As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshipped him.  (26) But Peter lifted him up saying, “Stand up; I myself am also a man”

(34) Then Peter opened his mouth and said:  In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.  (35) But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.”

(44)   While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.  (45) And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.  (46)For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.  Then Peter answered (47) “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized in the name of the Lord. ”  Then they asked him to stay a few days.

The Acts of the Apostles was written by Luke as an historical narrative of the early Christian Church. The early Church consisted of Christian Jews but in chapter 10 of Acts we are told how God adds Gentiles to the elect.  The Jews and the Gentiles despised each other but God’s design was one people in Christ.

The Mosaic Law said that many foods were unclean and forbidden to Jews.  Jesus effectively changed the food prohibitions when He rebuked the Pharisees telling them that nothing that goes into man will defile man but what comes out – Jesus was saying that uncleanliness is from the heart, not from that which was ceremoniously unclean.   He was essentially declaring all foods to be clean.  Christ on the cross accomplished full and final cleansing for the sins of the faithful – not for the Jews only but all who believe in Christ as Messiah.

Our verses today concern the conversion of the Gentile, Cornelius.  Cornelius was a Gentile Roman soldier – a leader of 100 men of the Italian unit which was of the elite Roman army. He represented the Roman occupation of Israel.   God came to Peter in a vision and declared all foods – and also all men – were not to be considered unclean.  Essentially Peter was told not to keep from association with Gentiles and that he was to offer the Gospel to them.  So when men sent by Cornelius – who had been visited by Gods angel to tell him to send for Peter – Peter goes to the house of Cornelius realizing he would preach the gospel to the household of Cornelius. These Gentiles were not Jewish – they were uncircumcised  men and had before this been shunned by Jews.  Peter arrived, reminded Cornelius he was a messenger from God and just a man.  (I love the humility of this sentence.)

What Peter preached to Cornelius of the gospel had exactly the same results as described at Pentecost but now the participants were Gentile.   Peter was interrupted by God – before he even finished the Holy Spirit came upon Cornelius and his household and they believed.

Chapter 10 of Acts tells us that God includes the world in the Gospel.  Salvation is available to all but salvation is in Christ and is by faith.  It is absolutely clear in Scripture that the Spirit indwells the believer instantly  and the Spirit gives us the power to obey God.