JonathanDWhitehead  

When was Cornelius saved?

The conversion of Cornelius has been a mystery in some sense to many charismatic Bible scholars. However, the complexity of Acts 10 and 11 can be vanquished. In order to discover the answers to some of our heart felt questions we must lay aside those denominational tendencies and submit to the authority of the scriptures. We must not be too proud to reject correction concerning basic Bible principles. If somehow we discover that our heart has deceived us we know that He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins (conditionally). Moreover, this matter should not be taken lightly considering the fact that the blind who follows the blind shall suffer the same condemnation.

There have been many who have built a false doctrine around the conversion of Cornelius starting from the plan of salvation and leading into miraculous spiritual gifts. In this article I will attempt to address the purpose, truth, and facts of Acts 10 and 11. I am confident that you will find this article to be irrefutable and quite controversial. I hope that this controversial topic will either encourage you or cause you to examine your own beliefs and become a Christian.

Beginning in Chapter 10 of the Book of Acts we are introduced to a character by the name of Cornelius. In verses 1 and 2 we find a flattering description of this man. Cornelius was a centurion who dwelt in Caesarea and feared God. The scriptures tell us that Cornelius was a devout and just man that held a dear devotion to the Lord. We are told that Cornelius gave much alms and prayed to God always. We will latter find that God was faithful and Christ spoke the truth when he said “Ask, seek, knock...” and it shall be given unto you (Matthew 7:7).

In verses 3-6 we find that Cornelius received a vision from God during the ninth hour of the night. One instructing him to send a few men to Joppa in order to find one named Simon Peter. Many people today are guilty of taking passages in the Bible and directly applying the passage to their lives. For instance, many Calvinist take Romans 8 and 9 to teach that they (the individual) was chosen before the foundations of the world to be saved. However, when we understand the context of the passage, we find that the very thing that Paul rebuked was National Election which is the Cornerstone of Unconditional Election.

To uphold the possibility of miraculous visions as a means of communication with the most Holy God is to belittle the sufficiency of the word of God. When we read our New Testaments and find that men, in times past, have received visions from God a distinction must be made between them and us. One of which pertains to the privileges that those men did not have. The men who received Miraculous Visions did not possess the full revelation of God. God's will had not been fully revealed and in the conversion of Cornelius we find that this vision's purpose was to reveal the mysteries that had been locked up for centuries.

Today, we are able to come to a unity in the faith. We, today, are capable of uniting around the words of truth and be set free from the errors in the world. Jesus emphasized the infallibility of God's revelation and importance of being united around the truth in John 17:17 “Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth.” Simply put, Miracles and Visions had a purpose and we no longer need miraculous gifts and signs due to the all-sufficiency of His word.

When we examine the conversion of Cornelius we find that there were orders given to Cornelius for him to follow. One of which was the command for Cornelius to send his men to find Peter. Thankfully we're not Cornelius and we don't have to do this to be saved. Nevertheless, had Cornelius tarried he would not have been saved. Within this vision we find that there was a purpose behind this vision. All visions have a purpose and the future purpose of Peter's encounter with Cornelius concerned a matter with which Cornelius must do (Acts 10:6). Latter, in verse 22, we find a continuous description of what Peter was obligated to deliver. In Acts 10:22 we find that Peter's purpose was to speak words unto Cornelius and as we have previously noted, the words were to be instructions concerning a required activity.

Meeting face to face, Cornelius fell at Peter's feet and worshiped him though Peter reproved Cornelius' act of worship by identifying himself as a man to whom one could relate. After their introduction Peter asks; “for what intent have ye sent for me?” It should be rightly noted that after Cornelius expounds on his vision Peter is urged to tell them what was commanded by God (Acts 10:33). It's important to remember the points of purpose that we noted earlier. After reading verse 33 we begin to gather a more full comprehension of Peter's purpose. We noted earlier that Peters message would instruct Cornelius to do something that was required by God. There's no hiding the demanding nature of Peter's message, we can now begin to put together the pieces of this puzzle. We now know that God commanded something of these men, which we will soon discover.

Boldly speaking, Peter lifts up his voice as a trumpet revealing a truth that he perceived, that God is no respecter of persons. Peter continues to review some of the things that these Gentiles already knew concerning the Lord. Peter said; “That word, I say, ye know which was published throughout all Judea... How God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and with power... who went about doing good, healing, casting out daemons, God was with him... He was slain and hanged on a tree... God raised him up the third day, etc.”

Skipping ahead to Acts chapter 11:15 we find that when Peter began to speak these things the Holy Spirit had fallen on them and as we have already noted the fact that miraculous instances demand miraculous purposes. The purpose of the Holy Spirit falling upon those who believed bore witness to the truth that Peter perceived, that God is no respecter of persons. It's obvious that this outpouring was not for conversion.

Many Scholars confuse this Holy Spirit Baptism with the Water Baptism spoken of throughout the New Testament Epistles but this error can be refuted by simply studying the passage a little more thoroughly. By examining the purpose of this miraculous occurrence we find the impossibility of compatibility with the future references of Baptism within the epistles.

We find that in Acts 11:15 Peter says “And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, as on us at the beginning.” This is a very important verse, one that should not be taken lightly nor ignored. Here, we find that Peter relates this instance to the miraculous outpouring that the Apostles received in Acts chapter 2. Many men coin this “Holy Spirit Baptism” as the baptism that was written about in the epistles but listen to the words of the Apostle Peter “As on us at the beginning.” Had this been the baptism required for salvation as spoken of in Romans 6 and 1 Peter 3, the Apostle Peter would not have referred to a similar instance which took place 6-7 years prior to Acts 10. Had this Holy Spirit Baptism been a common occurrence, Peter would have said “As on the Jewish converts in Joppa”. Obviously an instance like this had not occurred since the day of Pentecost.

We should refresh our memory of the facts Peter proclaimed in Acts 10:37-43. The facts presented were the facts of the Gospel, which these men already knew. Cornelius and his household already knew about the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ yet the Angel of the Lord still commanded Cornelius to find out what was commanded of God for him to do in order to be saved (Acts 10:6,22,33 11:14). We also find that before Cornelius heard the words by which him and his household would be saved the Holy Spirit fell on them. We also find that the commandment of God is contained in verse 48 “So he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.”

Within Peter's sermon we find that there was one commandment that these men had not known. We find that this one commandment was an activity required by God in order for him to be saved. Perhaps this may be a surprise to some but Water Baptism was that required commandment of God that is essential for salvation.

There are three different interpretations on the conversion of Cornelius:

1. Being at the point of belief – Cornelius believed the Gospel before Peter preached his sermon. Had belief been the point of Cornelius' salvation, Peter's presence would have been in vain. (Acts 10:37-43)

2. Being at the point of Holy Spirit Baptism – Cornelius received the Holy Spirit Baptism, which was a rare occurrence, before he heard the words by which him and his household would be saved. (Acts 11:15)

3. Being at the point of Water Baptism – Cornelius was to be saved upon completion of an activity commanded by God which came from the mouth of Peter. (Acts 10:6,22,33 11:14)

The synopsis of this passage teaches us that the purpose of Cornelius' vision was to bring about the commandment of God through the words of the inspired Apostle Peter. The Truth of this passage is that no man should forbid water, hindering a man of Water Baptism. The facts that we discovered contain the unshakable nature of Water Baptism being a required, commanded, activity of God.

Take Care,

Jon