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<...Go back

Who was Cornelius?


Introduction. If you have read the scriptures to any degree or listened to sermons, you have probably heard of Cornelius.

Cornelius was an outstanding Gentile.   Information and facts about Cornelius are found in Acts chapter ten and eleven.   Cornelius was a military man, actually a centurion or leader of one hundred soldiers.  He was of the Italian band (Acts 10: 1).  Cornelius was devout, feared God, generous, and prayerful (Acts 10: 2).  He was also a just man and was of "good report among all the nation of the Jews" (Acts 10: 22).  Nonetheless, Cornelius was lost (Acts 11: 14).  Peter was dispatched to tell Cornelius words whereby he could be saved (Ibid.) Cornelius is a good example of how a man can be religious but lost without Christ.  Cornelius was honest and had a good heart because when he heard the gospel, he obeyed it and was baptized (Acts 10: 34-48).

The saving of Cornelius and his family was pivotal regarding the Gentiles.  There had been preaching to the Gentiles before Act 10 (see ch. 8), but mostly the Jew was targeted (Rom. 1: 16).   There continued to be racial prejudice even after the Great Commission (Matt. 28: 18-20).  Peter himself had racial bias (Acts 10: 28, 9-20).  At this time (Acts 10), the baptism of the Spirit had only been experienced by the apostles (Acts 2: 1-13, ca. ten years earlier).  In addition to Cornelius' salvation, he and his family received the baptism of the Spirit (Acts 11: 16, 17, 10: 44-46).  The baptism of the Spirit was proof that God included Gentiles (Acts 11: 17, 18).  As a result of Cornelius' salvation and baptism in the Spirit, the gospel began to really be preached among the Gentiles (cp. Acts 11: 19 ff.).

Conclusion. The turning of Cornelius to God was and is a powerful statement that God accepts Gentiles - you and me!
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