WAS CORNELIUS A KINGDOM SAINT?
Act 10:1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,
Act 10:2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.
Act 10:3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.
Act 10:4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.
Acts chapter 10 gives an introduction of a Gentile man named Cornelius, and as we can see in verse 2 he gave “much alms” to Israel, Cornelius and “his house” knew that Israel was God’s beloved nation. Cornelius understood where and how he fit in under the kingdom gospel, his good deeds toward God’s beloved nation was accepted as a “memorial” before God. Cornelius “feared God,” he also fasted and prayed accordingly, he was the perfect example of how a gentile would bless a Jew when the kingdom got itself underway.
Act 10:22 And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.
Act 10:23 Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him.
Act 10:24 And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends.
Act 11:12 And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house:
Act 11:13 And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter;
Act 11:14 Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.
The men whom Cornelius sent unto Peter said Cornelius was a “just man”, but as pointed out in an earlier study (Justifications and Salvations) whenever you come across the word “just” or “justify”, you can’t assume that it is talking about being justified unto eternal life. Acts 11:14 Peter gives the apostles and brethren the ‘why’ of his visit unto the Gentiles; Peter knew that this man and his house needed to hear the gospel of their salvation unto eternal life. Before Peter came unto Cornelius he was not justified unto eternal life, but he was just in the sight of men because of his acknowledgement of God’s beloved nation, and the plan that He has for them, he knew what his role would be as a Gentile when that kingdom got set up. God heard the prayers of Cornelius because of his faithfulness toward His nation during the time that He was offering the kingdom to Israel.
Isa 60:3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
Isa 60:4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.
Isa 60:5 Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.
The qualifications for a Gentile to get saved under the kingdom administration would be through the rise of Israel when the kingdom of heaven is set up on the earth, then at that time Israel would fulfill the commission given to them in Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-18, and Acts 1:8 by going out preaching the gospel to all nations being the priesthood of the Lord. The only way Cornelius and his house could have been kingdom saints would be by the kingdom being first set up, and the children of Israel first receiving their promised blessings. We also have to keep in mind that the reason Peter was given the vision was to show that the “middle wall of partition” has been broken down between Jew and Gentile as reveled to Paul in Acts chapter 9. With that being said at the time Peter went in unto Cornelius, the Gentile now also had access to the righteousness of God by faith and faith alone. The alms that were given to Israel and the fact that Cornelius “feared God” counted him faithful enough to be used by God to show Peter and all that came with him a sign that God was now putting “no difference” between Jew and Gentile.
Act 10:42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.
Act 10:43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
Act 10:44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
Act 10:45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Act 10:46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
Act 10:47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
Act 10:48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
Peter and the apostles were taught by the Lord after His resurrection the gospel that they would preach to the Gentiles; also he knew at what time this gospel would be preached to them as well. However what happened in Acts 10:44-45 came as a surprise to Peter and all of the circumcision “that believed,” they were “astonished” by what took place because the Gentiles had just only “heard the word” of God and became saved, this was not how things should have transpired under the kingdom gospel.
Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Because of the commission given to the apostles, Peter was taught that baptism was necessary as an outer man cleansing for the Gentiles, that’s why he commanded them to be baptized anyway even though the Gentiles had received the salvation of God.
Act 11:1 And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.
Act 11:2 And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him,
Act 11:3 Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.
Act 11:4 But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying,
Act 11:5 I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me:
Act 11:6 Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
Act 11:7 And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat.
Act 11:8 But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth.
Act 11:9 But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.
Act 11:10 And this was done three times: and all were drawn up again into heaven.
Act 11:11 And, behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the house where I was, sent from Caesarea unto me.
Act 11:12 And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house:
Act 11:13 And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter;
Act 11:14 Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.
Act 11:15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.
Act 11:16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
Act 11:17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?
Act 11:18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
Even though Peter baptized the Gentiles, afterwards he brought into remembrance what the Lord said about baptism; Peter found out that the man could now “forbid water,” and that if God made this change in His dealings with mankind, he knew he could not “withstand God.” The apostles and brethren “contended” with Peter because he “went in to men uncircumcised” and he ate with them. This would have been of no surprise if it was the time for Israel to go out to all nations, the brethren should have rejoiced and glorified God when first hearing of this visit based upon the commission given unto them.
Act 15:7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
Act 15:8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
Act 15:9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
The apostles and the brethren knew that the time was not “at hand” for the salvation of the Gentiles, we know this to be the issue because: what were the apostles waiting for? Why did not they accompany Peter on his mission unto the Gentiles? Why were they still in Judaea? Peter knew he could not “withstand God” in His change with man, God had now “broken down the middle wall” between Jew and Gentile, Peter knew that God was now being gracious and merciful to the Gentiles without the establishment of the kingdom, and the Gentile at this point could only have been saved under the dispensation of Gentile grace. Moreover when the kingdom is set up on the earth in “ages to come,” Israel will reign as the priesthood of God, with the Gentiles receiving their blessings of God through Israel, but under the dispensation of Gentile grace God has “put no difference” between Jew and Gentile.
Eph 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Eph 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Eph 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
Eph 2:17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
Eph 2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
Eph 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
Eph 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
Cornelius became saved by just hearing the gospel and he had “access” unto the Father the same way the Jew did; by grace through his faith. So to answer the question was Cornelius a kingdom saint? The answer would be No. At that time the Holy Ghost’s ministry was centered around feeding the church (the Israelites saved earlier) with the word of God, and with raising Paul up in Acts chapter 9 to go out and minister to “every creature under heaven.” The Holy Ghost was now doing something different, with a new apostle, with a different message, for a different group of people, after Acts chapter 9 we have a time when God has changed the program. The Holy Ghost’s message to Peter and the church at that time was that the Gentiles were now “fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God,” Peter’s visit to Cornelius was not so Peter could get a ‘for-taste’ of what it would be like when the kingdom got itself underway, but it was for a unique and special purpose. God showed Peter and the church that even though Israel’s covenanted kingdom would not be coming in anytime soon, God was still being gracious and merciful toward the world through the ministry of the Holy Ghost.
Rod Jones