Daily Scripture Reading Acts 10:30 - 11:3
One of the failings of 21st century Christianity is ignorance about what exactly has to happen for a non-Christian to switch from being unsaved to being saved. Many Christians cannot articulate the exact moment that conversion takes place. This is a grievous absence of understanding, because any Christian who cannot articulate the exact moment of conversion cannot effectively communicate the salvation message or successfully determine who is saved and who is not.
The tenth chapter of Acts provides a picture of the exact moment some people moved from the status of unsaved into the status of saved. This picture helps us understand the concept of salvation so that we can communicate an accurate salvation message.
The first half of Acts 10 tells us about Peter traveling from Joppa to Caesarea to speak to Cornelius, a Roman centurion. When Peter arrived in the Roman’s home, he found many of Cornelius’ family and friends were gathered there. Peter asked why he had been summoned.
Acts 10:30 ¶ And Cornelius said, “Four days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during the ninth hour; and behold, a man stood before me in shining garments,
Acts 10:31 and he said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God.
Acts 10:32 Therefore send to Joppa and invite Simon, who is also called Peter, to come to you; he is lodging at the house of Simon the tanner by the sea.’
Acts 10:33 So I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been ordered by the Lord.”
Acts 10:34 ¶ And opening his mouth, Peter said: ¶ “I most truly comprehend now that God is not one to show partiality,
Acts 10:35 but in every nation the one who fears Him and does righteousness is welcome to Him.
Notice the phrase “most truly comprehend” in verse 34. Before Peter was brought to Cornelius, he had seen a vision of unclean animals and the Lord told him to slaughter and eat because anything God had cleansed was no longer defiled. Then the Spirit told Peter three men were looking for him and he was supposed to go with them without hesitation. Now that Peter had heard about the vision Cornelius had seen in which the angel told him to summon Peter, Peter grasped that God was welcoming people from all nations into the church.
Acts 10:36 As for the word which He sent to the sons of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all—
Acts 10:37 you yourselves know the thing which happened throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed.
Think about the phrase “you yourselves know”. This indicates the ministry of Jesus was well known, not just in Galilee or Jerusalem, but in neighboring areas as well. The gospels do not indicate Jesus ever visited the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, but Peter assumed the people there had heard about Jesus.
Acts 10:38 You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
This verse also contains the words “You know”. Peter assumed his audience knew the details of what Jesus did and said.
Acts 10:39 And we are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a tree.
The pronoun “we” refers to Peter and his fellow apostles.
Notice the word “witnesses”. When a prosecutor attempts to convict a person of a crime, he calls witnesses to testify that a crime took place and that the defendant committed the crime. Jesus used the same tactic to prove Himself to future generations. The apostles were eyewitnesses of everything Jesus did. Their testimony was eventually written down and included in the collection of books we know as the New Testament. When we read the New Testament, we are reading eyewitness accounts of the ministry of Jesus.
Note that Peter stated plainly that Jesus was killed.
Acts 10:40 God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He appear,
Acts 10:41 not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.
In verse 40 Peter stated plainly that Jesus rose from the dead.
We once again see the word “witnesses”. Peter and the apostles were eyewitnesses that Jesus rose from the dead. They knew He was alive because they ate and drank with Him.
Acts 10:42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and solemnly to bear witness that this is the One who has been designated by God as Judge of the living and the dead.
This is an important statement about Jesus. Jesus is the Judge of the living and the dead. Someday, everyone will stand before Jesus and be held accountable for their life.
Acts 10:43 Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”
Once again we see the word “witness”, except this time Peter stated the prophets bore witness about Jesus. The prophets refers to the Old Testament writings. The books in the Old Testament predicted and foreshadowed Jesus, so when Jesus fulfilled the prophecies, the prophets were bearing witness to Jesus.
Pay attention to the word “believes”. Belief is necessary to receive forgiveness of sins. It is not enough to simply ask for salvation. A person has to believe in Jesus in order to be saved.
Acts 10:44 ¶ While Peter was still speaking these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the word.
This is a significant verse in understanding the concept of salvation. Notice the phrase “while Peter was still speaking”. Then notice when the Holy Spirit fell upon those who were listening.
The Holy Spirit did not fall on them after they prayed a sinners prayer or asked Jesus into their heart. Instead, He fell on them while Peter was still speaking, because while Peter was speaking, his audience believed what Peter was saying, and at the moment they believed, they were saved and the Holy Spirit fell upon them. Belief is an essential component of salvation.
Acts 10:45 And all the circumcised believers who came with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.
Note the word “astounded”. Up to this point in time, most believers were Jews. Acts 10:28 tells us it was unlawful for Jews to associate with Gentiles. Therefore, the Jews had the mentality that Jesus and the Holy Spirit were for Jews only. However, the conversion of Cornelius and his family and friends proved Gentiles can also be saved and receive the Holy Spirit.
Acts 10:46 For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and magnifying God. Then Peter answered,
Acts 10:47 “Can anyone refuse water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?”
Acts 10:48 And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for a few days.
Think about the short amount of time between conversion and baptism. Baptism was not something that happened weeks or months after conversion. It happened right away. Baptism was the method by which people announced their obedience to a new Master.
Acts 11:1 ¶ Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.
Acts 11:2 And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those who were circumcised took issue with him,
Acts 11:3 saying, “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.”
Verses 2 and 3 tell us not all the Jewish believers understood that the gospel was for all men, not just the Jews.
We see in this interaction between Peter and the house of Cornelius that the Holy Spirit fell upon the gentiles while Peter was speaking. In other words, it happened at the moment they believed Peter’s message.
Knowing this, what is the exact moment you believed in Jesus and knew He is Lord of your life; thus, moving you from unsaved to saved?
How well can your Pastor and church leaders accurately and Biblically articulate the moment a person moves from the status of unsaved to the status of saved?
How do you need to change your concept and presentation of the gospel message so as to pass on a Biblical understanding of salvation and the moment true conversion takes place?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”