July 29
Bible Reading: Acts 10:1-8
Acts 10:3-4, “About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, ‘Cornelius.’ And he stared at him in terror and said, ‘What is it, Lord?’ And he said to him, ‘Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.'”
Any Gentile believer can trace their spiritual roots back to that historic day when that angel of God spoke to Cornelius. That transformative event worked to unlock a door of salvation for the Gentiles that has been held open ever since.
You had a belief in God but didn’t know the truth about Jesus. The burden of your sins weighed on you, yet you were unaware of the way to be forgiven. You were unaware until some kind soul shared with you the truth of the gospel. Before that, someone had shared the gospel with that person. And before that, another with them. Follow that historical pattern all the way back to its roots and there you’ll find Cornelius.
Cornelius was an exception man: religious, sincere, and prayerful. He was “well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation” (Acts 9:22). But, as Warren Wiersbe has noted, he was not saved:
“It is interesting to see how religious a person can be and still not be saved. Certainly, Cornelius was sincere in his obedience to God’s law, his fasting, and his generosity to the Jewish people…The difference between Cornelius and many religious people today is this: he knew that his religious devotion was not sufficient to save him…Cornelius was asking God to show him the way of salvation.”
As with the Ethiopian eunuch, Cornelius was living up to the level of revelation he had received. But both had the need of someone to unveil to them the truth of the gospel. In the eunuch’s case, that was Philip. Then God worked to orchestrate a meeting of Cornelius with Peter. And the rest, as they say, is history. And you stand as a beneficiary. The gospel first came to the Gentiles as a result of God’s intervention. He’s been intervening in the life of sinners ever since. Cornelius was a praying man. And God heard his prayers.
It is as we respond to the truth that we’ve received that God gives more truth.
PASS ME NOT
Pass me not, O gentle Savior,
Hear my humble cry,
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.
Refrain:
Savior, Savior,
Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.
Let me at a throne of mercy
Find a sweet relief;
Kneeling there in deep contrition,
Help my unbelief. [Refrain]
Trusting only in Thy merit,
Would I seek Thy face;
Heal my wounded, broken spirit,
Save me by Thy grace. [Refrain]
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