would settle the matter for all who were open-hearted.
13. The Cornelius incident was unusual! In order to find something like it, Peter has to look all the way back to the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 (see 11:15). Had there not been a series of signs from God then the Gentiles would never have been approached. Peter didn't say: "It happened to them as it happens every day!" No, what happened at Cornelius' place happened only one other place—at the temple in Acts 2. No one had laid hands on anyone (as in Acts Acts 6 or Acts 8)—the Spirit acts in Acts 10 as in Acts 2 without human involvement and this put the matter beyond dispute.
14. To open the gospel to Gentiles apart from the Law of Moses, God gave two visions. The Gentile wouldn't have sent for Peter and Peter wouldn't have gone to the Gentile if God hadn't told them to. And Peter wouldn't have baptized this man and his family into Christ if the Spirit had not come upon them as he did! The Cornelius case was unique. And note, even after having received the Spirit, he was still commanded to take Christ's name on him by being baptized (10:48).
WHAT WE'VE LEARNED IN LESSON FOUR
-
Thoroughly good, generous, prayerful, humble and worshiping people still need Jesus to give them life with God!
-
It isn't easy for people to give up their cherished past and open their hearts to new truth. But it can be done!
-
The spread of the gospel in Acts makes it clear that there are no restrictions on the gospel offer of life in Christ. Race (a Nubian and a Roman), social status (a black eunuch and a soldier in the occupying forces) and religious background are all ignored by the Lord as he reaches out to bring salvation and blessing to people.