THE KING’S BUSINESS
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Greek word translated “ devout.” Further more, he was a man who feared God, i.e., he sought to please God by showing regard for God’s will. Further stifl, he was one who did not keep his piety to himself, but called upon his whole household to share it with him. He was a man o f prayer. Evidently what he was especially praying for was light (vs. 31, 32), and when he got light he always followed it. It was because he asked for light that he received it (cf. James 1:5). Still further, he was a generous giver. The alms he gave to , others had much to do With God’s giving the saving truth to him (v. 4; cf. Luke 6 :38). Cornelius does not seem to have been a proselyte o f the Jewish faith (v. 28; ch. 11:3), and it is certain that he was as yet not a saved man (ch. 11:13, 14), but he was on the road that leads to salvation and he became a saved man by believing on Jesus Christ (v. 43; ch. 15:7-9). There are those who contend that we should never get a man to pray until he is a defi nitely saved man, but the way in which the Holy Spirit has recorded the story o f Cor nelius in this place, shows that this teaching is not according to the mind o f the Spirit; for it was in answer to prayer that this unsaved Cornelius got the light by which he was saved. O f course, if a man is a deliberate rebel against God we should not get him to- pray; for his prayer is an abomination unto God (Prov. 15:8, 28:9). But a man may be a sincere seeker after truth, just as Cornelius was, even though he has not as yet found it, and therefore is not saved; but he has a right to pray to God to show him the truth, and God will show it just as he did to Cornelius. There is nothing better for such an one to do than to pray (cf. James 1:5). God will always lead into the light the men who sincerely desire it (John 7:17). Saturday, December 16 . Acts 10 : 3 - 6 . It was while Cornelius was praying that the first leadings came to him, and it is when we draw near unto God that He draws near unto us (James 4 :8 ). Cor-
nelius was frightened by the celestial visitor, as sinful man usually is by the approach o f the supernatural (cf. Dan. 10:11; Luke 1:12-29; 24:5). But while Cornelius was frightened he maintained his equilibrium and was ready to obey. He was every inch a Roman soldier. He was encouraged by being told that God had noted and remembered his prayers and alms. His prayers and alms had not saved him (cf. ch. 11:13, 14; ch. 10:43), but they had prepared the way for his salvation. God takes note o f sincere pray ers and the alms' that accompany them. Cornelius’ faith was put to a severe test: he was told to send for a certain unknown f man who would tell him what he ought to do, and he should be saved (cf. ch .'11:13, 14). The angel himself might have told Cornelius this, but it is the plan o f God to have the way o f life made plain to men by men. In every conversion recorded in the Bible human instrumentality is brought in somewhere (cf. ch. 9 :6 ; 8:26). Though an angel might be sent to Cornelius to tell him where to find the way o f life, it must be a man who tells him what to do to, obtain life. The conversion o f Cornelius was a miraculous conversion if there ever , was one, but it was through human instru mentality: Sunday, December 17 . Acts 10 : 7 - 10 . Cornelius proved his faith by prompt obedience. The only decisive way to prove our faith in God’s word is by doing what God s Word tells us to do. Not only was Cornelius “ devout” himself (v. 2), but the soldiers about him were “ devout,” as we see here: his piety was o f the communi cative sort; for the soldier who waited on him continually was also a “ devout” man. Cornelius was also a scrupulously careful man, for he rehearsed all things unto the messengers before he sent them to Joppa. While God prepared one man to hear the gospel, He also prepared another man to preach it to him. It certainly cannot be explained away as the empty dream o f a fevered imagination,that Cornelius at one
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