THE DEVOUT SOLDIER, CORNELIUS

Acts 10:1-4 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always. He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.

This is the dawning of the final event that brought spiritual unity in God to the entire world. The gospel message of salvation through Christ Jesus was about to be preached to the first person of Gentile heritage. Just as Jesus commanded the twelve apostles to preach the kingdom of heaven is at hand, not to the Gentiles, but rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matt. 10:5-7), so was the first gospel message of salvation through Christ Jesus preached by the apostles, on the Day of Pentecost, only to the those descendants of Israel.

Now, for the first time in the brief history of the church of Christ that was founded on that day, a Gentile was to be baptized for the remission of his sins, added to that body, and become a joint heir with Christ of the hope of eternal salvation. This is exactly what the apostle Paul referred to when he wrote: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (Rom. 1:16). This did not mean that a different gospel was preached to each nationality, but it was God's all-knowing and unimpeachable will that the same gospel message was to be first delivered to those of the nation of Israel.

It was God's will that, very soon after His plan of eternal salvation was offered to the Jewish nation, it would also be extended to the people of all Gentile nations throughout the known world. And in the lesson text we find the first Gentile, whom God called to become a follower of His Son, the Savior, and be added to the church of Christ, which He died to establish. The man was Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band. By his profession, Cornelius was a centurion of the Roman army - a commander of one hundred Italian soldiers. But more importantly, Cornelius was a righteous man in the sight of God.

It is good to note here that from the beginning of time, God required all mankind to be obedient to His will, and worship Him as their Heavenly Father, and as the Creator of the universe and all things contained within it. Originally God spoke directly to His people through the patriarch of each family. And it was this patriarch through whom each family member was to worship God. Known as the Patriarchal Age. The calling of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, ushered in the Jewish Dispensation. From that point in history, the Gentile nations continued to worship God under the Patriachal order, while the Israelites, the Jewish nation were required to worship under the Law of Moses - the Jewish Dispensation.

It was through the nation of Israel (the linage of Jacob), that God would bring the hope of eternal salvation to all people of the world through His Son, the Messiah, the Savior. Again, it was during this period of time, that both the Patriarchal and Jewish Dispensations were in effect. Each required the worship of God and obedience to His will but each was governed under different laws of God. The Jews were under the Law of Moses, while the Gentile nations remained under the laws of God that was originally given to mankind.

Cornelius, then, was still under the Patriarchal law of God. And as a godly, obedient Gentile, Luke records that he was a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always. Cornelius was a man that loved God, reverenced Him as his Heavenly Father, loved and gave spiritual guidance to his family, loved his fellow human beings by unselfishly sharing that which God had given him, with others in need. And he continually went to God in prayer, seeking His guidance in all aspects of his life. Indeed, Cornelius sought after God, was found by God, and was now about to be called by God to seek the hope of eternal salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Called by an angel of God, Cornelius replied, What is it Lord? God said through His angel, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. These words follow the lesson text: And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: he lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do. Cornelius immediately did what God had commanded, obeyed Peter's instructions and was baptized in the name of the Lord (See Vss. 47-48). Cornelius is a great example to all seeking eternal salvation. All should hear and obey God's call!