In Acts 10 we are introduced to Cornelius a Roman Centurion, which means he was a noncommissioned Roman officer with a hundred men under him. There is no indication that he was even a Jewish proselyte, but he believed in the Jewish moral teachings and apparently was a monotheist, believing in their God. However this was not enough to admit him into the Family of God: he, like all of us, needed to hear the message of salvation and be brought to a personal belief on the Lord Jesus through whom he would be born again! Verse 22 shows us that he had an angelic visitation in which he received instructions but was not given the message of salvation, amplifying the role of human beings to proclaim this message. Now Peter was racially prejudiced, a feeling God had to get out of him by showing him that He “shows no partiality” verse 34, “But in every nation whosoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him” verse 35. What does righteous works have to do with salvation? In John 6:29 Jesus said, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” The first step is to “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” Acts 16:31. Not just believing in Him as a good man, but on Him as your personal Savior.
Cornelius
By Rose Hill
The man Cornelius loved his God very much,
He prayed continually and with Him kept in touch.
So God took notice of his giving and prayer,
And sent an angel to visit him there.
To see the angel made him very afraid,
But his prayers and his gifts God’s remembrance made.
So the angel said God is ready to help you,
Because to your God you have been true.
The Lord sent Peter to preach forgiveness of sins,
And on Cornelius and his family great blessing begins.
For the Holy Ghost came in all of His power,
And the believers were blessed that very hour.
Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson Co. Used by permission.