Acts 10.
The introduction of the Gentiles into the Christian assembly is seen in this chapter, and Peter, against all his inclinations as a faithful Jew, is the instrument chosen of God to bring them in. To him was given the authority (Matt. 16:19), and God who is thinking of the Gentiles, (He is the God of the Gentiles also) prepares Peter to carry out His purpose.
So also is Cornelius prepared by God for communications from Himself by Peter. Cornelius, and his house, bear the stamp of being converted people, pious and God-fearing, marked by much kindness to the poor, and by their earnest, prayerful life they show their character.
Cornelius saw plainly an angel of God coming to him about the ninth hour of the day, and spoke to him, “Cornelius.” He was afraid, and answered, “What is it, Lord?” He said, “Thy prayers and thine alms have gone up for a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon whose surname is Peter. He lodges with Simon, a tanner, close to the sea.” Immediately he sent a godly soldier, with two of his household servants, his continual attendants, to Joppa to find Peter. It was the next day before they reached Joppa, and as they drew near, Peter went up to the housetop to pray about the sixth hour. He became hungry and desired to eat. But as they were making ready, he fell into a trance, and saw heaven opened, and something like a great sheet, knit at the four corners, was let down to the earth, wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. There came a voice to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But Peter said, “Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” The voice answered, “What God hath cleansed, that call thou not common. This was done three times. While Peter was pondering what it could mean, the messengers arrived from Cornelius. The Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men seek thee. Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.” So Peter was prepared for the occasion. He went down, and asked what their message was. They told of Cornelius, the centurion, a just man, and one that feared God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to send for Peter to come to his house, to hear words from him. Peter called them in, and lodged them, and on the morrow went away with them, accompanied by six brethren.
On the morrow, after they arrived in Caesarea, Cornelius was waiting, with all his kinsmen and near friends. He met Peter coming in, and fell down at his feet to do him homage, but Peter took him up, saying, “Rise up: I myself also am a man,” and he went in and found many gathered together.
Peter sees now the meaning of the great sheet. He said, “Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation: but God hath showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. Wherefore also, having been sent for, I came without saying anything against it. I inquire therefore for what reason ye have sent for me?”
Cornelius now tells his story, which showed Peter that it was God’s voice calling the Gentiles into the same blessing with the Jews, and he cannot refuse what Cornelius says. “Thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.”
God has put him in company with Gentiles, and Peter said, “Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to Him.”
He tells them of the message sent to Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ. (He is Lord of all—Jew and Gentile). Ye know John’s testimony, and Jesus’ life-works in the power of the Holy Spirit, doing good, and healing all, and delivering men from Satan’s power, for God was with Him. Then His rejection, crucifixion, death and resurrection. And God gave Him to be openly seen of witnesses who were chosen before of God, and Peter could say, “We did eat and drink with Him after He rose from among the dead, and He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that He it is who was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.”
Then he told out the word that opened the door for them. “To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins.” What glad hearts were made out of hungry souls as they heard the news for the first time preached to whosoever—any man. They needed no second offer; they heard and received the word. And while Peter was yet speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all them that heard the word. They of the circumcision were astonished; they heard them speaking with tongues and magnifying God, and knew that the Holy Spirit had taken possession of them. The Gentiles also had received the Holy Spirit. There was one thing more that had to be done, and that was to bring them into the House of God. Peter says, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Spirit as well as we?” By the Spirit dwelling in them, they were already members of the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:12, 13), and so Peter, in the name of the Lord, commanded them to be baptized.
They did not become Jews any more than before. Both Jew and Gentile lost their nationality in coming into the assembly of God on earth.
We have now seen the converted of the Jews, Samaritans, proselytes and Gentiles, all brought into the one assembly, all owning the One Name “fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel.”
Chapter 11:1-18.
The apostles and the brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God; and when Peter went up to Jerusalem, they of the circumcision contended with him, saying, “Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised and didst eat with them.” But Peter had grace from God to go over the whole story with them. The vision he had, and the vision Cornelius had; and these six brethren were there to confirm his story, and to witness it was all of God, and lastly, “the Holy Spirit fell upon them as upon us at the beginning. Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, John baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit. If then God has given them the same gift as also to us when we had believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; who indeed was I to be able to forbid God?” This closed their objections, and then the tide of feeling changed, and they glorified God, saying, “Then indeed hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.”