The Case of
Cornelius and the Holy Spirit
There are many who believe beyond doubt that Cornelius was saved at the time the Holy Spirit came upon him and his household. It is a topic that ought to be discussed. While I have written once before on this subject more needs to be said as there has been some objection to what was written.
I know of no person who claims to be a Christian who would
deny the fact that the very first gospel sermon ever preached after Christ's
death, burial, and resurrection was in the city of
The reader ought to note and carefully digest what the Holy
Spirit speaking through Peter said on that occasion in response to those who
asked "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" (Acts
Now note, when does the Holy Spirit promise these believers
they will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit?
Is it before repentance and baptism for the remission of sins or
after? The answer is evident. This raises a question. Is there one gospel in one location and
another in a different location so that we can never really know what the
gospel is? Does the Holy Spirit preach
one message concerning salvation in one location but a different one elsewhere? Does God show partiality toward some? Are some saved one way and others in a
different way? The Bible says, "there is no partiality with God" (Rom
All of this being the case then how does one account for the fact that in the account of Cornelius' conversion we have the Holy Spirit arriving before, rather than after, baptism? Has the Holy Spirit suddenly changed his mind on repentance and baptism being for the forgiveness of sins as He formerly taught? And, if He has changed His mind this one time is it possible He may change His mind again? Has He changed His mind on there even being but one gospel?
The answer is obviously no. What the Holy Spirit taught on the day of Pentecost he also taught approximately, from what I have read, 10 years later at the household of Cornelius. Repentance and baptism still retain the same position in God's plan of salvation for man that they always had from the beginning of the gospel dispensation on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2.
How then does one account for the Spirit arriving before baptism in the case of Cornelius? If one reads carefully all of Acts 10 and 11 he will see God's reason. The gospel was meant to be preached to all men, all races and nationalities. And, yet, quite a number of years have gone by since Pentecost and where are we at? We are still at the point where the vast majority of Jewish Christians cannot believe the gospel is for Gentiles as well as Jews.
Even Peter, an apostle, though inspired so he could teach and preach without possibility of error, does not fully comprehend the meaning of the message Christ taught in Matt. 28:18-19 - the Great Commission. This was nothing new for prophets often did not know the full import of the inspired words they spoke. (1 Peter 1:10-12)
In reading Acts 10 one learns by seeing Peter's initial reaction to the vision he had that Peter was still observing as law the dietary restrictions found under the law of Moses all the while living under the law of Christ. Then in verse 28 of chapter 10 he says "You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean."
Note the word "unlawful" in that verse. Up till the time of this vision Peter was
lacking a full understanding of how the Law of Moses had now been completely
done away with. He was still, up to this
time, concerned about dietary commands and keeping a distance from Gentiles. It took the vision of the sheet let down from
heaven and the Spirit speaking to him directly (Acts
Why did the Holy Spirit fall upon Cornelius and his
household before baptism for the remission of sins? Was it because that was the means of
salvation or because Cornelius was already a saved man without repentance and
baptism? No. It was because it was going to take a
miracle, not now so much for Peter because he seems to be getting the idea, but
in order for the whole Jewish Christian body to come to an understanding that
the gospel was for all and not just for Gentiles and to get them out preaching
and teaching the Gentiles. In fact, when
the Holy Spirit fell upon Cornelius and his household the Bible says of those
Jews who had traveled with Peter that they were "astonished" that
this had happened, that God would grant this to Gentiles. (Acts
When Peter went back to Jerusalem, to show how great the
prejudice was against the Gentiles, the Bible says, and it is speaking of
Jewish Christians (read the context), that "those of the circumcision
contended with him." (Acts 11:2 NKJV)
In fact, Peter had to rehearse the whole account of what had happened to
silence his critics but having done so they realize for the first time that
"God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life." (Acts
Thus we have the real reason the Holy Spirit feel upon
Cornelius and his household prior to baptism.
It was not for the forgiveness of sins for the gospel had not changed. Peter still needed to "command them to
be baptized." (Acts
I know one who argues that Cornelius and his household were already saved having received the Holy Spirit. Yet, the Holy Spirit commands them to be baptized. Is this baptism to be for some other reason than what the Holy Spirit first said in Peter's inspired sermon in Acts 2:38? Is baptism for one reason or purpose at one time and place but then for another in another time and place?
God granted, in the case of Cornelius and his household, the Spirit prior to baptism (baptism for the remission of sins which the Spirit taught in Acts 2:38) for a special reason but the reader must bear in mind that God knows our hearts and what we will do before we do it. God knew Cornelius would obey the command and be baptized for the very reason those on the day of Pentecost were - because they believed every word Peter spoke and part of that word was baptism for the remission of sins just as it was on the day of Pentecost for the message never changed. What was preached in one place was preached in every place.
They were the things the angel said Peter would tell them -
"tell you words by which you and all your
household will be saved." (Acts
Yes, some say baptism is just a symbol or a picture and is meaningless other than as a symbol. Tell Peter that. Better yet tell the Holy Spirit He did not know what he was talking about in Acts 2:38 on the day of Pentecost. If those in the audience on the day of Pentecost were saved without baptism they did not know it for they are asking what they must do. Furthermore, Peter did not know it for he told them what to do. That is pretty much the end of the story.
Yes, the case of Cornelius was unique and an exception to
the rule but it is not the only such case for when God has seen a need he has
acted for the specific purpose he had in mind.
Saul was converted and became the apostle Paul not because he heard the
gospel in the normal way and responded.
We doubt that would ever have happened left to his own devices with the
attitude he had. But, God acted directly
and the Lord appeared to Saul on the road to
I close with this.
One who has objected to my position has said that 1 John