At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known
as the Italian Regiment. He and his entire family were devoted to God and feared God. He gave generously to the needy (Psalm 41:1–3 (2–4 in some translations)) and prayed regularly to God. (Acts 10:1–2).
One day at three o'clock in the afternoon he had a vision: He clearly saw an angel
of God, who came to him and said: "Cornelius!" Cornelius stared at him in fear and asked: "What is it, Lord?" The angel answered: "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. He is staying with Simon the Tanner, whose house is by the sea." When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who were of his attendants. He told them all that had happened and sent them to Joppa.
(Acts 10:3–8).
About noon the next day as they were on their way and approaching the city,
Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance: He saw the heaven opened and something like a large sheet let down to earth at its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. Then a voice said to him: "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat." Peter replied: "Surely not, Lord! I have never eaten anything impure or unclean." The voice spoke to him a second time: "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven. While Peter wondered about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon’s house was and stopped at the gate. They called out and asked if Simon, who was known as Peter, was lodging there. While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him: "Simon, three men are looking for you. So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them."
Peter went down and said to the men: "I am the one you are looking for. Why have you come?" The men replied: "We have come from the centurion Cornelius. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say." Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests. The next day
Peter went away with them, and some of the believers from Joppa went along.
(Acts 10:9–23).
Most Jews at the time of Jesus were raised with the belief that God only loves the Jews and that the Gentiles weren't part of salvation. The Jews had been occupied by the Romans for hundred years when this occurred. Most of the Jews knew someone who had been violated by the Romans. Jewish tradition, which wasn't based on the Mosaic Laws, was therefore not to enter a Gentile's home. If you did, you were seen as ceremonially unclean, and because of that you weren't allowed to enter the temple to worship with your fellow Jews for a period of time. The early church had to struggle with this belief, because some of the early Christian Jews believed that Jesus died only for the Jews.
The animals that came down from heaven in the vision included animals that weren't to be eaten according to the Mosaic Laws (Acts 10:10b–16). To eat such an unclean animal made a Jew unclean. The Jews viewed unclean animals and Gentiles in essentially the same way. Both made a Jew unclean.
This vision became a confirmation for Peter to receive these Gentile men. That Peter
came to visit Cornelius was a confirmation for him that his vision was from God.
The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. When Peter entered the house,
Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. But Peter made him stand up and said: "Stand up, I am only a man myself." While he was talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. He said to them: "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?" Cornelius answered: "Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me and said: 'Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the Tanner, who lives by the sea.' So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us." (Acts 10:24–33).
Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the
Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who
were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen, by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." (Acts 10:34–43).
Jesus was judged on the cross in our place but will also return to judge. But these Gentiles won't be judged if they believe and trust in him and invite him into their hearts (John 1:12).
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came upon all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said: "Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have." So he ordered them to be baptized in water in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days. (Acts 10:44–48). See also Jesus in the Synagogue of Nazareth.
These people were saved and baptized in the Holy Spirit at the same time, see also Jesus the Light of the World and The Gift of Tongues. In this case, they were baptized in water after being baptized in the Holy Spirit. You can also be baptized in water after being saved even if you are not baptized in the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).
Despite all the good that Cornelius did, he needed to be saved, see Salvation.
If good works get you to heaven, Cornelius would have been fine, but they don't save you. However, God saw Cornelius' heart and arranged for Peter to come to him.
The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him him for going into the house with uncircumcised men and eating with them. (Acts 11:1–3). He was criticized for doing the Lord's will. But righteousness isn't depending on keeping traditions or the Mosaic Laws.
The righteousness of God is received through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and are justified by the grace of God as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. (Rom 3:20–24).
Starting from the beginning, Peter told them the whole story: He prayed in the city of Joppa and in a trance he saw a vision. He saw something like a large sheet let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to where he was. He looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles and birds. Then he heard a voice saying to him: "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat." Peter had then replied: "Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth." The voice spoke from heaven a second time: "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." This happened three times, and then everything was drawn up to heaven again. Just then three men who had been sent to him from Caesarea had stopped at the house where he was. The Spirit told him that he should not hesitate to go with them. Six brothers in Christ also went with him, and they entered the man’s house. The man told them how he had seen an angel appear in his house and said: "Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved." Like Peter
began to speak, the Holy Spirit came upon them as he had come upon the disciples, see The Gift of Tongues. Then Peter remembered what the Lord had said:
"John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 1:5).
If God gave them the same gift he gave the disciples who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was he to think that he could stand in God’s way? (Acts 11:4–17).
Hearing this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying:
"Even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life."
(Acts 11:18). At other times, the people who were saved were baptized with the
Holy Spirit some time after they were saved. In this case, these Gentiles had been baptized with the Holy Spirit, at the same time as they were saved. The reason was probably to show the disciples that the gospel was also for the Gentiles.
When we are criticized for doing the Lord's will, we should respond as follows:
- We should respond calmly and gently in an attitude of humility.
- We must respond according to the evidence, share what has happened and not respond with emotion. It's not about feelings or opinions.
- Apply wisdom by referring to witnesses, for example.
- We should respond with the authority of God's word, by showing verses of the Bible that prove our point, or ask them to show verses that prove their point for criticizing.
