How was Cornelius Saved?

It’s one of the great conversion stories in Acts. It’s about a man named Cornelius. He was a God-fearing man in need of salvation. Him and his family would be saved. It’s a story that involves miracles. Some have had questions about Cornelius and exactly when he was saved from his sins.

Was he saved when he prayed and the angel spoke to him, Acts 10:3-7? The answer is no. There are things we can’t deny. Cornelius had prayed to God and his prayers were heard. From that, some can assume Cornelius said the sinner’s pray and when God heard him, he was saved at that moment. But that’s not true. There’s more to the story. The angel told Cornelius to do something – send for Peter. Why? So, Peter could tell him what he must do to be saved, Acts 10:5-6; 11:14. God’s response to his prayers did not mean that he was already saved. God responded to him so he could be told how to be saved, Acts 10:33. This is what happened when Peter arrived. Peter preached to him Jesus, Acts 10:34-40. Cornelius was taught about Jesus so he could have faith in Him and be baptized, Acts 10:33, 43, 47-48. Cornelius was saved in accordance with what Jesus said in Mark 16:16: “He who believes and is baptized shall be saved.”

Was he saved when the Holy Spirit fell upon him? The answer is no. We need to ask, why did the miracle occur? Recall the previous events in the chapter.

·       An angel of God spoke to Cornelius, Acts 10:3-6.

·       Peter had a vision, and the Spirit told him to go to Cornelius, Acts 10:9-20.

·       The Spirit was poured out on Cornelius and his household, Acts 10:44.

To understand why these things happened, we need a historical perspective. Cornelius was the first Gentile convert. This was a big deal. Why? Because Jews were separate from Gentiles and, up to this time, Jews made up the church. For centuries, Jews and Gentiles had no dealings with each other. This was about to change. God’s plan all along was to gather both Jews and Gentiles into one body – the church, Ephesians 3:6. Salvation was made available to everyone. There would be no more distinction between Jew and Gentile, Ephesians 2:14. This would prove difficult for the Jews as seen with the hesitation of even going to the house of Cornelius, Acts 10:28. Even the Jewish brethren were angered upon hearing Peter ate with uncircumcised men, Acts 11:1-3. The Holy Spirit fell upon Cornelius for the sake of the Jews, to show them Gentiles could be saved, Acts 10:45. This is what Peter reported to the church at Jerusalem, Acts 11:15-18. Cornelius was not saved immediately when the Holy Spirit fell upon him. He was saved because he obeyed the words of Jesus and was baptized for the forgiveness of sins, Acts 10: 43, 47-48. This is what Jesus instructed in Mark 16:16.

Was Cornelius saved when he spoke in tongues? The answer is no. Some may believe that when he spoke in tongues it was to prove that he had already been saved. This is false, because it’s not what the Bible teaches. Tongues were a sign for unbelievers, 1 Corinthians 14:22. It might be asked, “If that’s true, then who was God trying to convince at Cornelius’ house?” It was to convince Peter and the Jews that Gentiles could be saved, Acts 10:47. Though Cornelius spoke in tongues, he was not saved at that exact moment. Peter ordered him to be baptized in the name of Jesus, Acts 10:48. This is what Jesus taught in Mark 16:16: “He who believes and is baptized shall be saved.”

In the conversion stories in Acts, everyone believed and did the same thing to be saved, Acts 10:34-35. God shows no partiality. We must do what Cornelius (and all the converts in Acts) did to be saved. Cornelius was a good man but was a man still in need of salvation. He heard the good news of Jesus; he believed what he heard; and he obeyed it by being baptized in the name of the Lord, Acts 10:48. That’s how he was saved. It’s how we can be saved today!