Cornelius, A Roman Officer

Cornelius was a Roman army officer: a captain of the Italian Regiment. Acts chapter 10 says that he was a devout, God-fearing man that gave generously to the poor and prayed regularly to God. The Bible also says that everyone in his household was like Cornelius.

One day an angel appeared to Cornelius and told him to send for Simon Peter, one of the disciples of Jesus. Cornelius sent three of his Roman soldiers to summon Peter.

Just before the Roman soldiers reached Peter's house, Peter went up on his roof to pray. It was around noon, so Peter was naturally hungry. While he was praying, God gave Peter a vision. In the vision, Peter saw the sky open up and a large sheet let down with all kinds of animals, reptiles and birds on it. God spoke to Peter and told him to get up, kill the animals and eat them. Peter refused because of the Jewish laws which forbade him to eat anything that has been declared unclean and impure. Then God profoundly spoke to Peter again in verse 15: "Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean." The dream perplexed Peter. He was not able to understand its meaning.

Then the Holy Spirit spoke to Peter to go downstairs and greet at his front door the three men that Cornelius sent. When Peter opened the door, he saw that the men were Roman soldiers and therefore, Gentiles. It was against Jewish law at the time, for a Jew to associate with a Gentile, let alone enter his home. Peter now understood the meaning of his dream. Peter, being obedient to God, invited the three men to stay the night.

The next day Peter and other Jewish believers went with the Roman soldiers to speak to Cornelius the message God wanted him and his family to hear: the salvation message of Jesus Christ. Cornelius and all his household listened and were saved. Then immediately afterwards they were baptized by the Holy Spirit, astonishing the other Jewish believers.

God never shows disfavour to nationality or occupation, and we are not to call something unclean, when God has made it clean. Therefore, no matter what we may have done in the past, what nationality we are or what occupation/lifestyle we may have had, we are immediately made clean when we accept what Jesus did on the Cross for us and ask Him to come into our lives to be our Saviour.

Matthew drew his brother, Chris, the other day, as a Roman centurion:

The Roman soldiers were the ones that tortured Jesus, mocked and crucified Him, showing no mercy. However, when God looked upon Cornelius, He didn't see his helmet, sword or shield, remembering the cruel treatment of Roman soldiers towards His beloved Son. God didn't see Cornelius as a Gentile and not a Jew. Instead, He saw Cornelius' heart, and in a miraculous way brought the salvation message to him.

God has the right and power to make clean what is unclean. All God requires is for you to give your heart to Him.