The Salvation of Cornelius

When looking at the cases of conversion within the book of Acts, the case of Cornelius and his household presents some unique challenges to understanding God’s plan for man’s salvation. The account of this conversion is found in Acts chapters 10 and 11. Cornelius conversion was unique in that he was the first Gentile to be converted to Christianity. This was not only revolutionary for the Gentiles, but for the Jews as well and herein lies additional uniqueness in his case. Does the unique nature of Cornelius case point to a unique plan of salvation on his part? Or is the unique nature of his case merely indicative of the need to bring the gospel to the gentiles? Let’s examine his case and see if we can come to an understanding of when Cornelius’ was saved.

First, when looking at the case of Cornelius we first notice that Cornelius was a good man. We read in Acts 10:2 that he was ” A devout man, and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always.” However, Cornelius was not saved simply because he was a good man. In Acts 11:14 we read that the angel that was sent to Cornelius said that Peter would “tell you words, by which you and all your household will be saved.” The phrase “will be saved” is in the future tense indicating that in the present, when the angel spoke the words to Cornelius, he was not saved. So Cornelius was not saved simply because he was a good man.

Second, when looking at the case of Cornelius, we notice that Cornelius spoke with an angel. In Acts 10:3, we read, “About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, ‘Cornelius!'” However, Cornelius was not saved simply because he saw an angel. The angel himself said to Cornelius, “Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea: he will tell you what you must do” (Acts 10:5, 6). There were some things that the angel said Cornelius needed “to do” and that he would hear these things from Peter. So more was needed than simply the presence of the angel. Moreover, we have divine warning regarding the possibility of angels teaching another gospel in Galatians 1:8. So the gospel had to be preached to Cornelius before he could be saved. The presence of the angel was not enough.

Third, we notice that Cornelius received an apostle into his house. In Acts 10:25 we read, “As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshipped him.” However, Cornelius was not saved simply because he received Peter into his house. In fact, Peter reproved Cornelius for his actions in bowing down to worship him. Acts 10:26 says, “But Peter lifted him up, saying, ‘Stand up; I myself also am a man.'” Other parts of the Bible teach as well that we are not to worship anything but God. John the apostle once fell down before an angel, but the angel said “See that you do not do that. For I am your fellowservant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God” (Revelation 22:9). The presence of an apostle was not enough.

Fourth we notice that Cornelius heard the word of the Lord preached. In Acts 10:33 Cornelius said, “Now therefore we are all present before God, to hear all things commanded you by God.” Cornelius was ready to hear the word of the Lord and he did hear the word of the Lord. However, it was not MERELY through hearing the word that they would be saved, for Peter says in Acts 10:43 “that through His name whosoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.” In fact the Bible teaches in many other places that not only must we hear the gospel message, but also believe it; believing the gospel means so much more than just acknowledging it. Believing the gospel means that one is willing to submit to it in obedience. Hebrews 5:9 says that salvation is only for those who obey Jesus. In Romans 16:26, Paul writes that the gospel is made known for the purpose of people coming to obey it in faith. Without an obedient act of faith, salvation is not complete. Simply hearing the gospel was not enough.

Fifth we see that the Holy Spirit fell on those who heard the word and that they spoke in tongues. In Acts 10:44-46 we read, “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 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.” Many at this point want to say that Cornelius was saved because the Holy Spirit could not have moved them to speak in tongues if they were not already saved. The argument is that the presence of the Holy Spirit and the ability to speak in tongues indicates that Cornelius and his house were saved. Is this true? First, the text does not even say that at this point Cornelius believed. He was told to believe, but the Bible simply does not say that he believed. One could argue forcefully that Cornelius did not need to believe to be saved if the Holy Spirit falling upon them was all that was needed for salvation (and die hard Calvinists do argue this). This makes faith unnecessary for salvation, which is obviously false. Second, the Bible does not teach that Holy Spirit activity necessarily indicates personal salvation. In fact, the Bible does not even teach that speaking in tongues indicates salvation. In Numbers 22:28-30 the Lord enabled a donkey to speak in tongues; was the donkey saved? Clearly this type of reasoning would indicate that the donkey was saved. However, clear thinking individuals will recognize that divine activity does not necessarily indicate salvation. Another such example is the high priest Caiaphas in John 11:51. Caiaphas had rejected Jesus and was plotting Jesus’ death, yet he prophesied that Jesus would die for the sins of the people. John even says “this he spake not of himself” indicating that the Holy Spirit was involved in the prophesy. Yet who would say that Caiaphas, the one who ordered the murder of Jesus, was saved? Here are two clear examples of Holy Spirit activity where personal salvation is obviously not implied. Third, the Bible teaches that speaking in tongues was a sign for the unbeliever (1 Corinthians 14:22). The unbelievers in this particular context were the Jews present with Peter. They did not believe that salvation was for the Gentiles. The Holy Spirit had to convince Peter and the other Jews that Cornelius and his house could be saved. Once this was done, Peter asks who can forbid baptism. Why would Peter say these words? He said them because he and the others recognized that salvation comes as a result of baptism (as he preached in Acts 2:38) and they could now touch and baptize these gentiles with God’s approval.

This leads us to the sixth event that might indicate the salvation of Cornelius and his household–his baptism. Remember, according to Acts 11:14 Cornelius and his house were going to be saved through WORDS which Peter told them. Moreover, according to Acts 10:33 Cornelius told Peter that they were ready to hear ALL that was commanded of God. Well, Peter had not yet finished giving the words that they needed to be saved and he had not yet finished giving all the commands of God until verse 48 of chapter 10 where we read, “And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.” Saying that Cornelius was not saved until he was baptized is consistent with the immediate context. It is also consistent with the remote context of the New Testament. This is what Jesus commanded his apostles to do in the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20 and Mark 16:15, 16. This is what Peter had already preached to the Jews in Acts 2:38. Baptism was the act of faith that Cornelius needed to perform in order to receive remission of sins (Acts 2:38; Acts 10:43). The command to be baptized was part of the words that Peter preached whereby Cornelius and his entire house would be saved (Acts 11:14). The command to be baptized was part of the commands that Cornelius was expecting to hear from the apostle (Acts 10:33). Peter considered it a necessity for Cornelius and the others by token that he did command it. And finally, the Holy Spirit considered it essential within the context of the conversion of Cornelius because he inspired Luke to write it.

The fact is that the rest of the Bible teaches clearly the purpose of baptism. Baptism is part of the process in making disciples (Matthew 28:19-20). Can one be saved without becoming a disciple? Baptism is for salvation (Mark 16:16). Baptism is for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). Can one be saved without having the remission of sins? Baptism is a command of God (Acts 10:43). Can one be saved without obeying the command of God? Baptism is to wash away one’s sins (Acts 22:16). Can one be saved without having washed away one’s sins? In baptism we crucify the old man to destroy the body of sin (Romans 6:6). Can one be saved without putting to death the old man of sin? In baptism we are raised to walk in a new life (Romans 6:4). Can one be saved without walking in a new life? Baptism is the point where we put on Christ (Galatians 3:27). Can one be saved without putting on Christ? Baptism is for putting off the body of the sins of the flesh (Colossians 2:12). Can one be saved without putting off the body of the sins of the flesh? Baptism now saves us (1 Peter 3:21). Baptism is the response of a good conscience toward God (1 Peter 3:21). Can we be saved without responding in a good conscience toward the call of God? Well, neither could Cornelius.

Cornelius’ case was unique in that he was the first gentile to whom the gospel was preached in the early church. His case was unique in that the Holy Spirit used him prior to his salvation to convince the unbelieving Jews that gentiles were candidates for salvation (Acts 10:45-47) and subsequent to his salvation to convince other unbelieving Jews that salvation had come to the gentiles (Acts 11:16-18). However, his case was not unique in that God provided for Cornelius salvation before he was baptized. The evidence from the scriptures as stated above simply does not warrant this conclusion. To suggest that Cornelius was saved prior to baptism and that all mankind can be saved prior to baptism is to contradict every single scripture in the Bible that teaches us the purpose of baptism. Let us resolve to accept the Bible teaching regarding baptism as an act of faith.

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Seeking A Better Country

The old spiritual song “Roll Jordon, Roll” states, “I want to go to heaven when I die.” This phrase epitomizes each and every Christian’s longing and desire for eternal life. It was stated concerning Abraham in the book of Hebrews 11:13-16:

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
In his sermon on faith, J.W. McGarvey says concerning Abraham,

. . . Abraham, by faith, lived in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promises, because he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. The Sodomites had built a city. Melchizedek, the high priest of God, was living in the city of Salem, close by. The Shechemites and others round about, had cities; and his friends, the Hittites, were living in the City of Hebron. He was a man of great wealth, and he could have built a palace in which to live, but he chose to live in a tent all his life. He was seventy-five years old when he left his native land, and one-hundred and seventy-five when he died; and through a round hundred years, he lived in a tent, by faith, because yonder was the city he was looking for, that had foundations sure enough, whose builder and maker is God, and he was so well pleased and satisfied with that, that he did not want anything better than a tent to live in here on earth. Sometimes I have thought that this was a greater evidence of Abraham’s faith than offering Isaac on the altar. It was a long strain, that one hundred years living in a tent and looking for that distant city. Conviction as to that unseen city which God hath built; confident expectation that after a long, weary journey, his life over, he would live in it with his children after him-this was his faith.
What a tremendous desire to go to heaven on the part of Abraham so that he would eschew life in a permanent earthly dwelling to remind him of his true home! This land in which we live today, this earthly tabernacle in which we are dwelling is only a fa�ade of that which is truly real. The earthly tabernacle in which we groan is illusory, temporal, and fleeting. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:1-4:

For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
The “Better Country” is that country to which we can go eternally. That “Better Country” is that country in which there will be no dissolution of our bodies. That “Better Country” is the place where we will live in ultimate fellowship with God and Christ forever. Everything that we desire is laid up for us in that country. All of our aspirations and eternal blessing awaits those who lay up their treasures in that country. Can we see beyond the immediate affairs of this life, opening the heavenly visage and peering into the wonders of eternity? Can we, with the eyes of faith, gape at that grand and glorious Gibraltar?

And yet today, there are Christians who are binding themselves to this earth and stockpiling corruptible earthly treasures in place of eternal spiritual wonders. Oh Christian who doth so gaze, remember the words of Peter, “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul” (2 Peter 2:11). Remember the exhortation of our Lord Jesus Christ, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:19-21). Must we not confess that we are but strangers and pilgrims on our journey through this illusory life?

Let us then, seek for that “Better Country,” that “Heavenly Country”-the place where all hopes are fulfilled, where all dreams are realized, where all spiritual needs are satisfied, where there is no more sorrow or crying, no pain nor death, no heartache, no sighing, no loneliness, no fear. There is our home, our city, and our country! We are citizens of that great nation which exists in the presence of God. “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself” (Philippians 3:20,21).

And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. (Revelation 21:23-26)
Abraham’s country can be your country as well. Lift up your eyes and behold that wondrous place around which all hope hangs. Lift up your eyes to heaven and to The One who dwells therein (Psalm 123:1). With all the powers and might of our life, let us seek that better, heavenly, country.

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The Carroll County Augurers Society

Every week is an adventure of the mind here in Berryville. Just when you think that you have “seen it all” something happens to make you realize that there are no bounds to which people will go in their minds to justify their own preconceived notions about how they think God works in their lives. What was so shocking about my most recent encounter with one of these minds is that the very thing which was called upon to prove God’s working in one’s life was exactly the kind of thing that has been used in the past by pagans and which the Bible specifically condemns. To what am I referring, you might ask. I am speaking of nothing less than the practice of augury.

I was taken by surprise this past week when a person from the community told me a story regarding the conception of her son. She said that she and her husband had tried for many years to have a child, but without success. When they finally decided to adopt, they conceived. I have heard many stories like this, but never in the context of what I was about to be told. The woman proceeded to tell me that she believed that the conception of her child was a miracle. The evidence that she put forth in regard to proof was that at the time of her conception she saw eagles in the sky. In other words, the eagles were an omen or portent that she was going to be the recipient of a miracle from God. This kind of thinking is no less than what the Bible describes as augury.

Among the ancient pagans, augury was practiced very prominently. The International Bible Encyclopedia entry states that this practice was commonly observed by the Romans and Greeks. Augurers of that day looked at celestial signs, lighting, signs from the flights of birds, movement of animals and snakes, signs from the examination of animal intestines, and the flight of arrows. Often times a sacrifice was made before the omens were examined. This was to propitiate the gods. However, in Leviticus 19:26 God specifically condemns such practices. We read in the ASV, “Ye shall not eat anything with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantments, nor practise augury.” This prohibition is also mentioned in Deuteronomy 18:10,14; 2 Kings 21:6; and 2 Chronicles 33:6. Revelation 21:8 also condemns this practice under the category of sorcery.

How someone who claims to be a Christian can think that God’s approval comes through some ancient pagan practice mystifies me greatly. It just goes to show the extent to which people are willing to believe whatever they want to believe as a justification for their own thoughts and concepts. The Bible still says that faith comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17). It does not say that faith comes by watching the birds fly in the sky. Herein lies the problem with all such types of thought. It causes an individual to trust something other than the word of God and when we start to put our faith and trust in things other than God’s word, we have already given Satan the green light to control our lives. This is why the practice of sorcery is wrong; this is why the organization WICCA is wrong and sinful; this is why those who claim modern day miracles are wrong as well–because each of these are attempts to replace God’s word with the word of mere men.

Let us keep our mind centered on God’s thoughts as we know them to be revealed through the scriptures. Studying God’s word is the only way to produce faith in our life today. Let us learn it, love it, and live it each and every day of our life.

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The Oxymoronic Nature of Alcohol

With the passing of Thanksgiving weekend our holiday season has begun. Times of food, fun, and fellowship with friends and family await. It should be a time to exchange gifts and make long lasting and joyous memories. However for some it will be a time of sorrow because in addition to the expectation of many to enjoy the season will also come the dreaded news of the inevitable fatalities that result from the recreational consumption of alcohol.

Consumption of alcohol increases during this time of the year EVERY year and some will die as a result of this plague. Some of these deaths will be related to auto collisions. Some the result of a drunk and abusive spouse. Some of a drunk and abusive parent. All will be tragic and when we hear the statistic on the evening news we will wag our heads and feel sorry for the families that were destroyed by this evil. Even if we exclude the actual deaths involved, there will still be families go hungry because their provider chooses to waste income on alcohol. Violence, abuses, and neglect–all because of alcohol.

When it all boils down to it, the consumption of alcohol is merely a recreational activity. What other part of our society do we deem it acceptable for mere entertainment to justify such tragic consequences? If any other entertainment product were to cause the same number of deaths that alcohol causes each year warnings would be heralded, dangers exposed and recalls issued. We would demand that the problem be fixed, the manufacturer punished and the victims reimbursed. Do we remember the national outrage over faulty automobile tires a year and a half ago? Far fewer died, but far more concern was levied than is brought to bear against the industry of alcohol.

Why do we allow this national tragedy to continue? Pride? Ignorance? Apathy? Perhaps these are some of the reasons. But I suspect that the biggest reason is the most disturbing. We value personal pleasure more than we value individual life. The alcohol manufacturers know this. They frequently depict the association of alcohol with pleasurable activities. Pleasure is the god of wine. This god, however, rewards its servants not with lasting joy, but with pain, regret and personal tragedy.

The solution to this problem is simple. Take away the very thing from the alcohol manufacturers that they value the most–your money! These manufacturers are wary of the potential loss of revenue that they will suffer if we, as a society, wake up. So they couch this concern in slogans such as “drink responsibly” and “think when you drink” consciously oblivious to the oxymoronic nature of these statements. This holiday season, start sending a message to these deliverers of death. Refuse to purchase their products. Refuse to participate in the deception of temporary pleasure. Refuse to engage in the senseless folly of the recreational consumption of alcohol. Don’t drink (period).

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The Sin of Absenteeism

Of the many different characteristics of the church there is that of being the body of Christ. Perhaps this metaphor is most illustrative in one of Paul’s letters to Corinth. In 1 Corinthians 12:14-16, Paul writes, “For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?” In verse 27 of the same chapter we read, “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” We are all members of a great body–Christ’s body–the church. Each one of us has a special role to play within the body of Christ. Every single one of us is important. Every single one of us is necessary.

The illustration Paul uses is this: think about the church as if it were your own personal body. Are there any parts of your body that are not necessary? One time I had an ingrown toenail on my big toe. I tried to fix the problem myself with a pocketknife, but ended up making things worse. I finally decided that I needed to go to the doctor and have something done about it because it was starting to change colors. That doctor cut off half of my toenail just to fix that one little problem and it affected my entire body for several weeks. Who would have thought that half of a toenail was that important? When we look through the eyes of the Spirit, we see that every single member of the church is important and that for us to remove ourselves from that body causes harm to the body. Spiritually we may be no more than half a toenail, but when we leave the body, we hurt the entire body.

With these thoughts in mind, let us consider Hebrews 10:24-26. “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins�.” The writer of the book of Hebrews is writing to Christians who are being tempted to leave the church. His message to these is, “Don’t you realize what you are doing to the body of Christ?” When you leave the church, you discourage the church. However, when you attend the services, you encourage the church. The very presence of our members exhorts us to do at least two things: 1) Love one another, and 2) Encourage one another toward good works. When we commit the sin of absenteeism, we say two things to our brethren: 1) I don’t love you and 2) I don’t want you to do good works. How can this not hurt our brethren? How can this not hurt the church? How can this not hinder the progress of the gospel? Absenteeism is a sin and it is a sin that hurts the church.

This passage. however, says that absenteeism not only hurts the church, it hurts the individual Christian who is absent. Notice that the writer says immediately following the exhortation not to practice absenteeism, that those who sin willfully have no more sacrifice for sin. In other words, the sin of absenteeism causes us to lose our salvation. Really, the choice to attend the assembling of the saints is a choice that is either something we are going to do because we want to do it or because we don’t want to do it. I am not talking about being sick or taking care of another who is sick. I am speaking of the situation when there are no hindrances to our being with our fellow Christians to worship God and we deliberately choose not to go. The Holy Spirit says that this is willful sin and that as a result of that we can expect 1) our sins to remain with us and 2) Christ’s sacrifice to be ineffectual for us. The result is that it not only hurts the church, it hurts us.

There is a story about a man who wrote a letter to the editor complaining of attending services. He stated, “I have been to some 3000 worship services and can hardly remember what the preacher preached on last week.” Another reader responded to this criticism by stating the following, “I have eaten some 32,000 meals in my lifetime and cannot remember what I ate last week.” The point is this, just as those 32,000 meals sustained that individual over a period of time, so also the regular feasting upon God’s word will sustain an individual. What would quickly happen were one to give up eating regular meals? One would grow sick and eventually die. So too when one practices absenteeism, one will grow sick spiritually and ultimately die spiritually. And if every individual in the Lord’s church decided upon this course of action, there would be no church left to attend. Let us resolve not to allow the sin of absenteeism to mar our spiritual lives and damage the church of our Lord.

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