02.26. The Conversion of Cornelius Continued
LESSON XXVI.--The Conversion of Cornelius
Continued.
PETER’S SPEECH. Acts 10:34-43.
Repeat Peter’s introduction. Acts 10:34-35. When had Peter learned that God was no respecter of persons? Acts 10:28. According to Acts 10:35, what is he a respecter of?
What does Peter say of the knowledge which his hearers already had of the word of God? Acts 10:37. Where does he locate the beginning of Christ’s preaching? Acts 10:37. How does he describe the good works of Jesus? Acts 10:38. What does he assert of himself and others? Acts 10:39. What does he say of the death and resurrection of Jesus? Acts 10:39-40. What of the witnesses of his resurrection? Acts 10:41. Is it not an argument against the resurrection, that Jesus appeared only to chosen witnesses? Ans.--It would be if the witnesses were chosen because they would be inclined to bear false testimony; but they were chosen because they knew Jesus perfectly, and could not be deceived as to his person. Others who did not know him so well would not have been so competent witnesses.
What is the next point in Peter’s speech? Acts 10:42. What command of Jesus is here referred to? Mark 16:15-16.
What does he then state as the condition of remission of sins? Acts 10:43. Whose testimony to this does he give besides his own? Acts 10:43. What is the force of "through his name" in this verse? Ans.--In stating that the believer shall receive remission of sins through his name, Peter means that he shall receive it when he comes into connection with his name, and this is done when one is baptized into his name. Comp. Acts 10:48. THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVEN. Acts 10:44-48.
What occurred to interrupt Peter’s speech? Acts 10:44. What did the six companions of Peter think of this? Acts 10:45. How did they know the Holy Spirit had fallen on them? Acts 10:46. What did Peter say? Acts 10:47-48. Did Peter think that the Holy Spirit baptism made water baptism unnecessary? As Cornelius received the Holy Spirit before baptism, ought not this to be the case now? Ans.--No: for it was the miraculous gift of the Spirit which he received, and this is not now given; the gift of the Spirit promised to all comes after baptism. See Acts 2:38. Does not the fact that he received the Holy Spirit before baptism prove that his sins were forgiven before baptism? Ans.--It does not, because the miraculous gift of the Spirit has no connection with the forgiveness of sins. For what purpose was this miraculous gift imparted to Cornelius and his friends? Ans.--We are to learn this from the use which Peter made of it: he used it at first to prove to the Jewish brethren with him that Gentile believers ought to be baptized, Acts 10:47; and he used it afterward to convince the Jewish brethren in Jerusalem of the same thing. Acts 11:15-17.
Why was this baptism in the Spirit not repeated? Ans.--Because when Christians were once convinced that Gentiles were to be baptized on the same conditions as Jews, they never needed to be convinced again, and therefore there was no need of repeating the miracle. Did any one besides Cornelius and his friends ever receive the Holy Spirit before baptism so far as we read in Acts of the Apostles? If it had been necessary to salvation would it not have occurred in every case of conversion?