World Fellowship of Christians

Acts 10:34-43

GOLDEN TEXT: “The same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.”—Romans 10:12

THE fellowship of Christians is a world fellowship in the sense, as Peter explains, that God is no respecter of persons. As God looks upon his church, there is “neither Jew nor Greek, neither bond nor free, … male nor female,” for all are one in Christ Jesus—all are Christians. (Gal. 3:28) This is one of the great fundamentals of the Gospel. It was a hard truth for many in the early church to learn, and there are those today who are trying to change it, claiming that God has one message for Gentiles and a different message for the Jews that part of the New Testament was written to Jewish converts to Christ, and part to Gentile converts.

For the Jews who accepted Jesus—even the apostles—it was difficult to recognize that Gentiles could also become disciples, “fellow heirs” with those who were of the “commonwealth of Israel.” (Eph. 3:6; 2:12) This is understandable, for after all they had been God’s people exclusively for many centuries. God had said to them, “You only have I known of all the families of the earth.” (Amos 3:2) And even when Jesus first sent his disciples into the ministry he told them not to go to the Gentiles, but only to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matt. 10:6; 15:24) No wonder it was difficult for them to change their viewpoint.

Every feature of the divine plan is worked out exactly on time, se there was a due time for Gentiles to come into the church. That due time arrived three and one-half years after Pentecost, or at the full end of the seventieth week of Daniel’s prophecy. (Dan. 9:25-27) The Messiah was “cut off” in death in the middle of this seventieth symbolic week, or seven-year period. The covenant of special favor was continued with Israel for the remainder of that “week,” or for three and one-half years; and then, in the divine providence, Peter was instrumental in taking the Gospel to Cornelius, the first Gentile convert.

While Jesus was still with his disciples, in the flesh, he promised Peter that he would give him the “keys of the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 16:19) It was in fulfillment of this promise that Peter was the one used to open up kingdom privileges to the Gentiles, having previously been used of the Lord at Pentecost to render a similar service on behalf of the Jews.

With such a momentous development in the divine plan about to occur it was fitting that Peter be given definite assurance that it was of the Lord. Cornelius’ vision, and that of Peter while on the roof of Simon the tanner in Joppa, both contributed to the apostle’s assurance; so when he reached the home of Cornelius and saw the manifestation of God’s favor there, he knew how to explain the whole matter and proceeded to do so.

In Peter’s sermon in the home of this first Gentile convert he shows clearly the relationship between the work of Christ and the work of the church, that the latter is but a continuation of the former. He refers to the anointing of Jesus by the Holy Spirit, and shows that it was under the inspiration and authority of this anointing that the Master went about doing good. Then Peter alludes to the commission that Jesus had given to him and to other members of the church, to proclaim these glad tidings far and wide, beginning in Judea.

This work had been started, and in preaching to the household of Cornelius, Peter saw evidence that it was being extended in harmony with the Master’s commission. Thus Peter’s approach to the subject is seen to be both logical and scriptural. When Cornelius and his household accepted the message and the Holy Spirit came upon them, there was no doubt whatever left in Peter’s mind concerning the divine acceptance of Gentiles into the body of Christ. Because of this assurance Peter was able later to testify that “God at the first DID visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.”—Acts 15:13,14

In Peter’s discourse to Cornelius and his household he makes a distinction between the baptism of John and the baptism of Christ. He explains that while the message of the Gospel was confined to the people of Judea, those who believed were baptized with John’s baptism; but he told Cornelius and his family that they should be baptized in the name of Christ.—Acts 10:37,47,48

There was an important reason for this. John’s baptism, which was for the remission of sins, was designed to restore Jews to harmony with their law covenant. This accomplished, they could be, in God’s sight, transferred from the house of servants under Moses, to the house of sons under Christ; and no further baptism was necessary. In the case of the Jews, the baptism which symbolized their entrance into covenant relationship with God was accomplished “in the sea and in the cloud” at the time they left Egypt.—I Cor. 10:1,2

Christian baptism is not for the remission of sins, but a symbol of death and resurrection in Christ. It was this baptism that Peter enjoined upon Cornelius and which is still the proper baptism for all who become consecrated followers of the Master.

QUESTIONS:

Why was the Gospel restricted to the Jews prior to the conversion of Cornelius?

In what way was Peter assured that the due time had come for the acceptance of Gentiles into the church?

What is the difference between John’s baptism and Christ’s baptism?

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