Last Sunday morning, as our family worshipped and spent time in Acts 10 together, Kendra had a really good question, “If Cornelius wasn’t yet saved because He hadn’t yet heard the message of Peter that ‘whoever believes in the name of Jesus receives forgiveness of sins through His name’ and therefore he didn’t fully cheap Zoloft know the one true God (because he who knows the Son, knows the Father), then what God was Cornelius praying to and fearing?”

Good question, huh?

Most commentators suggest that Cornelius was one of a number of military expats who resided in the area and were looked upon well by the local population as they took on many Jewish religious customs, such as alms-giving and prayer (as mentioned in the text). I think most of us read about Cornelius and think of him as a great guy who really loved Jesus, but the truth is, there’s nothing historical or biblical to suggest he had anything more than a distant knowledge and respect for Jesus of Nazareth.

So, how in the world does a follower of a works-based religion (prayer and giving), who does not know Christ, become “acceptable” in God’s eyes? Luke can’t mean that buy Prozac online they are saved by good works or good intentions because that would contradict Peter’s very words to Cornelius.

In fact, I thought about it more and I

know a lot of Cornelius(es) in my life…devout people who pray, give to the poor, and respect Jesus, even if they don’t believe that salvation comes through faith in Him. It’s hard to imagine any of these friends as being “acceptable” to God because I immediately place their adherence to another religion as willful opposition to Christ. For some of them, that may be true and their devoutness is one borne of unrighteousness, a show for others. Yet for many, it may be equally true that like Cornelius, they are devout men who sincerely fear God, but walk in ignorant opposition because they don’t know Christ.