Today’s passage: Acts 10:1-48
Helpful thoughts:
- The way Cornelius is introduced teaches us that he had given up his pagan idolatry and feared God. However, he had not become a proselyte Jew. Cornelius was still an uncircumcised Gentile.
- Peter understood that his vision from God was not just about food. God had called the Gentile people clean (Verse 28). The Church is an in-gathering of Jew and Gentile alike, cleansed by the blood of the Lamb!
- The Jewish Christians hadn’t believed the Gentiles would be welcomed straight into the family of God, not without first becoming proselyte Jews. These tongues confirmed their unbelief in this matter was in error. (1 Corinthians 14:22)
Questions to consider:
- What message did Peter preach to them? What did they need to hear and know to believe?
- If someone were to mistakenly use Peter’s words in Acts 2:38 to teach baptism is necessary to earn salvation, how would this passage correct that? On the other extreme, does this passage teach baptism as optional for new believers? What will new Christians do in humble obedience to their Lord’s command?
- How does this passage fit into the promise of Acts 1:8? Why is it so important that Peter was the Apostle whom God chose to use on this occasion and not Paul? In what way do the events of this passage change the trajectory of the rest of the book…and the world?