Acts 10: The Salvation of Cornelius for Little Children

Centurions were a tough lot. They were expected to be bold, brave, decisive, and, above all, violent.

For Cornelius, the world had been one of strife and chaos—a disordered world that needed the heavy, guiding hand of martial Rome. In maintaining Roman order, Cornelius bore in his body the scars of many battles, the marks of many contests, and the wounds of many front-line engagements. Cornelius had lead many men, done many exploits, and cut many a man down with his sword to bring Rome victory and himself the glories of war: money, land, and a name. Cornelius was a battle-hardened warrior and nobody’s fool.

He stood opposite God’s chosen people as a symbol of oppression for the people of Israel. Rome had made crosses and crucified Jews on them—lifting a downtrodden people above the earth to show, again and again, the sovereignty of Rome, and the humiliation of Israel. Could God save a man like that? An enemy of His chosen people?

What did Jesus say? Do you remember? Jesus said this: “But to those of you who will listen, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone takes your cloak, do not withhold your tunic as well. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what is yours, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you . . . But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” See Luke 6:27-36.

So, yes. God can save a man like Cornelius for He is kind and merciful and demonstrates great love toward His enemies in this way: while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8.

It is important, very important, to remember that Christ died for all. He has done good to those who hated Him; He blessed those who cursed Him; and He prayed for those who mistreated Him. When they struck His cheek, He turned to those the other also.

If all will not come, all have nevertheless been called to behold His beloved Son in whom He is well-pleased. That call included Cornelius as much as it included Peter.

Peter made the distinction between himself and Cornelius, But God did not.

Both men were in the same, unrighteous position before God—both men needed a savior, and both would have died in their trespasses and sins had not Jesus come, and had they both not believed in Him.

Could Peter see himself in Cornelius? Probably not. But the reflection was apparent. We are all unclean outside the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus Christ.

Perhaps Peter remembered the parable of the publican: “Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like the other men—swindlers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and pay tithes of all that I receive.’ But the tax collector stood at a distance, unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven. Instead, he beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’ 

Jesus told his disciples, “I tell you, this man, rather than the Pharisee, went home justified. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” See Luke 18:9-14.

Here then was Cornelius throwing himself down at the feet of Peter. What a shock that must have been to Peter! Get up, he says, I too am a man. That shared humanity is what Luke wants us to see; what God wants us to get, even as Peter struggles with it. We are all but men in need of a savior.

What Luke has been careful to portray for us is this: Jesus has become for all men, for friend and foe alike, both Lord and Christ. Jesus Christ is indeed the light of all men. Here in Chapter 10, that light shone within a grizzled veteran, and the world-weariness of Cornelius could not overcome it. Christ’s love for him was too great, and the great warrior, Cornelius, became undone and submitted to the Conqueror of sin and death. As should we, to His glory—the glory of God’s One and Only.